Modest Moore happy to be "in right place at the right time"

By Stuart Finlayson

Apr 22, 2005: The man who predicted the continuing trend of semiconductor capacity doubling every year with a comparative reduction in production cost has modestly admitted that he was merely blessed with good fortune.

Speaking on the 40th anniversary of the publication of his paper, which was later dubbed Moore's Law, Gordon Moore, who is also the co-founder of leading chip manufacturer Intel, was in no mood for self-aggrandising the fact that his observation has held true for all these years, choosing instead to modestly place much of the credit in the hands of old lady luck.

"It's a nice feeling when you know you were in the right place at the right time. I was involved in the semiconductor industry right at its infancy, so to see it grow into the $200 billion industry it has now become is incredible," said Moore.

Asked if he expected his observation to still hold true today, Moore joked: "Of course I did – that was the plan all along! But seriously, the rate of growth in the semiconductor industry has far outstripped that of any other industry you care to name. It has been truly remarkable."

Intel CEO, Craig Barrett, commented: "At Intel, we are working hard to make sure Moore's Law continues to drive our industry well into the future. We have the next 10-15 years of advances already mapped out in our research labs."

As for what new industry developments get Moore excited, he remarked: "The most exciting thing about new applications going forward will be the surprises I cannot predict. The most important things are usually the ones that people within the industry do not see. They tend to develop outside the industry. I do not know. I just wait to be surprised with the next one that comes along."

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