Intel x86 documentation has more pages than the 6502 has transistors
Report a link problem
Submission timeline
2007–2026One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.
First comments on top threads
HN comment orderSome comments miss the point. I don't think it's a suggestion that x86 has too much documentation or too much transistors. It just gives a picture in to how the hardware exploded in capacity, complexity and so on. Which is great (though obviously comes with a cost).
In other mind-boggling stats: A single modern games console has more RAM than all of the Atari 2600s ever manufactured put together.
The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.
- Breakout years
- 2
- Total points
- 534
- Total comments
- 238
100+ points or 50+ comments
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
Every submission
| Date | Title as submitted | By | Points | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-09-04 | Intel x86 documentation has more pages than the 6502 has transistors | emillon | 3 | 0 |
| 2016-12-07 | Intel x86 documentation has more pages than the 6502 has transistorsFirst breakout · Best thread | ingve | 300 | 133 |
| 2023-08-05 | Intel x86 Documentation Has More Pages Than The 6502 Has Transistors (2013)Latest 20+ point return | optimalsolver | 231 | 105 |