I started out thinking the 7404 (and, of course, all of its functional derivatives of various makeups: LS, S, HC, AC, etc.). Then I got to thinking maybe the 7400, a little more useful. But then I thought, the logic world can't exist without flip-flops, so I figured the 7474. Later, I got to thinking about PLD's and CPLD's which led me to FPGA's...

Hold on, I'm still thinking this one over.

 

what they mean by µµf

That means micro micro farad or picofarad, pF

 

what they mean by µµf under Interelectrode Capacitances on d/s
already got as suspected d/s #2

µµF stands for pF.
micro is 10^-6
micro micro is 10^-6 x 10^-6 = 10^-12 = pico

 

I started out thinking the 7404 (and, of course, all of its functional derivatives of various makeups: LS, S, HC, AC, etc.). Then I got to thinking maybe the 7400, a little more useful. But then I thought, the logic world can't exist without flip-flops, so I figured the 7474

in a way the very 7404 being a *backbone of the TTL
7400 , 7410 -- give you more speed (configured as inverting buffers)
7474 -- is indeed amazing RS&D Flop combination
about* (SN7474's functional analog K155TM2 -- shows how's 7474 faster than when built from 2x7410-s)

 

My first build with "condensers" and "valves" was a darkroom timer using a 6SN7.

I wondered how long it would take before "hollow state" components came up.

 

What is your favorite (8 pins or fewer) IC?

Utilitarian though it may be - I'm bound to say the LMC6482 (Op Amp ) and it's ilk...

Then too, I get much use of the uC3844 (I_mode PWM controller)

Honorable mention goes to the (28-pin) AD9850 (DDS 'on a chip') which being often readily implementable as an 8 pin device...

And, of course, the venerable NE555/LMC555 timer

Best regards
HP