CPT's computer sales strategy was soon implemented, and Alex only proposed a general direction, and the specific details were naturally perfected by relevant personnel.

For IBM, the biggest impact is not on the Cray I, because their market share has always been positioned in the low and middle range. In the high-end market, IBM has no way to compete with CPT, and every time they try to hit the high-end market, they will be repelled by the improved first-generation computers.

Fortunately, computers, no matter how much the price is set, are high-profit products compared to other industries. After all, IBM has a lot of connections, and as long as they can get a product, someone will order it. The difference is only in earning more and earning less, selling more and selling less.

Despite the $10 million price tag of the Cray I, there are still a lot of orders, especially from government departments and research institutes, who are in urgent need of the world's fastest computing computer.

What's particularly powerful is that CPT's original computer announced a significant price reduction, and its price has made many low-end customers flock to the company to learn more about the situation. When many users heard the news, they immediately abandoned IBM computers and switched to the first generation of computers of CPT companies.

IBM was simply stunned by this news, this plane is completely going to be wiped out!

This month, IBM is nearing the end of its work on a transistor computer, and they thought they would be able to launch it first, and if not first, they would be able to match the performance of the "Cray I" computer.

What I didn't expect was that they were completely fooled. CPT's previously published computer parameterization was a smoke bomb designed to fool their competitors. The performance of the real "Cray I" computer is several times better than the data they had in the first place, not to mention the computers they used to use the data as a reference.

"What the hell is going on! Why is our computer still under development, it has been thrown out of eight streets so far! Little Watson was so angry that he questioned the meeting again and again, trying to find out if he had been fooled by his men.

Lierson, vice president of IBM, could only reply stubbornly under the gaze of others: "This is because they use the latest integrated circuit board design, and our researchers have analyzed that CPT has made a major breakthrough in the research and development of integrated circuit boards, so that their computers are much more advanced than ours." ”

"Can't we just go ahead of them? Since it is important to know the integrated circuit board. We also use this technique. So why don't you rush to make more advanced techniques before they develop them? Watson Jr. was still angry and held his men accountable.

At this time, Wally, the head of research, replied: "I'm afraid this is a bit difficult, we just got the right to use the integrated circuit board." There is no way to improve on it. Unless we can get around this patent. Otherwise, you will always be controlled by others. ”

"Then get around it. Give me a way around this patent! Watson Jr. roared.

Research Director Wally hesitated for a moment, then replied, "It's going to take a lot of money and time to do, or else." At most, we can only match the integrated circuit board technology of CPT. Not to mention outdoing each other. ”

Watson Jr.'s order was to develop a series of computers composed of integrated circuits and to eliminate obsolete transistor machines as soon as possible. Lierson immediately formed a committee of engineers to work on a new machine proposal.

After several discussions, the committee was unable to reach a consensus, and after two months, the plan had not yet been sorted out. Everyone has different opinions and wants to come up with a great solution, but how can it be easier to surpass the "Cray I" computer?

Vice President Lierson, who is usually mild-mannered, couldn't sit still, and he said angrily to the committee members: "You all move me into a hotel, and no one is allowed to go home if you can't come up with a plan!" Learson sent the engineers to Connecticut and "locked up" in a motel.

A week later, an eight-page report was completed with the bold headline "IBM (Dragon Slayer) System Computer."

The new computer system is named Dragon-Slayer, referred to simply as the DS system. They said that IBM wanted to challenge CPT with the mentality of a dragon slayer, and wanted to express their determination in this way.

Learson roughly estimated the cost of the need: "500 million yuan for research and development, 1 billion yuan for production equipment investment, and 3.5 billion yuan for marketing and leasing advances." The entire dragon slaying plan needs a total investment of 50 billion! ”

It is important to know that the "Manhattan Project," in which the United States developed its first atomic bomb, only spent $2 billion.

The American press was stunned. Before the dust had settled on the news of the "Cray I" computer, IBM's dragon-slaying plan was already in a lot of uproar.

The New York Times said: "The blue giant vows to slay the dragon, and the computer market is making waves again!" ”

The Washington Post, which has been described as the most credible media in the United States, also said loudly in the newspaper: "As soon as CPT has reached the top, IBM is ready to pull it down!" ”

The headline of Happiness magazine reads: "IBM's $5 Billion Gamble!" ”

The New York Post gloated: "The two companies are fighting hard to benefit the consumers." ”

The Baltimore Sun newspaper was not optimistic about IBM's move, saying in the paper: "Only the crazy will take a desperate gamble, and if IBM fails to slay the dragon, it will fall into the bottomless abyss!" ”

By Watson's own admission, it was "one of the biggest and most risky decisions he ever made" in his life.

The next step is to find a coach for the "Dragon Slaying Project". Watson Jr. wanted to dig Seymour in the first place? Clay comes, if the enemy's boss can be brought over, this dragon slaying plan will be half the success.

It's a pity that Seymour didn't pay attention to IBM's olive branch at all, and he very simply refused: "I'm doing well in this one." I don't want to move my position just yet! ”

Of course, Alex is not an ordinary boss, he can read through other people's thoughts and understand the inner pursuits of his subordinates. For Seymour, Alex is not only a boss, but also a good friend. Seymour is the kind of sullen man who pursues the limit, and money is a floating cloud to him, as long as it is enough.

Alex is exactly what he likes, constantly supporting Seymour to climb the pinnacle of computer computing, in the process. He also gave a lot of good advice to each other. This benefited Seymour deeply.

In the process of developing the Cray I computer, Alex also made great efforts, such as the change of the keyboard, the addition of the mouse, and the application of the graphical interface. Some of these things can be used. Some of them don't need it. But everything was an eye-opener for Seymour.

Left CPT company. It means that Seymour left Alex, and he may not be able to receive such attention and courtesy when he goes to IBM. If you change someone else, you may be shaken by the conditions given by IBM. As for Seymour, he didn't even think about it.

Unable to dig Seymour, IBM had to find another person, and soon found a suitable person. They found an engineer named Brooks, whom IBM intended to put in charge of the design of the "Dragon Slaying Project".

Brooks developed the first interactive system on a supercomputer that allowed users to see the screen at the same time as they were keystrokes, and he also proposed many new concepts for modern computer architecture.

Brooks coordinates the work of four groups, three of which are led by Dr. Amdahl.

Dr. Amdahl is IBM's most famous tube computer, the IBM 709, which was written by him; Subsequently, he was appointed designer of the first all-transistor computer IBM7030. It can be described as experienced, experienced in technology, and a strong man in computer research.

Dr. Amdahl especially disliked Seymour? Clay thinks that the other party just happened to pick up a pie that fell from the sky, and with the technology and financial support of CPT, anyone can make such a supercomputer in that position. In order to suppress Seymour's limelight, he was determined to take advantage of this opportunity to design a supercomputer.

CPT could not afford to take the dragon-slaying plan launched by IBM lightly, and they held a seminar on the next generation of computers without being ready for the celebration.

Alex was also present at the meeting, and he understood that this was IBM's last move, and if CPT failed, it would inevitably make IBM a comeback. If CPT successfully resists this attack, CPT will be able to replace IBM in the computer field for decades to come.

"IBM's dragon slaying plan this time is obviously aimed at our CPT company. Let's talk about it, is there a way to block the other party's desperate blow. ”

Seymour, as the boss of the computer department of CPT, of course, had to be led by him. His remarks quickly caused an uproar among researchers, who voiced their opinions.

"People's $5 billion is not fake, when will our CPT company also make a 5 billion project?"

"yes, we'll take the money and smash them too! See who smashed the more and smashed with skill! ”

"Don't want 5 billion, just a few hundred million is enough. After all, our skills are better than theirs, and we are so far ahead of others, at least we can't bully people too much. ”

"Ahem!" Seymour saw that everyone's topic was getting more and more biased, so he hurriedly came out to interrupt: "This issue should be decided by the people above, as for us, we have to choose the future direction, and then stick to it." ”

After he finished speaking, he also looked at Alex deliberately and asked the other party to say a few words.

Originally, Alex came to listen to such a meeting at most to encourage morale, but now he can't hide from it and has to say: "R&D funding is not as much as possible, and IBM's several failures have proved this." Every time we succeed as a CPT company, we don't rely on more money. As Seymour said, you have to look in the right direction and keep going. ”

Alex paused for everyone to digest the passage, and then continued: "We didn't spend a fraction of the money on the development of the original computer and the Kray I-type computer, but we succeeded in the end. That shows that on this issue, the direction must be well chosen, and you can't make mistakes, and once you make a mistake, you will lose an opportunity. ”

Seymour and the other technologists nodded yes as they thought about what kind of features and architecture the next generation of computers would need. In the meeting, various whimsical suggestions were put forward in the form of brainstorming, and many of them were more practical and accepted by everyone.

The purpose of this meeting is not to decide anything, but to make the R&D personnel of CPT companies mentally prepared to be vigilant and maintain the morale of the previous R&D stage. Seymour and Alex were originally a little worried that the people in the group would either relax or be frightened by IBM's menacing 5 billion gamble.

Now it seems that this kind of problem has not arisen, and they are satisfied. After the meeting, Alex left Seymour behind, wanting to tell him what he really thought.

"I have an idea," Alex said thoughtfully, "CPT will need to get a personal computer in addition to developing a supercomputer in the future." ”

"Computer?" Seymour is the kind of person who pushes the limit, and he doesn't think that such a product will be of any use. He said: "Computers are so expensive nowadays, if you get a personal computer, I'm afraid no one but billionaires can afford it, right?" ”

Alex nodded yes, but he went on to explain, "That's why I wanted you to design a simplified computer yourself and eliminate some of the expensive parts and equipment. For example, the computing speed of a computer can be reduced appropriately. Now we have integrated circuit board technology, which allows us to integrate the transistors of the computing module into a circuit board the size of a matchbox. This makes the cost much less, and other components can be done in a similar way. ”

In order to articulate the concept of a personal computer, Alex spent about ten minutes describing the concept and architecture.

After hearing this, Seymour secretly imagined it in his mind, and felt that Alex's plan was perfect and could indeed be done. It's just that he has no interest in this, he pursues the limit of computer computing speed, so he refuses.

"The personal computer you described may be one of the directions for the development of computers in the future, but I think we still have to focus on the development of supercomputers. Now that IBM has launched the Dragon Slayer Project, I don't think I have as much energy to be distracted by other types of computers. ”

Alex thought about these words and felt that this was indeed the case. Now CPT companies still have to get through this first and then talk about other things, otherwise they may miss the opportunity of these decades and wait until the rise of personal computers to win a game. (To be continued......)