While many have heard of it, there are still facts about Moore’s Law that are not fully understood. In fact some people have misconceptions about it. The following should help clear some facts and dispel the myths.

What is the Law?

The law was actually proposed as far back as 1965. The man who proposed the law was Gordon E. Moore, one of the founding members of Intel, one of the largest processor companies in the world today. There are many ways that the law is phrased, but the simplest is that the law says the transistors in a microchip will increase, double actually in power every two years.

To be more specific, the number of transistors in a microchip is going to double every two years. If his law held up, it would mean the power of computers would increase rapidly and reach levels unheard of.

Moore based his law on the work he had done and experienced while he was involved in the industry of integrated circuit manufacturing. Based on his observation, he was abler to notice that the transistors made by his company were doubling every 24 months. As the years went by, it became apparent that the Moore’s prognosis was correct. By 1975, the term Moore’s Law had appeared thanks to Carver Mead, a California Institute of Technology professor who coined the term.

The Reality of the Law

Experts have determined that the law is real and that it definitely applies when it comes to the production of microchips. However, there is some debate over the length of the law and when it can no longer be applied. Some studies say that it will end sometime in 2015, while others claim that it will end in 2017 or 2025. By this time the law will have reached its limit simply because chip manufacturers will reach the end of manufacturing possibilities.

But it must be pointed out that the law does not just talk about the number of transistors on a microchip but that it can also apply to electronics pricing and the cost of microchips.

Other Applications of the Law

By simply using the basic concepts of Moore’s Law, it is possible for people to apply the law into different industries. This is exactly what has happened. It has been scientifically proven that Moore’s Law is not just applicable to transistors and microchips but also phones, cameras and other electronic gadgets. As the number of transistors in a device increases, the more powerful it becomes and the more features can be packed in.

An unintended consequence of Moore’s Law is that it puts a lot of pressure on tech companies to follow the law, as it is what consumers expect from them. When Moore first came up with it, it was merely as an observation, but a lot of companies now take it literally and try to double their power every two years. But as Moore himself said, this has to stop somewhere sometime, due to the limits imposed by technology and physical possibilities.

As these facts about Moore’s Law clearly point out, there are a lot of things about this law that people do not understand. What should be clear by now is how remarkable this prediction was and the fact that it is still holding true to this day.

By Cam – The world of computers is always under change but one of the constants is Moore’s Law. While the facts about Moore’s Law are well known in computing circles, some people are still unaware of it. Understand what Moore’s Law is about and what it means for you.