Chapter 201: Area 51’s Wild Speculation Comes Full Circle
“Randolph completed an unprecedented miracle at the University of Göttingen.”
When Hua Luogeng read this science magazine’s description of Brother Ran’s Göttingen miracle, envy appeared in his eyes.
What he envied was not that the other party could complete such a world-shocking work in front of global mathematicians, or take over the baton from predecessors in a mathematical holy land like Göttingen and complete an unprecedented performance.
The thing he envied was very simple: he envied that the other party could do research at the forefront of mathematics and continuously produce first-class achievements.
This kind of envious emotion also arose in Hua Luogeng’s heart when he saw the top journal sent back by Chen Jingrun, which published an academic paper with Chen Jingrun’s participation.
When Hua Luogeng was still in America, he also did the most cutting-edge mathematics; although his achievements could not compare to Fermat’s Last Theorem or the Twin Prime Conjecture, they could still be called valuable achievements.
It was not at all exaggerated to call them first-class achievements.
But since returning to China, although he was still doing mathematical research on the surface, he knew very well in his heart that he had already drifted away from modern mathematics and could no longer keep up with the trend of the era.
From the very beginning in Yanjing, cultivating students, sorting out China’s mathematical system, establishing the Mathematics Research Institute, University of Science and Technology of China, and so on—administrative affairs and student training occupied most of his energy.
Moreover, unable to communicate with mathematicians outside and unable to access mathematical journals, it was also difficult for him to continue persisting in modern mathematical research.
Without access to the most cutting-edge tools and unable to understand the progress of modern mathematics, how could one talk about doing mathematical research?
Later, he even went to Yangcheng to do work leaning toward applied mathematics.
From a mathematical perspective, going to Yangcheng to do applied mathematics was better than originally going to front-line factories and rural areas to promote the overall planning method and optimization method.
Now coming to Area 51 to do applied mathematics, being able to access the most cutting-edge mathematical journals and other academic journals, is even better than in Yangcheng.
But none of these can compare to the pure joy of doing mathematical research in his early years in bringing spiritual satisfaction.
But did he really regret it? Hua Luogeng had thought about this question countless times in his heart.
In his 1985 speech, which was also the last speech of his life, he said: “A person has two shoulders, and I want both shoulders to play a role: one shoulder carries the burden of ‘delivering goods to the door,’ sending scientific knowledge and scientific methods to the people; the other shoulder acts as a ‘human ladder,’ letting the younger generation climb to higher peaks of science by stepping on my shoulders, then letting the youth lower the rope to pull me up, and then act as a human ladder again.”
He thought he probably did not regret it.
It was just that every time he saw similar reports, it would stir up his thoughts.
Hua Luogeng sorted out his thoughts, then took this report and notebook and left the office, entering the meeting room.
He was the first to arrive, and others arrived one after another.
“Director Hua, in the field of mathematics, you are the expert. We’re holding this meeting today precisely to hear you talk about how strong Lin Ran’s mathematical ability really is.
The content needs to include what the Twin Prime Conjecture is, whether proving it on-site in six days is a show or real, and the significance of the Twin Prime Conjecture being proven,” the meeting host said.
These were all topics prepared long in advance, essentially popular science in nature.
Everything related to White Horse interested Area 51 very much.
To some extent, from the day Area 51 was established, it had prepared for the possibility that White Horse would one day return to China and seamlessly come to Area 51 to take charge.
Hua Luogeng said: “Lin Ran once mentioned that mathematicians are divided into two kinds: frogs and birds.”
He briefly introduced the meanings of these two, then said:
“In the past, everyone thought modern mathematics was a tree: the higher up, the deeper the excavation of modern mathematics content it represented, and the weaker the connections between them.
But Grothendieck was the first to stand up and say, why do I feel like it’s not a tree?
He was also one of the first-class mathematicians.
Not only him, but other mathematicians had similar feelings, but everyone only had feelings, vaguely feeling it might not be a tree.
Such feelings came both from mathematicians’ intuition and from the influence of physics.
Because Einstein’s physics proposed the Grand Unified Theory, feeling there is a unified theory to explain all interactions.
Such a trend of thought also influenced the mathematics community.
Clearly, such obviously different forces might be unified in one framework.
Why can’t mathematics do it?
But the above are all just feelings.
And Lin Ran was the first to use an entire framework and part of a proof to stand up and say that mathematics is not a tree, but should be a river.
This river will eventually converge together, gathering into the sea.
It’s like he is a bird, taking a camera and snapping a blurry photo, vaguely seeming like what he said.
In other words, among bird mathematicians, Lin Ran is the one who sees the widest.
He not only can see but can also produce photos.
And similarly, another kind of mathematician is the frog, who buries their head in researching their own specialty category, trying to thoroughly study the mud pit they focus on.
Unfortunately, Lin Ran might also be the deepest-working frog mathematician.
So he simultaneously possesses the widest-seeing bird and the deepest-digging frog.
Undoubtedly, he is the best mathematician of the contemporary era.
This point, after this Göttingen event, is already globally recognized.
Even we all know very clearly that he is also the mathematician most skilled in applied mathematics.
Able to help America achieve a moon landing with a deviation of only 1200 meters.
Even the launch intervals between the US and the Soviet Union did not exceed two hours.
This is harder than the moon landing point being 1200 meters off from the target point, because it gives you even less time for calculation and adjustment.
So I only know that his ability in mathematics is the foremost of the contemporary era, and in my intuitive understanding, he is even stronger than Gauss.
But exactly how strong his ability is, and how to quantify it, I do not know, and I cannot give a precise answer.
Returning to the six-day proof of the Twin Prime Conjecture in Göttingen.
This problem is extremely difficult; in my view, it is among the most difficult number theory problems.
Whether he proves it on the spot or publishes a paper to prove it, it will not affect his status.
At Lin Ran’s level, he no longer needs to prove himself to anyone.
In terms of status in the mathematics community, his ability to turn the Randolph Program from a framework into a theory is far more important than solving one or two problems.
To put it this way, from the perspective of motive, I do not think Lin Ran has any motive to perform.
Unless Göttingen insisted on it, but obviously, Göttingen’s performance so far has been unable to constrain Lin Ran.
Therefore, I believe it is real; he really completed the proof within six days.
So under this premise, he is the strongest mathematician in human history, bar none.
Finally, the significance of the Twin Prime Conjecture being proven is more on the mathematical level; it has no significance for the world for the time being.
In mathematics, more number theory problems that were previously considered very difficult will be solved one after another.
After all, many of the tools he used in demonstrating the Twin Prime Conjecture have very strong universality.
After the meeting ended, Hua Luogeng went to Dean Qian’s office for a private chat.
The private chat was much more open.
Hua Luogeng’s first sentence was: “I strongly suspect that Lin Ran has been modified by alien technology!”
Dean Qian was not shocked at all and instead nodded in agreement: “I have had similar guesses in the past.
Regardless of whether it is the six-day proof of the Twin Prime Conjecture, he has surpassed our cognition of normal geniuses.”
After thinking for a long time, Hua Luogeng said: “I have always suspected that he is not from the University of Göttingen.”
This time, Dean Qian’s expression changed.
Because no matter which source, it is said that Lin Ran is a graduate of the University of Göttingen.
More background has not been exposed by the media, but some guesses can be seen, and Area 51 has collected some.
The most consistent account is that Lin Ran is a Chinese descent born in Europe, orphaned parents, survived as a homeless person, and entered the University of Göttingen to study due to his astonishing talent.
Although it has not been confirmed by Lin Ran himself, this is indeed a relatively authoritative account.
But both Lin Ran himself and Göttingen have acknowledged that his undergraduate and PhD are both from the University of Göttingen.
“Are you sure?” Dean Qian asked solemnly.
Hua Luogeng said: “I am not sure.
This is just my suspicion.
In 1954, the International Congress of Mathematicians was held in Hungary.
At that time, as the Chinese Representative, I attended that congress, and on it, Seagull, as one of the most famous mathematicians in the number theory field, I definitely had to chat with him a couple of sentences.
As you know, starting from the 1920s, there were Chinese students at Göttingen. Mister Wei Shizhen founded the Göttingen Chinese student association, and the second chairman was the old boss.
I chatted with him about whether they had any Chinese descent students there.
His reply to me was, let alone Chinese descent students, because of World War II, even the local Chinese descent at Göttingen had all left.”
Wei Shizhen was one of the first Chinese students at the University of Göttingen, a Chinese mathematician working on differential equations.
However, due to his scholarly family background, after getting his PhD and returning to China, he did research on Western philosophy, far from the front lines of mathematics.
After finishing, Hua Luogeng added: “Of course, after all, this was in 1954, and it is possible that Lin Ran went to Göttingen afterwards.
Anyway, a person like him could make a name for himself anywhere.”
Dean Qian said: “This account of yours has given me brand new inspiration.
Perhaps, as we guessed, he is actually a product of America alien technology modification.
There were many people in this batch who were modified, but only he survived.
So his recognition in America is so high.
Whether as White House special assistant or NASA director, he has had a smooth path all the way.
If that is the case, then this can be completely explained.
He is a genius child cultivated from a young age at America’s mysterious base, and after alien modification, his genius level was further enhanced.
Among the same batch of modified children, it is even possible that only he survived.
After growing up, on one hand he had to work for America, on the other hand, because of the painful experiences during growth and his Chinese descent identity, he hopes to connect with us as much as possible.
And it is precisely because of his experience of accepting modification, and extensive contact with alien products during growth, that he could secretly hide that thing without being discovered.
“We thought it was something we just got recently, but he actually obtained it ten years ago and has always wanted to find an opportunity to provide it to us.”
Hua Luogeng added in a low voice: “That’s why he repeatedly emphasized alien technology in ‘The Man in the High Castle’.”
“But because alien technology modifying human flesh sounds too unbelievable, he was afraid we wouldn’t believe it if he wrote it that way, so he didn’t write it.”
“This Göttingen on-site performance probably wants us to realize that alien technology, besides physical objects, also includes the part about modifying human flesh.”
Dean Qian felt all the guesses formed a closed loop; the more he thought about it, the more logical it seemed, and there was a hint of excitement in his tone:
“Do you know Erik Jan Hanussen?”
Hua Luogeng shook his head: “No.”
Dean Qian explained: “This was a psychic from Germany during World War II; he had superpowers, including prophecy and clairvoyance.
Before the Germany AVUS race in May 1932, he made a prediction, wrote the prophecy on paper and gave it to a bar waiter, telling him not to open it until after the race ended.
He announced at the time: One person at our table will win tomorrow, another will die; these two names are in this envelope.”
Dean Qian deliberately paused.
Hua Luogeng couldn’t contain his curiosity: “And then?”
“Then it happened exactly as he wrote: one person won, the other passed away.” Dean Qian said, “There are many similar cases in Germany.
Like using divination to find the positions of England submarines and captured people, using astrology to predict the future, using wizards to search for Aryan origins.
When I was in America back then, I had a roommate who was particularly interested in these legends.
I now have a guess, which is what we mentioned before: Germany also obtained alien technology.
It’s just that this part of alien technology manifested as superpowers in Germany.
And America got good stuff from Germany, so their computer technology and other technologies have developed so quickly in these years.”
Here in China, such guesses formed a complete closed loop, and from top to bottom, belief in the alien technology theory grew stronger.
Regret was written all over Hua Luogeng’s face: “Unfortunately, last time Konrad Zuse came to Hong Kong, we couldn’t trick him into coming here; if he had come, many of our doubts could have been resolved.”
Dean Qian sighed: “No way, we can’t tell him many things, like the existence of the Raspberry Pi; it’s impossible to mention it on the telephone.
So it’s too normal that we couldn’t recruit him.
We can only develop ourselves; developing ourselves is the right way.
When our computer technology can be compared to America’s, or even surpass them, it won’t be difficult to attract computer experts like Konrad Zuse then.”
Hua Luogeng nodded: “Yeah.”
The next day was a big day for Area 51; almost all high-level officials gathered at the semiconductor research group.
Because their first world-leading semiconductor instrument was born.
That was the portable electronic calculator.
(ANITA Mk 8, manufactured by England Uxbridge Company, launched in October 1961, the world’s first electronic desktop calculator, announced at the Business Efficiency Exhibition in London, officially on sale to the public on January 1, 1962, selling price per unit one thousand pound sterling, plus a maintenance contract of 100 pound sterling per year, later raised to 280 US dollars.)
(The all-transistor electronic calculator Friden EC-130 launched by the same company in 1964, and the similar-looking EC-132 launched in 1965 which also had square root function. Compared to ANITA Mk 8, these two machines were priced at 690 pound sterling and 810 pound sterling respectively.)
And what China is launching is an unprecedented portable transistor calculator.
Its greatest advantage lies in the great benefits brought by the light emitting diode.
In the past, whether in 1961 or the latest calculators now, they used cathode tubes as displays, and the circuitry still used germanium diodes and transistors.
Neither computing power nor size could be made small.
And China is far ahead in both concept and design.
Truly far ahead of this era in the full sense.
The portable calculator they are launching is already similar to the 1972 HP-35.
(1972 HP-35)
Among them, the light emitting diode determines that globally only China can make the size small at present.
Wang Shouwu and Wang Shoujue, the two brothers, thought of the hardships during this period; everyone not only did 996, but worked 24 hours straight, with only eating and sleeping as necessary life needs besides work.
Developing China’s first germanium alloy transistor in 1957 was a joint cooperation between the two brothers.
This time was no exception.
They are the main research and development team for this portable computer model named XM-01.
XM-01, also known as Panda 01; it’s called Panda instead of Red Flag partly because Panda is at least a brand, and partly because they have ambitions this time, hoping to sell to the free world and earn US dollars.
Ordinary methods definitely won’t sell, but under the methods devised by the comrade in charge of foreign trade in Yanjing, they found a way: re-export trade via Finland.
How to go through Finland will be set aside for now; returning to Area 51.
For Wang Shoujue and Wang Shouwu, the two brothers, the goal is to manufacture a single-chip integrated circuit containing multiple transistors, resistors, and capacitors.
This includes technologies such as silicon materials purification, planar process, photolithography, etching, and interconnection.
Moreover, China at this time lacks precision semiconductor manufacturing equipment; lithography machines and wafer cutting machines are both scarce.
At the beginning, everyone could only use saws to manually cut silicon wafers and achieve the required flatness through manual polishing.
Photolithography process requires high-precision masks, and the exposure system can only rely on self-made equipment.
“Shoujue, the surface of this silicon wafer is rough, and the etching is uneven. Our lithography equipment lacks precision.”
“Yes, we can only rely on manual adjustment of the mask and exposure time. We must try a few more times.”
Everyone deeply understood the equipment limitations and had to rely on self-reliance.
At the beginning, the team could only self-make lithography masks, optimizing the exposure and development process through repeated trials.
They designed the simplest optical system, using modified existing microscopes to barely achieve micron-level patterning.
Doing it this way, both the yield rate and stability were extremely poor.
Fortunately, cooperation from East Germany soon arrived, like a spring breeze. East Germany helped them quickly overcome the previously unsolvable bottlenecks in optical instruments.
Overcoming one after another, after building a micron-level step-and-repeat lithography machine, the problems in chip printing were all resolved effortlessly.
According to the original history, China also developed China’s first Type 65 contact lithography machine in 1965 through cooperation between the Chinese Academy of Sciences Microelectronics Research Institute and Shanghai Optical Instruments Factory.
The plans for semiconductor technology outlined in the “Outline of the 1956-1967 Science and Technology Development Vision Plan” were almost all realized.
But now, because there are more specific goals.
Machines like the Type 65, which are merely based on research and development, definitely cannot satisfy.
Through cooperation between China and East Germany, they built ones that better meet actual production needs, already not much different from the steppers that were originally only developed in 1985.
The remaining issue is high-purity silicon; domestic silicon wafers often contain impurities.
Importing high-purity silicon is restricted.
From zone refining process to furnace modification, and then to precise temperature monitoring.
These cannot rely on East Germany and can only depend on themselves.
The Raspberry Pi played a huge role in this process.
For the improved zone refining equipment, if only considering the temperature control system, this temperature control system built based on Raspberry Pi calculations is even more advanced than Texas Instruments’.
However, the more they researched and developed, the stronger the sense of urgency among Chinese scientific researchers.
After all, among everyone in the entire Area 51 who knows about the existence of the Raspberry Pi, from top to bottom, none think that the Raspberry Pi exists only in China.
Everyone is very clear that America also has it, and only more.
Under such thinking, they all believe they are merely approaching America’s most advanced level.
They never imagined that much of the entire set of technology they built based on portable computers stands at the world-advanced level.
Photolithography, etching, and interconnection processes are the core of integrated circuit manufacturing; China previously lacked relevant experience.
Photolithography mask alignment is difficult, etching depth is hard to control, and metal interconnections often have open circuits or short circuits.
DTL circuitry logic functions have been verified, but the yield rate is too low, and interconnection problems remain unsolved.
Metal deposition uniformity is insufficient.
Pattern precision is insufficient.
They are almost racing against time.
Finally, at the end of last year, they succeeded in manufacturing an integrated circuit on a one-square-centimeter silicon wafer containing seven transistors, one diode, seven resistors, and six capacitors, using diode-transistor logic design.
And now, the entire Area 51 is to inspect the XM-01 overall.
In the simple laboratory, Dean Qian and Hua Luogeng, as representatives, were invited to scrutinize the newly developed XM-01 portable calculator.
On the laboratory’s wooden table is placed the XM-01, a gray plastic device about 15 cm long, 8 cm wide, and 3 cm thick, equipped with a red LED display screen and 35 keys.
The keys are marked with numbers, operators, and mathematical symbols such as “sin”, “cos”, and “ln”.
Nearby is a stack of technical documents recording experimental data from the research and development process.
Dean Qian picks up the XM-01, carefully examining its key layout; the red LED display screen flickers slightly under the lights.
He turns to Wang Shouwu, his tone filled with expectation: “Shouwu, this XM-01 is said to rival Western advanced calculators. Can you demonstrate its functions?”
Wang Shouwu nods, turns on the device, and the display screen lights up, showing “0”.
He says confidently: “Of course, Dean.
This calculator not only performs addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, but also supports trigonometric functions, logarithms, and exponential operations. Let’s calculate the sine of 30 degrees.”
He presses the “30” key, then the “sin” key, and the display screen quickly shows “0.50”.
Hua Luogeng adjusts his glasses, observing the result intently, and asks: “The result is accurate, and the response is fast. Can you try a more complex operation, like e squared?”
Wang Shouwu inputs “2”, then presses the “e^x” key, and the display screen shows “7.39”.
Hua Luogeng nods slightly: “It matches the theoretical value, with precision to two decimal places, sufficient to meet current needs.”
Wang Shouwu continues: “If not considering computation time, we can adjust it from the backend to precision of four decimal places.
We will also have specific instructions in the manual on how to adjust the system’s computation precision.”
Dean Qian places the XM-01 back on the table, crosses his hands, ponders for a moment, and says: “This device is compact yet capable of such complex calculations, which has significant meaning for various engineering and practical work. Engineers in the field need quick calculations of orbital parameters, and it can greatly improve efficiency.”
Hua Luogeng adds: “From a mathematical perspective, this calculator is also very important for education. Students can use it to verify numerical calculations, and researchers can use it to explore mathematical models.”
Everyone’s minds flashed with similar thoughts.
That was that China’s progress in the semiconductor field in recent years had been truly tremendous.
In just five short years, the computing power of a small portable calculator had far surpassed that of the first computer.
It was precisely because miracles kept emerging from Area 51 that Yanjing increased its investment in Area 51.
For China, the reduced agricultural and industrial losses from precise weather forecasting alone were enough to justify the investment in Area 51.
Wang Shouwu continued to introduce: “XM-01 uses our independently developed integrated circuit, with each chip containing hundreds of transistors.
Additionally, we optimized the algorithm, for example, using the CORDIC algorithm to achieve efficient computation of trigonometric functions.”
Wang Shouwu knew that everyone present knew about the Raspberry Pi, and he continued: “Originally, we didn’t want to make it this complicated.
But after using that thing, we really couldn’t tolerate a calculator that could only do addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
We racked our brains to add some more complex function computations.
At the beginning, no one thought we could do it, and everyone lacked confidence.
But our goal is to replicate that thing; if we can’t even manage a multifunctional calculator, how can we talk about replicating that thing?”
Dean Qian’s eyes flashed with a hint of admiration: “From simple transistors to such integrated circuits, achieving such progress in just a few short years is truly remarkable. What were the main difficulties you encountered?”
Wang Shouwu: “The biggest challenge was chip miniaturization and power consumption control. Our photolithography technology was limited, with insufficient mask alignment precision, and the yield rate was once very low. Additionally, the driver circuitry design for the LED display screen was also quite troublesome.
However, the greatest benefit is that through the research and development of XM-01, we can clearly see that that thing is the product of extreme miniaturization of transistors.
It may have billions of transistors.
And for us to move in this direction, photolithography is almost the only path.”
The people present, hearing about replicating the Raspberry Pi and billions of transistors on a small “card,” saw their original joy suddenly diluted a lot.
Because they really had no confidence.
They even began to doubt whether humanity could really achieve it.
Hua Luogeng changed the topic: “How do you ensure precision in the algorithm aspect? Scientific function computations require complex approximation methods.”
Wang Shouwu replied: “We referenced the Taylor series and CORDIC algorithm, optimizing for hardware limitations. Although the display screen precision is limited, which may cause minor rounding errors, it has little impact on practical applications.”
Dean Qian asked: “What is the production plan for this calculator? Can it be quickly promoted to scientific research and industrial fields?”
Wang Shouwu said: “We are optimizing the production process, with current monthly output at 1000 units; it should reach 10,000 units within this year.
The result of communication with Yanjing is half for export and half for our own use.
This thing is useful even in our Area 51, let alone other research units, universities, enterprises, and government agencies.”
Hua Luogeng asked: “For subsequent development of more advanced versions, such as adding equation solving or statistical functions, when can this be achieved in your progress plan?”
Wang Shouwu replied without hesitation: “Because this involves more complex systems and more transistors, our plan is within three years to build a large-scale computer similar to IBM machines, and within five years to catch up with the most advanced large-scale computer publicly sold by IBM.”
Dean Qian was very pleased: “XM-01 is a microcosm of our technology research and development breakthrough. It proves that we have the ability to break through and create world-class technology, and the ability to produce world-class products.”
With XM-01, going to Yanjing for a briefing would be extremely confidence-boosting.
Wang Shouwu continued: “I have a suggestion: this thing really puts us ahead globally.
The light emitting diodes used inside, the logic circuit design, and the transistor integration level all far surpass the Silicon Valley level we see in electronics magazines.
We really can’t set a low price anymore.
Comrades from Yanjing told me they hope to set a price of five hundred US dollars, saying this price will definitely be a big sale.
But we don’t need such a big sale.
If we only sell it for five hundred US dollars, it’s not even as good as the price of England’s machines that are far behind us.
In the past two years, we sold at low prices because our products had no reputation and because our products had competitors.
There are many manufacturers internationally making radios, and we needed to set a low-price product to give others a reason to choose us.
But this time, it’s really not necessary.
What we’re launching is a unique product in the world.
We are more advanced than our peers in England, America, and France.
If we set a low price now, it would really be harming others without benefiting ourselves.
Based on a standard of 10,000 units per month, half for export and half domestic, pricing at two thousand US dollars per unit would still be in short supply.”
Dean Qian’s expression was grave: “Good, I’ll try my best.”
Because he knew this was not a simple economic issue.
Or rather, at present, there are no purely economic issues.
At the Leipzig Spring Trade Fair, the Chinese delegation arrived as scheduled.
This year’s Leipzig Trade Fair was different from previous years; it was the 800th anniversary of the trade fair, a major event for East Germany.
And before coming, China had fully communicated with the East German side; the Chinese delegation arrived in East Germany early and showed XM-01 to East Germany.
Klaus Müller held the XM-01 portable scientific calculator in his hand, his heart surging with an upheaval that was hard to calm.
This equipment from China is small and exquisite, equipped with a red LED display screen and 35 keys, capable of performing addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, trigonometric functions, logarithms, exponents, and other complex scientific calculations.
For Müller, this is not just a calculator, but a technological miracle beyond imagination.
Because in 1965, even the West’s most advanced calculators had not reached this level.
Just the red diode display alone is black technology in the eyes of professionals.
All calculators in the free world become bulky and crude compared to the XM-01.
In the past, everyone used bulky and crude to describe products from the Socialism camp, but in front of Chinese products, calculators from the free world are no match.
Müller gently presses the “30” key, then the “sin” key, and the display screen lights up quickly, showing “0.500”.
He inputs “2” and presses the “e^x” key, and the result “7.389” appears almost instantly.
This precision and computation speed makes Müller’s brows furrow, with incredulity flashing in his eyes.
He mutters to himself: “How is this possible?”
In East Germany, computing technology is still stuck at the stage of vacuum tubes and early transistors, and integrated circuits are still a distant concept.
The XM-01 clearly employs advanced semiconductor technology.
This technology gap shocks Müller.
Because the technical cooperation with China was something he personally promoted, he clearly remembers that their cooperation with China was in optics.
And in optics, they had only made optical lenses and some components for China.
As an expert in the semiconductor field, Müller knows well the significance behind the XM-01.
He carefully observes the appearance of the equipment: lightweight yet sturdy, the buttons make a crisp “click” sound when pressed, and the numbers on the display screen are clear and bright.
The display screen is even completely different from the cathode tubes on the market.
This shows that Chinese people have not only mastered integrated circuit technology but may have achieved a breakthrough in silicon-based materials.
He murmurs: “What level has their semiconductor technology reached?”
Whatever the answer, it means that China has far exceeded East Germany’s expectations in technology.
Clearly, everyone cooperated together, yet you have already taken off.
Although this is not a computer, if China can make such an advanced calculator, could they not make equally advanced computers?
This guess makes Müller unable to accept it.
He thinks, was cooperating with China on optics also a mistake, and how exactly are they going to acquire China’s semiconductor technology.
The OGAS plan, this grand blueprint aiming to integrate the Eastern Europe economy through computer networks, has its biggest difficulty in sufficiently advanced hardware support. At least the engineers think so, as technology can solve most problems.
And the appearance of the XM-01 makes this vision within reach.
He imagines that if East Germany could obtain China’s semiconductor technology, the OGAS’s computing power would greatly improve, economic data could be exchanged in real time, and resource allocation would be more efficient.
But the problem is that the Soviet Union can force buys and sells, what can East Germany use to force buys and sells?
Such problems make him feel anxious inside.
This small calculator not only shocked his heart but also ignited his desire for Chinese technology.
He realizes that this is not an isolated exhibit, but a signal that Socialism countries have the ability to challenge the free world in the technology field.
The compactness and powerful functions of the XM-01 caused a strong reaction in East Germany, from government officials to scientists to engineers; anyone who has seen this thing dares not believe it is an electronic product made by China.
So this Leipzig Trade Fair gave the China area the center position and the most prominent posters.
The Leipzig Trade Fair is held in the old exhibition hall, and the electronics exhibition hall has always been the focus.
In the exhibition hall, under the huge concrete arches, exhibition stands from various countries display transistor radios, televisions, and early computers.
East German style architectural decorations are mainly in red and gold, with banners reading slogans like “Socialism technological progress”.
The China exhibition stand is located in the southeast corner of the electronics exhibition hall, with a simple yet striking design. On the red curtain, the country name is written in golden Chinese characters.
In the center of the stand, an XM-01 calculator is placed under a glass cover, with the red LED display screen flickering under the lights. The adjacent poster introduces in German Language and Chinese Language: “XM-01: Portable scientific calculator—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, trigonometric functions, logarithms, exponents”.
The poster features illustrations drawn by East German artists of scientists using the XM-01, with a background of laboratory and rocket launch scenes, symbolizing its applications in scientific research and national defense.
Because of the most prominent posters, the small and unique appearance, and the scientific calculation symbols on the calculator, it has attracted widespread attention since the first day of opening.
Almost all visitors stop and linger at the China stand.
At first, Western Europe representatives could hardly believe what they saw.
A senior engineer from England squints his eyes and says softly: “This can’t be real, it’s too small, doesn’t seem like a fully functional machine.”
They suspect it’s just a model, a toy from Chinese people.
When the XM-01 easily completes sine function and exponent operations in the demonstration, suspicion turns to curiosity.
Some representatives squeeze to the front of the stand, hoping to observe the XM-01 up close.
A technician can’t help but request: “Can I try it?” After getting permission, he inputs a string of numbers to test logarithm operations, and when the result displays instantly, he exclaims softly: “Amazing.”
A large number of engineers in the periphery use notebooks to record the appearance and key layout of the XM-01, and some even want to use cameras to record.
An executive from an England computer company says softly to his assistant: “Find out who designed it, we need to figure out the source of their technology.”
They never even thought about buying it.
Because they weren’t allowed to buy it.
They could only try to steal the technology.
As the demonstration went deeper, the worry began to spread.
A French businessman frowned and said to his colleague, “If they can do this, what will come next? This might upend the entire market.”
They realized that this was not just a product, but that no one would be able to sell calculators in the entire market, and everyone’s market position would be doomed.
In one corner of the exhibition hall, engineers from France and West Germany argued in low voices: “This is not just a calculator problem; they might soon enter the computer market.”
“Although computers can calculate to 15 or even 16 decimal places, anything it can do, the IBM 360 can do.
Its precision is only three digits, but this thing is too small, you get it!
Small is justice.
Ever since portable radios appeared, no one wanted huge radios anymore, even if the huge radios might have better sound quality or more stable signal reception.
The same goes for calculators.
Why can England’s calculators sell? It’s because they are only the size of a shoebox.
But now the product brought by the Chinese has shrunk from a shoebox to a handbag. The only good news is that Chinese goods still can’t be sold in the free world.
For us, this is an unprecedented opportunity!”
But can they really not sell here? Companies in the free world are still too optimistic.
