''Microprocessor Report'' is a newsletter covering the
microprocessor
A microprocessor is a computer processor where the data processing logic and control is included on a single integrated circuit, or a small number of integrated circuits. The microprocessor contains the arithmetic, logic, and control circu ...
industry. The publication is accessible only to paying subscribers. To avoid bias, it does not take advertisements.
The publication provides extensive analysis of new high-performance microprocessor chips. It also covers microprocessor design issues, microprocessor-based systems, memory and system logic chips, embedded processors,
GPUs, DSPs, and
intellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect. There are many types of intellectual property, and some countries recognize more than others. The best-known types are patents, cop ...
(IP) cores.
History and profile
''Microprocessor Report'' was first published in 1987 by
Michael Slater. Original board members included Bruce Koball,
George Morrow, and
J H Wharton
John Harrison Wharton (21 September 1954 – 14 November 2018) was an American engineer specializing in microprocessors and their applications. Wharton designed the Intel MCS-51, one of the most implemented instruction set architectures of all ...
all of whom served for many years. Originally published monthly in print, since 2000 it has been published weekly online and monthly in print. Slater left
MicroDesign Resources
''Microprocessor Report'' is a newsletter covering the microprocessor industry. The publication is accessible only to paying subscribers. To avoid bias, it does not take advertisements.
The publication provides extensive analysis of new high-perfo ...
(MDR), at the end of 1999.
Typical articles describe the internal design and feature set of microprocessors from vendors such as
Intel
Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the devel ...
,
Broadcom
Broadcom Inc. is an American designer, developer, manufacturer and global supplier of a wide range of semiconductor and infrastructure software products. Broadcom's product offerings serve the data center, networking, software, broadband, wirel ...
, and
Qualcomm. The articles usually compare the leading products and discuss their strengths and weaknesses. The annual "year in review" articles provide a broader look at the processor landscape. The publication gives annual awards to the best microprocessor products. Free summaries of these articles are availabl
online
Slater's company MDR, based in
Sebastopol, California
Sebastopol ( ) is a city in Sonoma County, in California with a recorded population of 7,521, per the 2020 U.S. Census.
Sebastopol was once primarily a plum and apple-growing region. Today, wine grapes are the predominant agriculture crop ...
, originally published ''Microprocessor Report.'' MDR also hosted an annual conference, the Microprocessor Forum, and related events. In 1992, MDR was acquired by
Ziff Davis
Ziff Davis, Inc. is an American digital media and internet company. First founded in 1927 by William Bernard Ziff Sr. and Bernard George Davis, the company primarily owns technology-oriented media websites, online shopping-related services, an ...
. During the 1990s, ''Microprocessor Report'' was recognized four times as Best Newsletter by the
Computer Press Association, which noted its "comprehensive and in-depth coverage."
In 1999, MDR was sold to
Cahners Business Information (later
Reed Business Information
RELX plc (pronounced "Rel-ex") is a British Multinational corporation, multinational information and analytics company headquartered in London, England. Its businesses provide scientific, technical and medical information and analytics; legal i ...
), where it became part of the analyst group In-Stat. During the 2000s, the staff of the newsletter declined. On 6 May 2010, ''Microprocessor Report'' was acquired by The Linley Group.
In addition to Slater, regular contributors have included Linley Gwennap,
Keith Diefendorff, Steven Leibson, Markus Levy, Peter Glaskowsky, Kevin Krewell, Tom Halfhill, Jim McGregor, and Max Baron. The current staff is led by editor-in-chief Gwennap with Bob Wheeler, Mike Demler, and Aakash Jani. Tom Halfhill retired in June 2020.
Slater wrote an account of the early years for the newsletter's tenth anniversary. Slater also recounted his career in an oral history at the
Computer History Museum
The Computer History Museum (CHM) is a museum of computer history, located in Mountain View, California. The museum presents stories and artifacts of Silicon Valley and the information age, and explores the computing revolution and its impact ...
.
Computer History Museum Oral History Collection
Computerhistory.org Retrieved on 2014-03-02.
References
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