Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 221 The Chinese character card is ready, you want to leave? Old Ni, stay and work on the Loongson chip!

Northwestern Polytechnical University, Department of Mathematics, Computer Science Lab.

It was already late at night, but a group of people were still gathered in front of a computer.

With a familiar beep, the computer started up, countless characters jumped around, and then a black screen appeared, displaying the command prompt for C:\.

A pair of excited hands tapped on the keyboard in front of the computer.

clap clap clap...

CCED, press Enter!
The screen turned colorful, with a blue background square in the center.

Chinese character editing software.

CCED.

Copyright © Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Press any key on the keyboard again, and the box disappears, revealing a blue background interface with a menu at the top and a blank document below for input.

The hands continued to move, Ctrl+Shift, the English text in the lower right corner of the screen changed to Chinese characters, and then the fingers continued to type on the keyboard.

As soon as you typed "you," a row of Chinese characters appeared in a long rectangular box below the cursor: "好," "是," "们"...

"Mr. Ni, your predictive input method is really amazing!" Director Meng exclaimed. "When you type a Chinese character, the input method automatically recommends candidate characters, or even words. This greatly reduces the number of keystrokes. It's incredible!"

"That's right, all of this information is still stored in our Chinese character card." Zhu Xianghua exclaimed, "In this way, it won't burden the computer's operation, and the speed is still as fast as before. It's truly amazing!"

Previously, computers could only be used in specialized fields, such as scientific research. But now, computers can be used by a much wider range of users! Typing on a computer and then printing out the text, especially with dot-matrix printers that can print on wax paper, means that even typists in small towns can switch to this system!

This is simply a groundbreaking invention!
"This is all thanks to Northwestern Polytechnical University. Elsewhere, we wouldn't have such good research conditions or such ample funding. This Chinese character card alone cost us over a million yuan," Professor Ni said with emotion. "Now, the project has been a complete success, and the accompanying word processing software is also available. My work at Northwestern Polytechnical University is now successfully completed. Next..."

"Next, there's something even more important to do!" Just then, a voice came from behind.

Engineer Ni looked up at the doorway: "Qin Liang? You're back?"

"Yes, I'm back. It's been a long time since I've been here. I didn't expect our computer science department to progress so quickly!"

"Yes," Engineer Ni nodded, "The teachers and students at Northwestern Polytechnical University are so diligent, they don't even go home for the Chinese New Year!"

Engineer Ni stayed behind to help, and he also noticed that Northwestern Polytechnical University was different from other universities. The winter break at this university was much more lively, with many departments staying to conduct various scientific research projects. They even spent New Year's Eve in the laboratory.

This university is incredible!
"Yes, Engineer Ni, you haven't gone home either, have you? You must be tired."

"It's not hard work, Comrade Qin Liang. You must be working much harder than us. By the way, you just said there's more important work to do?"

“That’s right.” Qin Liang nodded. “Engineer Ni, we don’t have any major projects in the software field for the time being. We just need to make some minor repairs and improvements. However, there is still a big problem in developing our country’s computer industry.”

"You don't mean... hardware, do you?"

"That's right! Right now, we're using a copied 8086 chip, but we can't keep copying it forever. Just because Intel isn't bothering us now doesn't mean they won't in the future. Once the sales of this microcomputer gradually increase, they'll be the ones coming after us."

Americans love to do this: they let piracy run rampant to dominate the market, and then when customers have no other choice, they start demanding compensation, demanding that you pay a high price!
The same applies to hardware now. Although the whole world is copying the 8086, what about the later ones? When it came to the 286 and 386, the number of manufacturers that could produce them decreased rapidly. By the time the Pentium era arrived, it was impossible to copy them.

"You mean building a general-purpose processor?" Engineer Ni's breathing quickened. "That's a huge project. Currently, only our Institute of Computing Technology in the entire country has this capability..."

"Yes, currently we have the capability to compute all of them, but soon, Northwestern Polytechnical University will also have this capability. Engineer Ni, would you be willing to stay and lead our chip project?"

Engineer Ni's expression was complicated: "Qin Liang, do you really have such a low opinion of the Institute of Computing Technology?"

The research on Chinese character cards was lured by Qin Liang and became a project of Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU). The development of word processing software was also a NPU project. Now, even the research on chips is a NPU project.

"Mr. Ni, how much do you think it would cost to independently design a chip that reaches the level of the 8086?"

"Well... it'll cost at least several million."

"What if we improve the design specifications, adopt a 32-bit architecture, and start the clock speed from 20MHz?"

The earliest 4004 was a four-bit processor, the 8008 became eight-bit, the 8086 was 16-bit, and in 85, the 80386 processor was upgraded to 32-bit for the first time. This means that the internal and external data buses were 32-bit, and four bytes could be transmitted at a time, which meant that it had a maximum addressing range of 4GB. This structure could be used until the new millennium.

Therefore, since we are going to do this, we can't fall too far behind. Let's start directly from 32-bit!
Engineer Ni's eyes widened: "Right now, there are no 32-bit processors in the world."

"Let's start with Northwestern Polytechnical University then." Qin Liang smiled. "Professor Ni, if we were to develop a processor like this, how much money would it cost, and how much time would it take?"

Instead of answering directly, Engineer Ni thought for a moment before asking, "Shall we use the x86 instruction set and architecture?"

Qin Liang shook his head: "Of course not, we still need our own instruction set and architecture."

Engineer Ni's eyes widened. The appetites of Northwestern Polytechnical University students are a hundred times bigger than those of ordinary people!

"In that case, we would need to invest at least tens of millions of yuan in research and development, and it would take more than three years."

"So, do you think we should calculate all of this money?"

This is the question Qin Liang ultimately wanted to ask.

The Institute of Computing Technology? Its funding depends entirely on grants from higher authorities, but the country needs to develop its economy, and all sectors have to be patient. How could the higher authorities possibly allocate tens of millions of dollars?

Engineer Ni fell silent.

The others also fell silent.

Tens of millions, Qin Liang, are you serious?
Our math department has only just begun to see hope! Microcomputers are selling like hotcakes across the country and even overseas. Our math department building will be completed this year, and our computer factory will add a Chinese character card production line... All of these things cost money, and you still want to spend tens of millions on chips?
It looks like our math department is going to have some tough times again!

"In the past, the totem of technology was the flying sparks of iron and the towering 10,000-ton hydraulic press. But in the future, the totem of technology will be the tiny chip. If we cannot have our own chips, we will forever be subject to others. Engineer Ni, you should know about Moore's Law in the computer field. It iterates every eighteen months. If we fall behind even one step, we will fall behind step by step. If we don't catch up now, we will have to put in a hundred times, a thousand times the effort later!" Qin Liang looked at everyone present: "Our products from the East cannot be without their own brains. Our products from Northwestern Polytechnical University must be equipped with our Northwestern Polytechnical University chips! Everyone, we are descendants of the dragon, and we should use our Dragon Core chips!"

Loongson!

The moment those words were uttered, many people present felt a tremor in their hearts.

The era of mainframes is over. In the future, the computer industry will be dominated by microcomputers. How can a computer assembled by Northwestern Polytechnical University be equipped with a brain that does not belong to it?
"Alright, Comrade Qin Liang, just based on the name Loongson, I, Old Ni, will dedicate the rest of my life to Northwestern Polytechnical University!" Old Ni nodded: "However... chip manufacturing is not something that can be explained in a few words. Let's not even talk about the talent needed, just look at the technical route. If we don't use x86, what will we use?"

"We invented the Dragon architecture and Dragon instruction set ourselves. Everything has to be our own. As for the technology roadmap, we chose the reduced instruction set architecture."

Due to the unreliability of the x86 system, subsequent defense systems have long been based on the Loongson architecture. In the civilian sector, the Wintel alliance still prevails due to ecosystem issues. However, in professional fields, Loongson is definitely the mainstream.

Qin Liang was certainly familiar with many of Loongson's features, and now he could just tell Ni Lao and the others about them all at once.

Computer processors may seem complex, but they can be broken down into smaller parts for analysis. Programs are divided into individual instructions, which are then processed by the processor.

x86 uses a complex instruction set, where a single instruction can perform many operations, such as reading data from memory, shifting, performing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and then writing the data back. While individual instructions are very large, the total number of instructions is small. Early versions of x86 only had 115 instructions, with subsequent additions of multimedia and other instruction sets adding only twenty or thirty instructions at a time.

Another famous processor from later generations, namely the ARM architecture, uses a reduced instruction set, where a single instruction performs a simple operation. This was developed after learning from the shortcomings of the former: although complex instruction sets make code writing simpler, they are more complex for computers to process, programs to run, and are less efficient.

The downside of doing this is that the program is complex to write, but... as long as assembly language is not used, who will deal with the underlying layer? If you use C language directly, object-oriented programming is enough. You don't need to be machine-oriented, so who cares about how many instructions are inside!

The instruction set of Loongson chips in later generations had more than 2,600 instructions, and no programmers ever had a headache about it, except for those working on the underlying operating system.

x86 seemed very powerful at first, but as chip performance improved, x86's shortcomings became more and more apparent. It had high power consumption, and although its clock speed was high, it didn't feel very fast in actual processing. In contrast, a host of ARM architecture processors stood out!

Take Apple for example. When Apple switched its laptops from Intel processors to its own M-series chips, battery life doubled! The power consumption was low, and the performance was still strong. In the AI ​​era, Intel has been left far behind.

Now, if we're going to do something, we should aim for a more promising technological path!
"Our instructions have fixed lengths and fixed encoding formats. Most instructions only require two source operands and one destination operand, emphasizing speed. Instructions are divided into basic and extended parts, with five data types: bit, byte, half-word, word, double-word, and basic arithmetic instructions include..."

Qin Liang was very familiar with these commands, so he explained them fluently while the others quickly typed to record them. For them, typing speed had surpassed writing speed. The CCED word processing software screen was soon filled with text, and then the next screen appeared...

Engineer Ni looked at Qin Liang with a complicated expression, and only after Qin Liang finished speaking did he slowly say, "Okay, you've even designed the instruction set and architecture for us. When I get back, I'll invite a group of like-minded people from our Institute of Computing Technology. We should try to complete the initial design within about a year."

Students from Northwestern Polytechnical University will definitely help, but the main force will be the experts from the Institute of Computing Technology. I wonder if the leaders of the Institute of Computing Technology will be dissatisfied...

Qin Liang nodded: "Yes, I'll wait for your good news."

Mr. Ni has always been a man of action; he immediately got up, went back to pack his things, and then took a midnight bus to leave!

The remaining group of mathematics professors looked at each other, and finally, it was Director Meng who spoke up.

"Qin Liang, this Loongson project has fallen to our mathematics department?"

“That’s right!” Qin Liang said, “Our existing 8086 microcomputers can still make money for about two or three years. After two or three years, when our Loongson chip comes out, we will switch to the Loongson platform. In order to avoid Intel coming to cause trouble, our school-run factory will be upgraded into a dedicated computer company. Remember, it cannot have any connection with Northwestern Polytechnical University on the surface. When our Loongson chip comes out, the previous company will be directly deregistered, and the person in charge of the company... will be someone who has passed away.”

We should learn from the shell companies' shrewd tactics of the future, so that when Loongson develops, Intel won't cause trouble. Actually, we're not afraid of the domestic situation, since there's no patent law in China. The key issue is the foreign countries.

"Don't be stingy, everyone. Money is meant to be spent. If you're reluctant, our Five Departments will contribute some funds, but future profit sharing will also be based on this ratio. Don't say we're taking advantage of you!"

We just made 20 million from the Northern Institute, which we can use to develop chips. In that case, we should thank the Northern Institute for its lack of ambition, otherwise we would never have made this kind of money!
"No need, our math department has money! We can just reduce the perks!"

Now, who can distrust Qin Liang? At school, he holds a higher position than the principal. While the principal can outwardly comply with his words, ignoring Qin Liang's advice will lead to serious consequences!
Having arranged this matter, Qin Liang was in a good mood. Just as he stepped out of the mathematics department building, he saw someone striding towards him.

"Qin Liang, you're finally back! Our Materials Science Department has lived up to expectations; we've even made carbon fiber brake discs. Come on, let's go take a look?"

The development of carbon fiber alone has made materials science incredibly profitable, with various civilian products selling very well and it being widely used in airplanes. Now, another major hurdle has been overcome.

The Mirage 2000 can stop abruptly upon landing? Our aircraft will be able to do that in the future! This technology not only saves on drag chutes but also reduces the aircraft's weight. You know, for aircraft, especially fighter jets, every gram of weight saved is precious!
"Yes, carbon fiber is quite promising in many areas. Our materials science department needs to work harder to continue researching new materials."

"What new material?" Professor Zhang asked expectantly.

"The next urgent issue to resolve is the 300M steel," Qin Liang said. "With this, all our aircraft projects will have the strongest and most robust legs!"

The large-scale die forging press project at the Shanghai Aircraft Factory has been launched. If we continue to use the previous landing gear steel, it will be somewhat unworthy of such good equipment!

300M steel is a low-alloy ultra-high-strength steel developed by the International Nickel Company of the United States in 1952. It has high strength, high transverse plasticity, high fracture toughness, excellent fatigue performance and good corrosion resistance, making it the best landing gear steel.

Dongfang began reverse engineering AMS6417, a US aerospace material standard, in the mid-1980s, and passed joint technical evaluation by the Ministry of Metallurgy and the Ministry of Aerospace Industry in the 1990s. Now, we can't wait any longer; we have to get it done quickly!
"Liangzi, we can make this, but even if we do, we can't build a new steel plant ourselves!"

Everyone's mindset has become more open: the products we develop should be manufactured by ourselves to maximize profits!

There is a ready-made steel plant in Chang'an, which is a product of the Great Steel Campaign. It was originally named No. 52 Steel Plant and later renamed Shaanxi Steel Plant. It reached its golden age in the 1980s by producing special steel wire. The factory was so rich that after paying wages, they would go to crack down on gambling. The young workers had too much money and nowhere to spend it!
Unfortunately, it began to decline in the 1990s and went bankrupt after the new millennium.

Thinking of this, Qin Liang said, "Let's build a small steel plant right next to Steel Plant 52, with an annual output of just a few hundred tons, specializing in the production of landing gear steel."

Later on, we can merge with Steel Plant 52 and expand our production capacity.

The landing gear steel doesn't need to be too much; a few hundred tons will be enough!

"it is good!"

Developing special steel is different from developing carbon fiber materials. The former requires finding a sample, measuring the proportion of elements in it, and then conducting experiments to find the processing technology. It's like a blind cat stumbling upon a mouse. By trying all the processes at different temperatures and through different procedures, you can find the most suitable solution.

Simply put, it's a money-burning project. But now, the materials science department isn't short of funds; they can develop this product on their own without needing funding from higher authorities.

At this moment, the two had already reached the front of the Fifth Department Building: "Professor Zhang, you go ahead and do your work, I'll go up and take a look." The computer room is a vital department of the Fifth Department Building, so not only are all the windows equipped with security bars, but the corridor doors and computer room doors also have special gates with iron chains and a large padlock hanging on the chains.

Qin Liang glanced at the lock, but didn't pay it any mind. He continued forward, then... clutched his stomach and ran to the bathroom.

Standing on both banks of the Yellow River, holding secret documents, machine guns firing in front and thunderous explosions behind – exhilarating!
and many more!

Qin Liang turned his head and looked through the gap in the partition at the pit next to him. There were more than a dozen cigarette butts on the ground there!
(End of this chapter)