Siheyuan: Heavy Industry Revitalizes the Country

The plane arrived at its destination quickly.

It is still the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

After obtaining Liu's father's consent, we contacted the Shanghai Branch of the National Computer Center in Shanghai through the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

At that time, there were two national computer centers in the north and south, one in Beijing and the other in Shanghai.

It’s not that Fang Xiang doesn’t want to look for one in the capital.

But the one in Shanghai is closer and more convenient.

"Hello, Dean Zheng, I'm Fang Xiang."

After arriving at the computer center and contacting the other party, Fang Xiang was quickly welcomed into the office.

"Professor Fang, we welcome you to come and give us your guidance."

Dean Zheng is a middle-aged man in his early forties, a little older.

He was a member of the first batch of government-sponsored overseas students, and he went to study computer science at Purdue University in December 78.

He returned to China after completing his studies in 82, and a few years later, he took up the position of dean of the Shanghai Computer Center.

The first batch of overseas students in December 78 consisted of 12 students, the oldest was 52 years old and the youngest was 33 years old.

The largest number of people is the 13 people selected from Yanda University.

The rest are basically young elite teachers selected from universities across the country.

Because it has been ten years since the last government-sponsored study abroad, except for a few who have studied in the Soviet Union, the rest of them do not understand foreign languages ​​at all.

After the decision to send students abroad was made in July, they were selected in August, started studying intensively in September, and by the time they were ready to leave in December, they had received intensive training for three months.

When they went to apply for a visa, officials from the other embassy asked them questions.

"Do you know what you are going to do?"

Some people, who cannot understand foreign languages, simply recite a few of the sentences they speak most fluently.

"My name is XXX, I was born in 42 and I am 36 years old this year."

"Very good, passed."

See, it's just so outrageous.

Don't laugh, this conversation is recorded!

What is gratifying is that all 52 government-sponsored students have returned to China.

But when the number of students sent abroad for the second time in 79 increased to 300 in the second year, a considerable number of students were stranded abroad and never returned.

Of course, this is off topic, let’s not talk about this.

After the first batch of 52 people returned to China, more than a dozen of them were selected into the Chinese Academy of Sciences that year, and some were also selected when the Chinese Academy of Engineering was established later.

Dean Zheng was introduced by Dean Lu.

“I dare not, let alone guide.

One of the reasons I came here today is to visit our computer center.

The other is to seek some cooperation.”

Fang wanted to shake Dean Zheng's hand and quickly smiled and said something modest.

"Come on, let's talk while we're at it."

Dean Zheng naturally knew Fang Xiang. After exchanging a few pleasantries with a smile, he took Fang Xiang, who had changed into white coats, and walked into the computer room.

“We bought these from abroad at high prices.

Although it is not as advanced as the world’s most advanced technology, it is already much more advanced than our past technology.”

Dean Zheng walked and pointed at the big iron lumps while speaking.

Today's computers are not as compact as the home computers of later generations. In fact, even the supercomputers of later generations are huge. It's just that ordinary people don't have the opportunity to see them.

Fang Xiang looked at these seemingly unremarkable machines and felt a sense of emotion in his heart.

I still remember the Jiapiqiao I visited that year. The computers there actually looked quite similar to the computers in front of me.

But at that time, all computers were made in China. Unfortunately, the domestic computer industry came to a complete halt after the storm. First, there was no funding, then some layoffs and staff diversion. A large number of technicians and equipment were wasted in those years.

You know, in the 1960s, domestic computers were able to reach the international average level. Of course, the computer technology at that time was indeed very backward.

But after only a dozen years, such a huge gap had opened up that Fang was unable to catch up before he wanted to travel through time.

Now the country has also begun to pay attention to this area, but how to say it?

They just pay attention, allocate some money, participate and know what is going on. But they don't realize that this is the pillar of the future industrial revolution.

The last time I knew about the Shanghai Computer Center was when they imported avionics equipment from John Bull Marconi Company.

At first, Fang Xiang thought he had suffered a great loss. Later, he spent another 200 million to buy the complete source code.

Today, the source code is in the computer centers in Beijing and Shanghai, where they are researching and optimizing it, and making targeted upgrades and matching work for the J-8, J-10, and J-11.

"I have an idea. I wonder if President Zheng knows anything about integrated circuit boards?"

After visiting two computer rooms with Dean Zheng, Fang Xiang already had a general understanding of the current level of computers in the country.

Although I knew that this trip might not produce any results, I still asked.

"Integrated circuit board? It's nothing like us!"

Dean Zheng frowned.

"Do we have talent in this area?"

Fang Xiang's knowledge of computers is limited to assembling the computer, installing the operating system, and playing games.

More than that, he really hasn't studied it in depth.

"Does Professor Fang have any specific ideas?"

Dean Zheng had already seen that Fang Xiang had lost interest in the visit, so he simply took Fang Xiang back to the office.

"I want to make an electric car, that is, use batteries to drive the motor to drive the car.

It is definitely not enough to have just batteries and motors. There also needs to be a control module, battery management module, etc.

For these, I think knowledge of circuit integration is required.

But I am just a layman who has not even entered the door, so I come to ask the professionals for advice. "

Fang Xiang also felt happy. He knew what he knew and didn't know what he didn't know.

It is not shameful to say directly that you don’t know. On the contrary, it is easy to embarrass yourself if you pretend to know something when you don’t.

Just like when someone was jailed for drunk driving, he returned to the stage and did a show, giving advice and making sense. It attracted a lot of traffic and attention.

When people listened to him talking about areas they didn't understand, they listened with great interest, feeling that this person was so knowledgeable and amazing.

But gradually, the more he spoke, the more people questioned him.

The reason is simple. The more he talked, the more loopholes there were, and the more professionals heard him. In addition, it was later discovered that he was a public intellectual. Now, his image was completely ruined.

"Professor Fang, please forgive me for being blunt, but there are really no relevant talents in this field in China at present.

As far as I know, things like computer equipment are all imported from abroad at high prices nowadays.

Often, even using a machine requires reading the manual or asking someone to teach you how to use it. Not to mention figuring out how it was made and what the principle is.”

Dean Zheng shook his head and was very pessimistic about what Fang Xiang said.

In fact, President Zheng is not sure either. There are people in China who are studying this, but one, they are still in the initial exploratory stage, and two, they have not yet formed a scale.

So it is normal that it is unknown and difficult to find out.

"That's it..."

Fang Xiang's brows immediately furrowed.

"Then if I cooperate with our center to train and research this area, will it work?"

But Fang Xiang did not give up. Since no one else was doing it, then he would start with me!

Not to mention that Great Wall Industrial has tens of billions of funds lying around in its accounts, in the account of Factory 132 alone, there are more than 4 million waiting to be spent.

I just don't believe it. Can't I make any splash by spending money?

“Is this a bottomless pit?!

Let’s not talk about how much money is needed and whether the government will approve it. If we start researching from scratch, we don’t know how many years it will take to get any results.

Or, let's see if there are any opportunities abroad?"

Dean Zheng also frowned.

"Then let's do it together! Dean Zheng, if you agree, I will go to Jiaotong University and Fudan University right now.

I'm also looking for people abroad to see if I can recruit some people or buy some information!"

Fang Xiang, however, has already strengthened his confidence.

What is the purpose of making money? Isn't it to spend it?

If money is not spent, is it still called money?