Sun Yuan straightened his mind, and then said: "The first question, except for a few of you R&D personnel who know how to use this electronic computer, it is estimated that everyone else is helpless. Please use the pinyin domain name of this site to visit us. If it cannot be widely popularized, the basic role in the development of electronic computers will be about zero. It's like building a building, only the pillars and the roof are erected and then the work stops, how is the building used? For ordinary users, it is also necessary to repair the staircase walls, install mén windows, and lay various water and electricity corridors before they can live. By the same token, you're just done with the pillars and the roof, and now you have to design the user's interface for the computer so that the user can see it and become proficient. Only when you reach this step can you be considered complete. ”

Tesla was thoughtful.

"In addition to the four parts that can be divided into input, output, storage, and computing according to the equipment, the computer actually has another division, that is, all physical parts are collectively referred to as hardware, and computer data and instructions organized in a specific order are called software. What is Software? Software is the interface between the user and the hardware, and the user mainly conducts jiāo flow between the software and the computer. You've only completed the development of the hardware, and as for the software, it's basically a blank slate. ”

Tesla was a little embarrassed, rubbed his hands and said, "We really don't know enough about software. Your opinion is very jīng, if you can write your point of view, I believe it will inspire us even more! ”

"Okay, I'll write it and send it to you in a few days." Sun Yuanqi is very happy to serve.

"And the second question?" Tesla asked.

"Professor Tesla, what do you think is the use of electronic computers other than computing?" Sun Yuanqi asked rhetorically.

Tesla thought about it for a long time and couldn't come up with a reason, so he had to scratch his head. Somewhat depressed, he replied, "What else can you do but calculate?" ”

Pan Xian on the side was also a little confused. Indeed, just as electric lights are for lighting and refrigerators are for cooling, electronic computers are developed for computing. What other uses could it have?

"Of course, the basic working principle of an electronic computer is calculation. But if you calculate for the sake of calculation, and develop an electronic computer for this purpose, then its significance is limited to that, and I will not encourage all of you to devote so much effort to studying it. "No ads, full text, more," Sun Yuanqi said very seriously, "The facts will prove." The role of electronic computers is far from this, and its emergence and development will change the way people live. That's why I want to develop a computer. ”

All colleagues in the electronics laboratory know that although President Sun may be weak in the practical research of electronics, when it comes to theory and practical application, he said that second, no one in the world dares to call it the first. Neither can Tesla or Edison! When they heard that he was going to make a grand speech, they all sat down like a student, and flexibly took out a pen and paper.

"There are three main ways of human information transmission: text, sound, and image, and now technology has shown that all three methods can be achieved by digital encoding. However, the existing methods of information transmission, including letters, telegrams, telephones, radio, and even the latest television, are difficult to take into account the aspects of timeliness, reciprocity, and sharing.

"What do you mean by timely xìng? It is to use the shortest time and the lowest cost to efficiently deliver the message to the other party. For example, now you have a 5,000-word paper that you want to show me. I'm in Hubei, what methods do you use? Letters are too busy, and telegrams are too expensive. It's hard to make out the telephone, let alone radio or television.

"Speaking of jiāo mutual xìng, it means that information flows smoothly between each other. After I received your paper, I will give you feedback after reading it, and if you still have questions, I will answer you. This comes and goes, in what way is it communicated?

Then he said that sharing xìng. What are you going to do with that 5,000-word paper that needs to be read by five or six people? It's five or six copies. Or go to plate printing?

"Of course, there are other aspects, and that's what we're having at the moment. Now with electronic computers, these problems will be solved more perfectly. Sun Yuanqi said in a certain tone, affirmative, and definite.

Sun Yuanqi spoke generously, but the students were confused: Su Wu shepherds, Zhang Fei embroidered huā. Wu Song fights the tiger, this is completely out of bounds! Pan Xian jumped out of xìngzi. He couldn't hold it back, so he raised his hand and said, "But, sir, what does the computer have to do with the flow of information?" ”

"Naturally, it matters! As I said earlier, text, sound, and images can all be digitized and then encoded to convey information. In fact, no matter how digitized and encoded, it is actually a mathematical operation, and this is the specialty of electronic computers! After a pause, Sun Yuanqi continued, "You think that computers have nothing to do with information flow, and that's because you still see computers as independent individuals, and you don't take into account the interconnection between computers, so as to realize information transmission. Of course, the network interconnection between multiple computers will be a very huge problem, which must be led by Professor Tesla to continue your efforts and in-depth research! ”

Interconnection between computers? Everyone was stunned when they heard this, and then they couldn't help but admire: This is the difference between geniuses and ordinary people!

Just like we are usually used to seeing TVs, refrigerators, and air conditioners, no one will think of interconnecting TV sets and TV sets, refrigerators and refrigerators, air conditioners and air conditioners, because it is absurd and nonsense to ordinary people, but some people can find the great value of interconnection from it, isn't this genius?

Sun Yuanqi continued: "I have some ideas about the Internet interconnection, and I will write them out for you when I have time, just for reference, after all, a fool has a thousand worries." ”

After returning to Wuchang, Sun Yuanqi chōukong recalled some knowledge about computer software and network interconnection, and wrote two articles and sent them to the researchers of the electronics laboratory of Jingshi University, hoping that they could learn from some mature practices in later generations. Who knew that these two articles were not only published in the "Jingshi University Journal", but also forwarded to "SCE" magazine after Tesla's run.

Suddenly, Sun Yuanqi had not submitted to SCE magazine for several years. Without the strange papers of this oriental wonder boy, the editors of the magazine find life much more boring. I have written to the past five times to solicit papers, but I have not received a response, but now there are two articles, and each of them is of great significance, and the happiness in the hearts of the editors is mentioned!

It is precisely because of the hard-won that the editor cherishes it and is not willing to finish the two articles in one issue. So they took the paper to their counterparts in the United States and asked them to write a commentator article. After such a package, the latest research results of Professor Johnson, which is highlighted by SCE magazine, are newly released.

Because of these two papers, later historians of science unceremoniously put the hats of "the founder of software engineering" and "the father of the Internet" firmly on Sun Yuanqi's head. Of course, this is not an afterthought.

Under Sun Yuanqi's persuasion, the sect leader devoted himself to vigorous computer research. In view of Tesla's outstanding achievements in electrical and electronics, Sun Yuanqi decided to exercise his right as a Nobel laureate: to recommend Tesla as a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Physics to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Although Rutherford had previously mentioned to himself that the US National Academy of Sciences had nominated Professor Martin of the University of California, Berkeley, to the Nobel Prize Committee several times, hoping that he would help him achieve his dream as soon as possible. However, Sun Yuanqi still wants to recommend Tesla this time: because Professor Martin has the strength of the National Academy of Sciences behind him, plus he discovered protons together with himself, and has also confirmed his assertion that nuclear reactions and light have two images of bō grains, winning the Nobel Prize is already a sure thing, and Sun Yuanqi does not need to add to the fire.

In contrast, Tesla is alone, alone, if Sun Yuanqi doesn't tie him up, I'm afraid it will be hopeless in this life! Now it is just right to follow the development of the east wind of electronic computers, striking while the iron is hot, but there is great hope. Among the reasons for recommendation, Sun Yuanqi wrote:

"Nikolai? Tesla was a famous inventor, physicist, mechanical engineer and electrical engineer who made outstanding contributions to electricity and magnetism, especially the modern Jiāo electric power system formed by his patents and theoretical work, which promoted the emergence and development of the second industrial revolution. He also had a great deal of success in inventing electrical devices, including Tesla coils, Jiāo electric engines, and electronic computers, demonstrating the extraordinary talents of this brilliant scientist. For this reason, he is recommended as a candidate for the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics. ”

Although it was August 1908, Sun Yuanqi could only recommend candidates for the coming year, because according to the regulations of the Nobel Prize, candidates recommended for each award were accepted from September to January 31 of the following year.

In addition to the problems of Rutherford and Tesla, when there were problems with the Beiping Iron Works and automobile research, Sun Yuanqi also had to go to Beijing. Coming and going, the staff of the railway stations in both places got to know the young envoy. Sun Yuanqi also felt embarrassed, so he went to trouble others every three or five days, and said in his heart: Why don't I pay a sum of money in advance and get a New Year's card?

In September, Chen Kuilong was finally idle: the flood had subsided, the famous doctors had been selected to be sent to Beijing, and as for the revolutionary army in Yunnan, because they did not have the experience of the Jinggangshan struggle, they finally withdrew from the country after several months of fighting under the encirclement and suppression of the political army. At this time, Sun Yuanqi's affairs in Beijing were also roughly clarified, and he began to be busy with the enrollment work of various schools in Hubei, running around all day.

When I returned to Yamén on the evening of this day, I found that Chen Qiansheng, who had disappeared for a long time, had actually reappeared, and Yang Du was also sitting, with a contemplative face on his face.

"Zhongfu, it's rare to be free today!" Sun Yuanqi teased.

Chen Qiansheng got up and arched his hand: "I have something important to report to my lord!" ”

"Please!"

"There is information that the Governor's Office is secretly investigating the slander of the Lord in Wuchang County the year before last.".