Dec 12, 2011
Robert Noyce's 84th Birthday
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Having earned the nickname "The Mayor of Silicon Valley," it is no wonder why we had to honor Robert Noyce with a Google doodle. He was responsible for the invention of the early microchips and laid the ground work for all the innovative companies to spring from the Bay Area (including Google!)
I knew that I had to celebrate his birthday in a geeky but accurate way-- the problem was that, as I sat down to draw, I realized I had no idea how motherboards and microchips differ. The following are the results of my uninformed impressions of technology:
It wasn't until I visited our own hardware lab at Google and spoke with Noyce's wife, Ann, that I began to understand what I was trying to draw. With their help I was able to both identify a microchip and honor Noyce accurately!
Posted by Jennifer Hom
Where this Doodle appeared
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The very first Doodle launched as an “out of office” message of sorts when company founders Larry and Sergey went on vacation.
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The first Doodle launched in 1998, before Google was officially incorporated.
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The first same day Doodle was created in 2009 when water was discovered on the moon.
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Doodle for Google student contest winners have gone on to become professional artists
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The time it takes from sketch to launch for a Doodle varies widely: some have taken years and others just a few hours!
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Hundreds of Doodles launch around the world every year. Often, several different ones are live in different places at the same time!
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Our most frequently recurring Doodle character is Momo the Cat - named after a real-life team pet!
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