1978 Intel Annual Report

Ten years ago Intel was known only to a small group of employees and investors who had the dream of making large scale integrated circuits (LSI) a reality. Today Intel and its products are shaping the future of not only the electronic industry but many others as well.

A key element to this success has been the active pursuit of the future by Intel people which has pushed the company into leadership in advanced electronics. This has been accomplished by successful investment in the research and development of advanced technology and modern production facilities. As a result, each year our customers have been offered products which do more and cost less even in an inflationary environment.

Because of the continuing trend to lower and lower cost large scale integrated circuits, electronic techniques are finding progressively wider areas of application. Familiar examples are the electronic calculator, digital watch, and electronic game. More significant perhaps, to our society, are the applications in communications, computers, and control, where LSI is displacing mechanical or electrical–mechanical techniques and offering more capability at lower cost. The results can be seen in the ever widening use of distributed data processing and information handling, or in the use of the microcomputer to control the engine in automobiles for increased efficiency and lower pollution.

Although these results have been evolutionary from the first integrated circuit (IC) in 1960 through medium-scale (MSI) and large-scale integrated circuits, the overall effect had indeed been revolutionary. A new term, very large scale integration (VLSI) has been used to describe current developments, even though they are a confirmation of the trend. VLSI design and production are becoming even more sophisticated, increasing design costs, and requiring more expensive equipment. Yet the final result is a lower product cost.

Even though phenomenal technological advances have been made in the last decade, the next decade promises further advances.

Read the full 1978 Intel Annual Report.