3 chapters across the catalog
The history of Silicon Valley is marked by "me-too" venture capital investing and a culture of high-stakes startups like Intel, which emerged from Fairchild Semiconductor. Current industry leaders are criticized for promoting "wild fantasies" while securing massive investments for technologies like augmented reality and blockchain.
Gordon Moore Obituary, Intel and Crystal Growing History
Following the death of Intel co-founder Gordon Moore at age 94, a personal history of working at Fairchild Semiconductor is shared. The narrative details the process of "pulling" silicon crystals from boiling vats, a task primarily performed by women at the time. The segment also clarifies the origins of Intel, noting that Moore and Robert Noyce left Fairchild to form the company after a dispute involving William Shockley.
William Shockley, Transistor Invention and Reverse Engineering
The history of the transistor's invention at Shockley Labs is recounted, including the eventual departure of engineers to form Fairchild Semiconductor and Intel. William Shockley is described as a brilliant but difficult figure who allegedly struggled to invent anything further after the initial transistor. Rumors from the era suggested the technology might have been reverse-engineered from recovered extraterrestrial spacecraft.
