[Info-vax] Chinese Alpha?

[Paul Sture]

On Tue, 01 May 2012 03:58:34 +0000, Michael Moroney wrote:

> In case you missed it, the phrase "When you care enough to steal the
> very best" has significance.
> 
> In the old days, the VAX was one of the favorite computers of the
> Soviets. VAXen were export-restricted, so the Soviets reverse-engineered
> them and made their own.  DEC engineers knew this, so on one of the
> Microvax chips, they had added the phrase "When you care enough to steal
> the very best", in Russian, on the silicon, a little Easter egg for the
> Soviets to find.
> 
> Perhaps someone can fill in details, such as which VAX chip it was.

Here's a picture:

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/creatures/pages/russians.html

According to the Wiki entry for VAX:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAXen#History

"Further VLSI VAX processors followed in the form of the V-11, CVAX, SOC 
("System On Chip", a single-chip CVAX), Rigel, Mariah and NVAX 
implementations. The VAX microprocessors extended the architecture to 
inexpensive workstations and later also supplanted the high-end VAX 
models. This wide range of platforms (mainframe to workstation) using one 
architecture was unique in the computer industry at that time. Sundry 
graphics were etched onto the CVAX microprocessor die. The phrase CVAX... 
when you care enough to steal the very best was etched in broken Russian 
as a play on a Hallmark Cards slogan, intended as a message to Soviet 
engineers who were known to be both purloining DEC computers for military 
applications, along with reverse engineering their chip design."

And circa 1983/4 the Russians were advertising in France for VMS skills.  
They were offering a _lot_ of money for that time (~50 GBP p.a. IIRC).


-- 
Paul Sture