Any one of several similar folk theorems that fit computing capacity
or cost to a 2^t exponential curve, with doubling time close to a
year. The most common fits component density to such a curve
(previous versions of this entry gave that form). Another variant
asserts that the dollar cost of constant computing power decreases on
the same curve. The original Moore's Law, first uttered in 1965 by
semiconductor engineer Gordon Moore (who co-founded Intel four years
later), spoke of the number of components on the lowest-cost silicon
integrated circuits -- but Moore's own formulation varied somewhat
over the years, and reconstructing the meaning of the terminology he
used in the original turns out to be fraught with difficulties.
Further variants were spawned by Intel's PR department and various
journalists.
It has been shown that none of the variants of Moore's Law actually
fit the data very well (the price curves within DRAM generations
perhaps come closest). Nevertheless, Moore's Law is constantly
invoked to set up expectations about the next generation of computing
technology. See also {Parkinson's Law of Data} and {Gates's Law}.
[glossary]
[Reference(s) to this entry by made by: {Gates's Law}{Parkinson's Law of Data}]