I used the Intel parts because NSA demanded it, in '85 or so. I'd already "tried" the '51 out somewhat earlier and rejected it because it was too slow and limiting. Of course, that was when single-chippers were still relatively few. People still used devices with external memory and I/O back then.

Once I learned something about single chippers, I found it less limiting. It had more controller-oriented operations than any other device of the time, so I got to liking it, and its predecessor the 8048, with which I'd been quite well acquainted since '78

RE