[cctalk] Re: Soviet PDP clones

[Paul Koning via cctalk]

> On Oct 18, 2022, at 2:57 AM, Holm Tiffe via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> 
> wrote:
> 
> Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
> 
>> ...
>> 
>> You probably have heard of the CVAX chip, where on the mask in microscopic 
>> lettering is the message, in Russian: "CVAX -- when you want to steal the 
>> very best".
> 
> Yes, but this was nonsense, the first VAX CPU Chip from USSR was an
> Equivalent of an VAX11/750..but the VAX11/750 never hat an single CPU
> Chip! The CPU consisted of large Boards full of TTL and Sequencers.
> Sorry...no clone. They used the DEC Processor Manual and build their own
> chips.

I assume the story about the message is accurate (I heard it from a senior guy 
at DEC who should know) but that doesn't mean it was actually cloned.  It seems 
to be an engineer reaction to hearing about their earlier work being stolen.

        paul