The 386 processor (1985) was Intel's most complex processor at the time, with 285,000 transistors. Intel had scheduled 50 person-years to design the processor, but it was falling behind schedule. The design team decided to automate chunks of the layout, developing "automatic place and route" software.1 This was a risky decision since if the software couldn't create a dense enough layout, the chip couldn't be manufactured. But in the end, the 386 finished ahead of schedule, an almost unheard-of a...