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

Chapter 61 Have I wasted all these years?

The first office building houses the 8086 Microcomputer Project R&D Department.

"Qin Liang, thanks to our efforts in applying, the higher-ups have finally allocated this DJS050 to us. With it as a sample, we'll definitely be able to develop a microcomputer using the 8086 as the next-generation processor much faster!"

Qin Liang looked at the metal box on the table, which was about the size of a briefcase: "Where's the monitor? Where's the keyboard and mouse?"

"Monitor? Keyboard? What would you need these things for? And what's a mouse?"

In this day and age, mice were not yet common; they were used for graphical user interfaces. But... didn't we also not have keyboards or monitors?

"Keyboard input, monitor output."

"Qin Liang, we're developing a microcomputer. We don't need these things at all. Input and output are all done with paper tape..."

"It's almost the 1980s, and we're still using paper tape? That stuff is garbage!"

When these words came out, everyone present was stunned.

"Qin Liang, this is Tsinghua University..."

"Hmph, this stuff is garbage. It's a disgrace to Tsinghua University!" Qin Liang scoffed.

Just then, at the doorway, a middle-aged man in his forties wearing a four-pocketed garment also turned grim.

"Old Zhu, is this young man Qin Liang?"

"Yes, Leader Liu, please don't be angry. Qin Liang didn't know you were here. He's just a young man, and he might have been a bit blunt... Come, Qin Liang, let me introduce you. This is Leader Liu from the Capital Electronics System. He's the one who coordinated the acquisition of this computer prototype..."

Is that Leader Liu from the electronic system?
Qin Liang frowned. He didn't look down on veteran cadres, but the fact that these old cadres, who were conservative, unambitious, and stuck to the old ways, held power would only be an obstacle.

"Leader Liu, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here. I shouldn't have said that our brother university's research results were garbage. I apologize..."

"Yes, young man, I've heard of you. You're one of the best students in our class of '78. Study hard under these professors at university, and you'll be able to contribute to the country after you graduate. The future of our motherland belongs to you!"

"Yes, yes." Qin Liang nodded. "Um... I have to go back to participate in the tug-of-war competition. Teacher Zhu, I'm leaving!"

After saying that, Qin Liang turned and walked outside.

Director Meng, who was accompanying Leader Liu, was also a little embarrassed. "What do you mean, 'Qin Liang should learn from everyone'? It's everyone learning from Qin Liang! If I'd known, I wouldn't have brought Leader Liu along!"

During this period, the computer science faculty and students worked together to research microcomputers, but progress was slow due to a lack of references. They submitted many reports, and Director Meng even personally went to the capital to coordinate the acquisition of a DJS050. Leader Liu also came along to inspect the project.

Zhu Xianghua and the others were very happy to receive the prototype. They were also delighted to hear that Qin Liang had returned. They called to inform him, but no one came for a long time. So Zhu Xianghua went to invite him in person. Meanwhile, Director Meng took Director Liu to his office for tea first, and then they came together when Qin Liang arrived.

Unexpectedly, these two have fallen out!

Qin Liang can't leave! He suffered a loss in the First Department, and those who are overprotective of their own in the Fifth Department will probably never let him come again! The one-year agreement is up, and if he doesn't develop the computer, he'll have even more face to lose!
"Qin Liang, don't worry, there's... a misunderstanding here." Director Meng said, "Qin Liang, you just said that a computer needs a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and so on. Could you explain it to us in detail?" Leader Liu frowned. Old Meng, what do you mean?
"For microcomputers, a keyboard is needed as an input device so that programming can be done more quickly," Qin Liang said. "As for output, a monitor is needed so that the program can be seen intuitively on the monitor! The calculation results also need to appear on the monitor."

“Over the years, our country has developed many computers, and I’ve seen them all, but I’ve never seen anything like what you’re talking about! I’ve even seen the 150 machine used by the petroleum industry, and it still uses paper tape!” Leader Liu immediately refuted, “Qin Liang, we Easterners value practicality and down-to-earth work; we shouldn’t be building castles in the air…”

Qin Liang smiled and said, "Yes, I was wrong. Goodbye, everyone!"

"Qin Liang, don't go!" Zhu Xianghua said anxiously, "Tell us the whole story..."

In the past, if Qin Liang, a greenhorn and a freshman, had dared to look down on Tsinghua University's computer as garbage and proposed a wildly imaginative solution, he would have been met with countless doubts. However, after that symposium, everyone began to look at Qin Liang in a different light.

Qin Liang knows a lot!
"Old Meng, judging from Qin Liang's attitude, has all my experience over the years been wrong? Qin Liang, don't rush off, explain yourself!"

To put it more self-deprecatingly, this would be something like, "I've wasted all these years of my life."
Everyone's expression changed. If they offended Leader Liu today, things would get very complicated...

Qin Liang sighed, "Teacher Zhang, I was having a perfectly good tug-of-war competition, and you had to call me over! I wanted to leave, but you wouldn't let me. Look what trouble I've caused!"

"Hey, kid, what you're saying is a veiled insult. You really need to explain yourself clearly today. If you can prove I'm wrong, I'll apologize to you!" Leader Liu said.

"Leader Liu, you're not wrong, it's just... the world's electronic technology is developing too fast, and we're seriously out of touch with the rest of the world. Now that the country is open, we still need to go abroad and see the world!"

"You talk like you've been abroad..." Leader Liu paused abruptly as he spoke.

Qin Liang and his group's trip abroad was highly classified, but Leader Liu was qualified to know the general outline, because when the MiG-23 was brought back, the radar system was handed over to a subordinate unit of the electronic system to be copied. At this moment, thinking of this matter, he had a complicated expression. Could it be that Qin Liang also went abroad with them?

“Previous computers were all specialized, designed to do only one thing. For example, ENIAC was only used to decipher telegrams and didn’t do anything else. Many of the mainframes we developed after the founding of the People’s Republic of China were also specialized, doing only one thing. But microcomputers are different!”

Qin Liang began to explain.

"This computer needs a set of general operating software. The computer can automatically turn on and enter the system as long as the start button is pressed. This operating system provides a basic platform, and relevant application software is needed on this system."

Qin Liang wanted to continue speaking, but... everyone present was completely bewildered.

In 1979, Bell Labs developed the Unix operating system. Dongfang didn't adopt this operating system until 79, with the introduction of IBM computers. Now, Dongfang's computers are all dedicated and don't really need an operating system.

"Forget it, there's no point in saying anything now. I brought back a lot of books this time, some of which are about computers. You wait here while I make a call."

A dozen minutes later, the books Qin Liang had requested arrived, leaving the mathematics department professors completely bewildered.

It's all in English!

At this point, Leader Liu was certain: Qin Liang had definitely gone with them! And he brought back so many books—how much foreign exchange must that have cost? Where did he get the money?

　PS: The picture above shows our most "advanced" 150mm aircraft in the 1970s.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)