Siheyuan: The Era of Struggle

Chapter 240 Entering the Integrated Circuit Computer Age (Subscription Request)
When building the integrated circuit production plant in Shu Province, Yang Ning's help was only needed when technical difficulties arose. Therefore, during this period, he had more time than when he was in Sijiu City.

Of course, Yang Ning was not idle during this period. In his free time, with the help of the Computer Research Institute in Shu Province, Yang Ning designed a complete set of integrated circuit computers, including small general-purpose computers and large computers.

Yang Ning originally planned to bring these design drawings back to Sijiu City, thinking that he would hand them over to the higher-ups to arrange production, but he didn't expect...

"Comrade Yang Ning, our Southwest region is now considered a major rear area. We have all our high-tech technologies and related research institutes here."

"But~" the leader in charge of scientific research and education in Shu Province complained to Yang Ning helplessly: "Even if we have gathered all the high-tech manufacturing technologies in our country, without our own computing center, this will greatly affect the scientific research progress in the southwest region."

"We didn't mention the lack of qualified transistors before, but now all integrated circuit manufacturers have settled here. We can't have to travel thousands of miles to Sijiu City to queue up with data when we encounter computing problems in scientific research in the future, right?"

"So you see, now that we have the design drawings, and our industrial technology level here can't be said to be the best in the country, but it is definitely at the forefront. Can't you stay for a while and help us solve the calculation problem?"

"You don't have to worry about the funding. We won't bother the higher-ups. We'll pay for it ourselves. We definitely won't make it difficult for you."

Since a leader had said so and had solved the funding problem himself, what else could Yang Ning say?

After several years of development, especially after the "Shenbao" manufacturing plant settled in Sichuan Province, people do have the confidence to say this.

Although most of the foreign exchange obtained from "Shenbao" was withheld by the higher authorities, the corresponding amount of our own currency would also be given to Shu Province. Therefore, Shu Province was wealthy and powerful at that time and dared to make such a boast.

"That's right, Engineer Yang. Although we have many high-end production units here, they are all transferred from above. If we want to have independent R&D capabilities, without sufficient computing power, everything is empty talk."

"No matter what, you have to help us solve this problem this time."

An expert from the Shu Provincial Research Institute also said with a sad face at this time.

Seeing the leaders and experts around him all looking at him expectantly, Yang Ning could only say helplessly: "Okay, as long as the higher-ups approve it, I'll stay a little longer."

Although Yang Ning was worried about his family in Sijiu City at this time, he couldn't bear to refuse such a request.

After all, the southwest is our rear base, and we really need to build a large computing center.

Shu Province's application to build a computing center was quickly approved.

The people in Shu Province solved the funding problem themselves, and Yang Ning was willing to stay for a while longer to provide technical guidance, and the higher-ups were happy to help.

Sichuan Province uses its own advantages to establish a computing center, which can not only solve the computing power problems in education and scientific research in the southwest, but also verify the specific effects of integrated circuits in practical applications.

In the second half of this year, our relationship with Big Brother has become delicate because of some things. Although it has not reached the point of a complete break, the relationship is not as close as before.

The performance of the integrated circuit computer is really as superior as Yang Ning said before, and it can also allow us to get rid of the influence of Big Brother without any worries and embark on our own path of independent development.

So at this moment, the development of new computers in Shu Province is not only related to whether the computing power problem in the southwest region can be solved, but also determines our future development path.

Because of the complete drawings and perfect industrial manufacturing system, as well as Yang Ning's guidance, the manufacturing of integrated circuit computers was very smooth.

With the full cooperation of relevant factories and units in the southwest region, the world's first small integrated circuit computer was assembled at Shu University in just one week.

"I can't believe that computer technology has developed so quickly. In just twelve years, three generations of computers have been upgraded, from vacuum tubes to transistors and then to integrated circuit computers."

The trial test of the integrated circuit computer not only concerned the scientific research institutes and schools of the entire Sichuan Province, but also the leaders of some universities and research institutions in other nearby areas came here for visits and inspections.

Although we have not completely torn our relations with Big Brother because of what happened before, everyone with a discerning eye knows that our relationship with Big Brother will never be the same as before.

In the future, it will not be as easy to introduce technology from Big Brother as before.

But no matter whether it was the leaders above or the research institutes and factories below, after that incident, except for a feeling of emptiness in their hearts at the beginning, none of them felt the slightest bit of loss or frustration. Instead, they all felt a lot more relaxed.

With our clear rejection this time, I believe Big Brother will be more restrained towards us in the future.

Although this will have some impact on our future development, times now are different from the past. With the successful explosion of our missiles and atomic bombs and the improvement of our industrial system, we now have the confidence to say "no" to anyone.

And this year, we will pay off all the debts we owe to Big Brother. We will no longer be poor and have low aspirations like in our previous lives, always feeling inferior to Big Brother when facing him.

The test run of this integrated circuit computer will be the key to determining whether we can continue to develop as rapidly as before after leaving Big Brother's assistance.

At this moment, Yang Ning sat calmly in front of this small and exquisite computer. As Yang Ning turned on the power switch of the monitor and the right mainframe, everyone at the scene held their breath.

Staring at the bright display.

As Yang Ning typed out program codes on the keyboard, lines of characters appeared on the screen.

"Comrade Yang Ning, what are you doing?"

As time passed, a leader from Shu University finally couldn't help but ask.

"This is designing a program for the computer." Yang Ning had already turned on the super brain mode at this time, and the program codes of the C language in his previous life were born one by one quickly under Yang Ning's typing.

"Your program seems to be different from all the existing programs. Did you design it yourself?"

"Correct!"

Yang Ning said calmly that C language is a computer editing language, and there are not many basic C language codes, so Yang Ning quickly finished typing the last code.

In fact, Yang Ning originally wanted to compile a computer Chinese character language based on the logical structure of the C language.

But in the end, I decided to give up, because if I wanted to write Chinese language programs, I would need to modify the current keyboard and design a language converter.

Considering that we need more foreign exchange reserves to survive the difficult period in the next few years, integrated circuit computers will become a new foreign exchange earning project for us.

In order to make our computers more acceptable to Western countries, Yang Ning plans to copy the C language program from his previous life.

As for the Chinese character language program, let's leave it to others. Yang Ning himself is really unwilling to spend time on it.

As the last code was entered, the display flashed a series of codes, and finally a flashing cursor appeared.

Then Yang Ning entered a calculation formula and data and let the computer run by itself, and then stood up.

"Computing speed 3.6 times per second!"

As the calculation results came out, the whole scene became boiling.

"It's incredible! I thought such a small computer was just making fun of me, but it hit me hard first!"

The computing speed is 3.6 times per second, which is far less than the 107 times per second of the 30 machine. But you have to know that this computer is not just a small computer, but its host and monitor can be completely placed on an office desk.

Moreover, all the components of this computer are produced by ourselves, so there is no problem of production capacity limitation.

As for the production cost, well, a cost of more than ten thousand per computer does seem very good to ordinary people, but compared with the 104 machines that cost millions each, it is really cheap.

If every research institute and even every key expert were equipped with such a computer, the development speed of our scientific research field could be greatly improved.

What's more, this is just a small computer. What if it is replaced with a large computer? How terrible will the computing speed be?
Well, since everyone is here, why not stay here for a while and see the performance of the Southwest Computing Center's large-scale computing.

After the test, a leader looked at the computer on the table and said with a smile: "It is called a minicomputer, but compared with the 106 machine, its size is too small. It is simply a microcomputer!"

Well, Yang Ning did design this computer based on the personal computers of later generations, so it is not an exaggeration to call it a microcomputer.

Thus, the concept of "microcomputer" was born in our country decades in advance.

After seeing the convenience and performance of this computer, leaders of other regional units have applied for it.

The above took into account the actual needs of each unit and approved their application after understanding the performance and cost of this computer.

The leaders of Shu Province also seized this opportunity to apply to their superiors for permission to build a computer manufacturing plant in Shu Province. After some consideration, the superiors agreed to Shu Province's application to build a factory.

"Comrade Yang Ning, on behalf of the organization, I solemnly ask you, is it necessary to keep the integrated circuit computer confidential?"

Just when Yang Ning was busy assembling a large integrated circuit computer, Director Nie from Sijiu City called him.

Listening to Director Nie's serious voice on the phone, Yang Ning was silent for a while, and replied firmly: "Director Nie, I believe the leaders have also learned from foreign technical journals that someone in Eagle Sauce has developed a primitive integrated circuit."

"With the technical level and R&D capabilities of the Eagle Sauce, as long as they have a design idea, I believe they will soon be able to mass-produce integrated circuits with performance similar to ours."

"So what we need to do now is not to keep it secret, but to seize the market with Eagle Sauce!"

"Otherwise, once their technology catches up, with their camp advantage, it will be difficult for our electronic products to gain a foothold in the Western market in the future."

"Besides, our computer will certainly be distributed in large quantities to various universities and research institutes in the future. It is impossible to keep it completely confidential."

"Instead of this, it would be better for us to take the initiative to disclose it ourselves."

"Can you ensure that other countries will not overtake us in computer technology by using the computers we export?" Director Nie asked worriedly.

Hearing Director Nie's concerns, Yang Ning said confidently: "Director Nie can rest assured about this. Before the technology develops to a certain level, other countries will not be able to manufacture our integrated circuits."

Yang Ning is still confident about this.

After all, our current integrated circuit production line was designed by Yang Ning with his own super brain model, combined with his solid basic theoretical knowledge and human thinking ability, after precise calculation and design, and with the efforts of our entire country.

Before computer and engineering software technology develops to a certain level, even the United States and Big Brother will not be able to design integrated circuit production lines with the same performance.

The integrated circuits we produce now are at least ten years ahead of the United States.

After consulting Yang Ning, the higher-ups decided to also build a computer manufacturing plant in Guangdong Province to produce this computer.

Unlike the computers produced in Sichuan Province which are exclusively supplied domestically, the computers produced in Guangdong Province are mostly exported to earn foreign exchange.

Half a month later, with the joint efforts of Yang Ning and other experts, the large-scale integrated circuit computer was successfully tested at the Southwest Computing Center.

"Hiss~" When everyone saw the large integrated circuit computer, they couldn't help but take a breath.

The reason is simple: large computers using integrated circuits are slightly smaller in size than small transistor computers 106.

"Is this really a mainframe computer?" one expert couldn't help but ask.

"Is it true? We'll know if we try it later." Yang Ning said with a smile when he saw that everyone else had a skeptical expression on their faces.

Yang Ning did not need to test the computer personally this time. In the past half month, in addition to learning about the production and assembly of large-scale computers, Yang Ning used the remaining time to teach teachers and students how to operate integrated circuit computers using his previous minicomputer at the repeated request of the president of Shu University.

Not only that, the basic C language programming he "developed" was also compiled by teachers at Shu University and became a professional textbook for computer science at Shu University.

And because of this, Shu Province gained a first-mover advantage in the fields of semiconductors and electronics, and later developed into our semiconductor technology and computer center.

(End of this chapter)