……

Listen to Fred, the lead engineer of the InteliAPX432 project. After Pollack introduced for nearly half an hour, Tang Huan took a look at a loophole and asked very gracefully: "Needless to say, the design of InteliAPX432 is indeed very good, but I need an intuitive understanding. For example, since its market competition target is Motorola's MC68000 series, how much more efficient is it compared with Intel's own Intel80286? ”

"InteliAPX432 is 32-bit, Intel80286 is 16-bit, the instruction architecture of the two is completely different, and InteliAPX432 has not really been completed, it should not be comparable." Fred. A hint of discoloration flashed across Pollack's face, as if he was a little resistant to Tang Huan's proposal.

Compared to Ted. Hough was inspired by a calculator order to design a microprocessor, and the Intel4004, Intel8008, Intel8080, Intel8086, Intel80286 product lines, InteliAPX432 were a well-planned project that fully exposed Intel's ambitions for the high-end processor market.

One of the major features of InteliAPX432 is that it supports object-oriented programming at the hardware and microcode level, which can be regarded as a high-level programming language-based computer architecture, and the high-level programming language implemented by Intel is Ada.

This programming language originated from a program of the U.S. military.

In the 1970s, the number of programming languages used in computer systems projects under the U.S. Department of Defense increased day by day, and this year it has grown. In 1983, there were 450 species.

Many of these programming languages are outdated or overly reliant on hardware, especially without a unified code quality and safety standard.

The U.S. Department of Defense was so concerned about this that in 1975 it established a high-level language working group. Its mission was to find or create a programming language that would fit the needs of the Department of Defense in order to reduce the number of existing programming languages, and the final result of the group's work was the Ada language.

The name Ada was used in honor of AdaLovelace, the daughter of the famous English poet Byron. Lovelace, the countess was a math enthusiast who was involved in the study of the Babbage differential machine, which had a huge impact on modern computers, and is recognized as the first computer programmer.

There is no doubt that with the participation of the military and the government, the commercial value of this market is naturally very considerable. Not to mention that Intel has high hopes for the InteliAPX432 project, even Tang Huan, a latecomer, is actively involved in it, and there are also projects related to the Ada language in the Zheru R&D Center.

The Ada language is an extension of PASCAL and other programming languages and is primarily targeted at embedded and real-time system design.

Therefore, the important characteristics of the Ada language are the embedded style, modular design, compilation checking, parallel handling, exception handling, and generic programming.

In particular, Ada is used to compile and check operating systems such as avionics, space vehicles, weapons, etc. It has important security implications for code execution, which is exactly what the U.S. Department of Defense needs.

Such technologies. It may be too abstract, but the slightest mistake can often mean significant losses.

For example, in early June 1996, the first launch of the European Space Agency's Ariane 5 launch vehicle deviated from the intended flight path in just 37 seconds. Disintegrated and exploded, ending in failure.

You know, the communication satellite on the rocket alone is worth $500 million.

The final conclusion of the accident investigation was: the computer that controls the inertial navigation system, the computer that controls the nozzle of the engine. An invalid data was sent due to an overflow when a 64-bit floating-point number was converted to a 16-bit signed integer, and the Ada language did not check for this code security issue during compilation.

At present, the InteliAPX432 project has encountered major problems in the development of the Ada language compiler, which has led to inefficient code operation.

It is completely foreseeable that if InteliAPX432 really competes with Intel80286 for speed, it is not surprising that the horse stumbles, it is nothing more than a question of how far behind.

Efred. The R&D team led by Pollack had mixed and delicate feelings about this.

InteliAPX432 is obviously more advanced than Intel80286, but it runs slower than the latter, and the resulting grievances are really difficult to communicate to outsiders.

Andy? Grove advocated cooperating with Tang Huan on the InteliAPX432 project, not only to see the bright prospects of Fangyuan Computer's terminal products in terms of microprocessor demand, but also to leverage Zheru's strong strength in the field of programming language compilers.

At this stage, the list of CPUs supported by Zheru's macro assembly, C, C++, and PASCAL programming language compilers, in addition to its own RISC processors, also includes Intel8086 series, ZilogZ80 series, Motorola MC6800 and MC68000 series, and MOSTechnologyMOS6502 series, which have developed into very popular commercial compiler products, which are not only adopted by various computer companies. It is also used as a teaching tool by many universities.

In addition, there are also successful compiler implementations of application-specific programming languages such as FORTRAN, COBOL, and Ada.

Before, Andy? Grove got the compiler support for Intel80286's mainstream programming language from Tang Huan, and he wanted to extend this cooperation experience to InteliAPX432's Ada, but the R&D team was a little unconvinced by the decision to find a monk from the outside to chant the scriptures.

Tang Huan can ignore Fred. Pollack's thoughts, he smiled and waved his hand, and the engineers who came quickly set up the test platform.

The same Ada evaluator runs on the InteliAPX432 and Intel80286 running at the same 8MHz frequency.

After the results came out, the faces of everyone present were very exciting.

Tang Huan gasped. "No wonder advanced technology often does not mean commercial success, InteliAPX432 runs at a quarter of the speed of Intel80286, Intel really gave me a vivid lesson for free." ”

Fred. Pollack stubbornly explained: "This result. It is mainly caused by the Ada language compiler, and I believe that after the optimization of Zheru, it will definitely not be the current performance. In addition, the design and implementation of InteliAPX432 is very complex, and it must operate at a higher frequency to reflect the hardware advantages, and the current 8MHz is too low. ”

"I can understand the problem with the Ada compiler, after all, the InteliAPX432 is a brand new CPU. There is a real need for a process of continuous improvement. ”

Tang Huan nodded, "But since you know that the operating frequency is very important to the InteliAPX432, why is there only an 8MHz version now?" Is it because the manufacturing process is too complicated? ”

See Fred. Pollack was speechless, and Tang Huan snorted, "I remember, the current Intel80286 is only a maximum of 12.5MHz version." It seems that the management of the memory business as the fundamental business has limited the growth of the microprocessor division. ”

"The management of the company. We, the R&D personnel, know where to go. "Fred. Pollac hurriedly found himself a staircase.

Seeing that the successful attack on the R&D team of InteliAPX432 is enough to ensure that you have the right to speak in the next cooperation process. Tang Huan no longer embarrassed the other party, waved his hand and said, "Anyway, we can try to cooperate." But there is one point, it is limited to one year. If the InteliAPX432 still fails to show real business value by then, Zheru may choose to withdraw. ”

Speaking of which, Tang Huan found out. Andy? Grove was not present.

"Where's Grove?" Tang Huan asked in surprise.

"He's gone to an impromptu meeting." Grove's assistant replied, "I'm sorry that he didn't bother you when he left, seeing that you were discussing very seriously." ”

"It's okay." Tang Huan bowed slightly, "I'll go find him." ”

This time I came to Intel headquarters. In addition to taking the opportunity to talk to the other party about the cooperation of the InteliAPX432 project, Tang Huan also plans to contact Andy alone? Grove.

For the major issue of the transformation of the main business from memory to processors, among the three giants of Intel, Robert . Noyce and Gordon. Moore is very conservative for various reasons, only Andy? Grove behaved very positively.

It's a pity, Andy? Grove's position in Intel is just a strict corporate management executive who sings black faces, and once it comes to such a major decision, his voice is very limited.

But Tang Huan still wants to get from Andy? Grove opened the gap here, and Guy had his eye on Intel's semiconductor factory.

If Intel decides to transform, these redundant memory production lines will have to be dealt with; Even if Intel is hesitant about the transformation, in the current semiconductor war between Japan and the United States, it is not a good idea to relocate the factory for the sake of cost reduction.

And the destination suggestion that Tang Huan wants to give is Chinese mainland.

Optimistic about the role of China, a big country in the East, in the overall situation of the Cold War, the United States has frequently extended olive branches, and China, which has begun reform and opening up, has also responded positively, and relations between the two countries have warmed up sharply.

Chief Deng's visit to the United States in January 1979 began a series of high-level and important exchanges between the two countries. On March 1 of the same year, the two countries officially established embassies in Beijing and Washington. U.S. Vice President Walter. In August, Mundell paid a return visit to Chief Deng.

As high-level and working-level contacts between the two sides deepened, the two countries began to engage in dialogue on a wide range of issues, including global and regional strategy, politics, military, disarmament, and the affairs of the United Nations and other multilateral organizations, and signed a number of bilateral treaties, especially in the fields of science and technology and culture, as well as trade exchanges.

These include the Treaty on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, as well as a number of treaties signed in September 1980 in the maritime field and civil aviation links.

In May 1982, US Vice President George H.W. Bush visited China again.

On August 17, 1982, China and the United States signed the third joint communiqué, the August 17 Communiqué.

In the run-up to 1984, the Chinese Premier of the State Council visited the United States and the President of the United States Ronald Reagan visited China.

In short, the situation in Sino-US relations at the present stage is very good, and cooperation in the high-tech field can be further leveraged.

Tang Huan has already roped in Motorola to build a semiconductor factory in China, and Intel is his next lobbying target.

……

It's just that Tang Huan wouldn't have thought that the topics being discussed in the Intel conference room at this time were not friendly to him.

In addition to the Intel Big Three, the participants also included Arthur Murphy, the majority shareholder of Intel and Apple, known as the father of venture capital. Locke, and Don? Estlic.

"I know that Fangyuan Computer Company has signed an order for Intel80286 with Intel, but IBM is willing to buy all Intel80286 at a high price and is responsible for compensation for breach of contract." Don authorized by headquarters? Estlic, said with a lot of money.

See Robert. Noyce and Gordon. Moore didn't say anything right away, but turned his gaze to himself, Andy, who had an upright temperament? Grove said directly: "This will affect Intel's reputation in the industry, last time IBM tried to use Intel8088 orders to squeeze out all the production capacity of Intel8086, but in fact, in addition to making Tang Huan dissatisfied with us, it did not affect the manufacturing process of Fangyuan's personal computers at all, they have enough alternatives." ”

"This time it's different." Tang Dynasty? Estlic smiled confidently, "Intel80286 has gone through many error corrections since it was released last year. As a result, even though a license for the second supplier has been issued, only Intel currently has the capacity to supply in batches. I believe that this time difference will have a small half a year, just so that the IBM-PC/AT, which was launched later than the third generation of Fangyuan personal computers, can regain its disadvantages and snipe the advantages of Fangyuan personal computers in the mid-to-high-end market. ”

Robert. At this time, Noyce opened his mouth, "IBM has promised to support our memory business. ”

Gordon. Moore continued: "Fangyuan Computer Company only needs the 12.5MHz high-end version of Intel80286, and the remaining low-end products are purchased by Fangyuan personal computer compatible machine manufacturers, but it is as convenient as IBM's full acquisition." ”

Arthur. Locke concluded, "IBM owns 20 percent of Intel, and I approve of the deal." So, no matter what, the decision will pass. But I also want to analyze for you, IBM-PC only uses Intel's CPU, but the microprocessor of Fangyuan personal computer also includes the MC68000 series and MOS6502 series, as well as the Z80 series used by RadioShack's Tangdi computer. From this point of view, it is self-evident how to make trade-offs in order to maximize benefits. ”

"Now that you've all discussed it, why are you bringing me here?" Andy muttering to himself? Grove glanced at everyone present, speechless.

The information in their eyes made Andy? Grove immediately realized, "This is to make me a villain, come forward to negotiate with Tang Huan, and bear the wrath of the richest man in the world." ”

"Don't bring such a stupid boy!" Andy? Grove almost snapped the case, but he immediately held back and sighed inwardly, "Isn't that what I do?" ”

"If that's the final word, I'm going to follow the board's decision." Andy? Grove said in a muffled voice, "I hope that the wrestling between IBM and Fangyuan Computer Company, the old and the new, will try not to affect Intel, an ordinary supplier." (To be continued.) )