Chapter 110 Director Gao has made great contributions (3k)

The customs officer at John Bull smiled, took the paper package, waved his furry hand, and stamped it to pass the customs.

This batch of transistors eventually arrived at a factory in Hong Kong Island. A sign was hung above the factory door that read "Zhenxing Electric Products".

Two days later, these components were transported to the seaside and loaded onto a small boat under the cover of darkness.

A tall man on the boat shook hands with the customs broker and said, "Thank you, comrade!"

In the dark night, the boat headed north.
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After finishing the theoretical training for the users and maintenance personnel, Gao Zhendong turned to the communication work with the designers of the Operation Institute. As for the practical operation of the users and maintenance personnel, Gao Zhendong did not have to worry about it. The people in the Operation Institute could get started very quickly. With them around, Gao Zhendong did not have to worry about this work any more.

For the designers, Gao Zhendong did not explain the contents of the explanatory materials one by one, because they have the basics and understand computers.

Gao Zhendong mainly does a few things.

The first thing to do, of course, is to put forward the von Neumann architecture in a systematic way.

The von Neumann system and the Harvard system are the two most commonly used architectures for modern computers.

In fact, the earliest computers could only be used to complete specific tasks. Their programs were designed from the beginning to do only one thing or solve a problem. For example, early computers are a bit like today's functional calculators, which can be used to calculate various complex functions, but want to use them for other things, such as word processing, playing games? Sorry, they can't do it.

This is not as simple as not having software written for it, but the fact that this thing is prepared from the bottom up just for this kind of thing, because their program is completely fixed, and this fixation is a physical fixation. If you want to change the program? You have to change the circuit diagram directly.

Later, the concept of microprogram came into being. Microprogram can be seen as some instruction groups solidified inside the computer. These instruction groups can complete some simple functions, and then these microprograms can be combined to complete a larger task.

For example, the calculation of the function y=x+1 can be made into a microprogram. Then, by calling this microprogram and inputting x=1, y=2 can be calculated.

At this point, the degree of program solidification was reduced. What was solidified was the computer's instruction set and these microprograms. As for the main program, it could be changed to a certain extent.

Until 1978, domestic computers were still following this path, which is one of the reasons why there were no general-purpose products made in China at that time.

In his previous life, when Gao Zhendong was searching for information on the Internet, he saw a book on electronic computers published in 1978. He read it carefully with a bit of an archaeological mood. The content on it was about this situation. Gao Zhendong almost couldn't understand their example questions. He always felt that there was a step missing in the middle. The reason was that the microprogram step had already disappeared when Gao Zhendong went to college.

At that time, the computer system parameters would directly write down what languages ​​the computer system supported. This seems incredible to people in the future.

For example, DJS-6 supports ALGOL60 and FORTRAN.

TQ-16, supports ALGOL60, and is proudly labeled as supporting hypervisors.

It was not until the DJS-130 that an operating system was shyly added. However, this operating system was not perfect. It only supported three languages: ALGOL60, FORTRAN, and BASIC.

Only with the DJS-220 did we seem to be a little more in tune with modern computers: operating systems, algorithmic languages, but by this time, we were already completely behind the world.

It can be seen that the microprogramming approach is still not flexible enough. In the end, the complete von Neumann architecture was perfected. However, this process is simple to say, but it is actually quite complicated, with back-and-forth and advances and retreats.

The biggest feature of the von Neumann architecture is that it organizes programs and data in the same physical memory for calling, and the content of any part can be modified frequently, making the computer's flexibility reach its peak. This is why contemporary general-purpose computers generally adopt this architecture. Of course, it is not without cost, that is, the efficiency will be lower.

Another common architecture is the Harvard structure. The difference between this structure and the von Neumann structure is that its program memory and data memory are separated, and are directly managed by two independent data buses. This way, the efficiency will be higher.

Most single-chip microcomputers are of the typical Harvard structure, including the smart phones that have become popular since the 21st century. The ARM core used in many of their CPUs is of the Harvard structure.

Of course, as technology develops, the distinction between the two is gradually becoming smaller and will eventually disappear.

These are things that happened later. At this time in 1959, the difference between the two was still very obvious.

Gao Zhendong didn't care about all this. Anyway, my transistor computer uses the von Neumann architecture, which also lays a solid foundation for the next step of computer generalization.

In Gao Zhendong's opinion, sowing the seeds of universalization is even more significant than the transistor computer system itself.

Gao Zhendong first talked about the three principles of the von Neumann system: binary logic, program storage and execution, and the five major parts of a computer.

Then explain the five major parts of a computer: calculation, control, storage, input, and output.

Gao Zhendong talked about this topic. Now, the designers of the computing institute felt that a new world had been opened up. In the past, they had been working on computers in a haphazard way without any clear theoretical guidance.

The entire research and development work is typically about setting up a target first and then making a gun. All the functions and performance of the gun are prepared for this target. If the target changes, for example, the distance increases by 200 meters, it's over. The gun can't reach it.

As for the set of things that Gao Zhendong took out, I just need to make my own gun. This gun can hit various targets within a certain range. The only cost is that I may have to change the type of bullet or something.

Director Li and Chief Engineer Chi from the Operation Institute were also listening attentively, and they were communicating with each other as they listened.

Director Li said with emotion: "At first I thought that Director Gao's transistor computer only used transistor technology, which was small, light and low cost. But I didn't expect that the first lesson for designers would teach me a hard lesson. The things behind it are actually more amazing and more meaningful."

Chief Engineer Chi sighed: "Yes, after this lesson, should we continue along the path of M-3?"

Director Li shook his head: "I can't go on, but can you? Are you willing to continue along that path? Look at the staff here, are they still willing to go on?"

Chief Engineer Chi said solemnly, "I'm not willing to accept this! There's a saying, 'I could have endured the darkness if I had never seen the light'. Director Gao, you have made a great contribution!"

If Gao Zhendong could hear what the two said, he would definitely tell them that this is right. The algorithms and software technology of the North will never lag behind from now to the future, but when it comes to computers themselves, they have never been strong.

The two of them had an idea in their minds and continued to concentrate on the class. Which way to go was one thing, but it would be a pity not to listen to the class now.

After Gao Zhendong finished talking about the architecture, he continued to talk about the design details of transistor computers.

The people in the Computing Institute were very clear about the structure of the CPU. Although there was no such term as CPU at that time, all the arithmetic units, controllers, and registers were made up of discrete components. However, they were still very clear about these major components.

Gao Zhendong mainly talked about how transistors were gradually transformed into a computer system.

This thing is much more complicated and detailed to talk about.

Gao Zhendong started from the logic gate circuit formed by transistors, explaining it step by step.

How to get AND gate, OR gate, NOT gate from transistors, and even further form complex gate circuits such as NAND gate, NOR gate, AND-OR gate, XOR gate, etc.

From the above gate circuits, how to form basic functional units such as bistable triggers, RS triggers, D triggers, as well as their logical functions and state transition tables.

Then how to use the above gate circuits and basic functional units to obtain functional components such as half adders, full adders, decoders, registers, counters, etc.

Finally, the above functional components are used to form an arithmetic unit, a controller, a memory controller, and even a complete computer system.

This is a relatively long process. Director Li and Chief Engineer Chi were surprised as they listened. This part can even be taken out separately. Gao Zhendong was asked to add some details about logical operations so that it can form a course on its own.

If Gao Zhendong knew what they were thinking, he would definitely say, "Oh, yes, it's okay. I've taken the exam for Digital Circuits and got a decent result."

Not only "Digital Circuits", there is also "Computer Principles and Interface Technology" before, and there will be more in the future.

Director Li and Chief Engineer Chi quietly explained the matter to several staff members of the Computing Institute who were also attending the lecture. They thought that this was just a surprise for Director Gao.

Director Gao has done so much and we have done so little. We feel a little embarrassed if we don’t do something for him.

While the designers at the Operation Institute were studying hard and making progress every day, the ESR project team of the Third Steel Rolling Mill had mixed feelings.

Mr. Chen took the test records submitted by Liang Faming and his team, and read through them while sucking his teeth.

"Hiss, the experiments that Zhendong gave the conditions for all turned out well, but why do the others always seem a little lacking in interest?"

Liang Faming nodded and said, "We are still far behind Director Gao. As long as we change the product type, we will always have some problems with things like smelting voltage, smelting current, consumable electrode length, input power, slag volume, and slag pool depth. The product results always have some fluctuations and unexpected events."

Mr. Chen shook his head: "It's not your fault. This is a new thing. It's great that you can achieve this step. As for the shortfall, it's not a big problem. Zhendong is temporarily borrowed by the computing institute. Now, it's our turn to use him."

　Second update.

This chapter was actually very difficult to write. If I’m not careful it will turn into a class handout. I tried my best, so sad.

　
(End of this chapter)