books44 Chapter 838 Licking a dog?
Chapter 838 Licking a dog?
The incandescent lights in the laboratory were still blindingly bright. The disassembled parts of "Big Yellow" were neatly arranged on the tablecloth. Alexander was using tweezers to hold a transistor component and carefully examining it under a magnifying glass.
Beside it, on the screen of another still-functioning "Big Yellow" machine, the cursor symbol "-" blinked forlornly, as if mourning for its "dismembered" brother.
At some point, Minister Ivan Petrovich, who had already left, returned and quietly walked behind Alexander.
After observing Alexander's actions for a while, Minister Ivan tapped the report on the edge of the lab bench with his finger, his tone slightly probing: "My dear Alexander, if I asked you to replicate this 'Big Yellow' from our Eastern friend, do you think you could do it?"
Alexander didn't even look up, casually putting the transistor back into the parts box, his tone somewhat dismissive: "Imitation? Comrade Minister, what's so great about imitating this?"
"Have you forgotten? The architecture diagram of their first-generation transistor computer was the basic version we provided seven years ago during our 'friendly exchange.' That machine was only 15% faster than our M-20, and its core logic circuitry was composed of discrete components; there were no real technological barriers."
"Oh? So it has absolutely no redeeming qualities?" Ivan Petrovich raised an eyebrow, bent down, and picked up the keyboard of "Big Yellow Doppelganger".
Although this keyboard still retains the style of a typewriter, it has eliminated the bulky mechanical structure, making it much lighter.
Minister Ivan thought to himself: If you can't come up with something substantial today, I'll send you, with your 'criminal record,' to Lubyanka for re-education tomorrow!
Even though I don't understand technology, I can see that typing directly on the keyboard and displaying the information on the screen in real time is much more advanced than our cumbersome punch paper tape machine!
Minister Ivan looked at his chief researcher with malice in his heart.
Fortunately, being pragmatic is a fundamental quality of researchers. Although Alexander often disagreed with the minister, this professional ethics saved him at this moment.
“There are some redeeming qualities though…” Alexander straightened up, pushed up his glasses, and counted on his fingers.
"First of all, it saves electricity. Its power module uses silicon rectifier diodes, and the power consumption of the whole machine is only one-third of that of the M-20. However, our research institutes and military units do not lack electricity, so this advantage is not significant in my opinion."
"And what about the size?" Ivan Petrovich asked again, gesturing to the chassis of the "Big Yellow Doppelganger." "Our M-20 takes up half a room, while this one can fit on a table. Wouldn't that be more convenient for fieldwork or small laboratories?"
"Its small size is due to the use of miniaturized transistors and high-density wiring." Alexander walked to the wall and pointed to the M-20 structural diagram hanging there:
"Our computers still use old-fashioned ceramic-encapsulated transistors, which are bulky and have slow heat dissipation. They use small-power transistors with plastic encapsulation, which is indeed more space-efficient."
However, its small size also means limited expandability; there's no room to add computing units, making it unsuitable for large-scale applications.
Ivan Petrovich didn't say anything, but casually tapped a few keys on the keyboard, and a series of "aaaaaaaa..." immediately lit up on another large yellow screen.
This reaction is much faster than a hole punch.
"The input method is quite convenient." Alexander also came over to take a look, his tone less dismissive.
“Our hole puncher has to punch holes in the paper tape first, and then send it to the computer to read. If there is a mistake, we have to punch it again. This machine can directly input the data through the keyboard, and it can also display the data in real time. It can also change the data quickly.”
Last time we debugged the ballistic calculation program, it took us an entire afternoon just to drill holes. If we use this..." He paused, not finishing his sentence, but the meaning was clear.
“There are also costs.” Ivan Petrovich suddenly laughed.
He pulled a list of materials from his briefcase:
"I had someone do a preliminary calculation, and making one based on the 'Big Yellow' configuration would only cost a quarter of the M-20. It uses cheap plastic parts and general-purpose transistors, and there's no need to specially customize a ceramic casing."
Alexander looked at the minister with a puzzled expression.
After a long silence, Alexander seemed to have finally gotten over the situation. He suddenly raised his head and looked at the minister with an incredulous expression: "Comrade Minister, do you mean... you want to steal our Eastern friends' computer business?"
The minister nodded approvingly, finally getting to the point.
"Yes, think about it carefully. Our friends in the East, although their overall industrial strength is still struggling, seem to have found a unique way to achieve great things with limited resources. Do you remember that 'air fryer' that suddenly became popular a while ago and even caused a buying frenzy?"
"I don't know. I'll eat at the Academy of Sciences cafeteria when I'm hungry. I don't care what the food is made of!"
Minister Ivan's lips twitched slightly, deciding to ignore the somewhat unusual private life of this brilliant researcher and continue guiding the conversation:
"Look, that's the point. From small appliances like air fryers to computers with unique advantages, our friends in the East are using these ingenious gadgets to gradually expand their influence and cultivate an image of 'exquisite, practical, and innovative'."
The minister walked to the window, looked at the linden trees outside, and said in a somewhat serious tone: "You know, some member states of the alliance are already preparing to bypass us and try to make direct contact with it!"
Air fryers are small gadgets, but computers are different; they've already touched upon core technologies and industrial fields! We must face this reality!
You must understand, within this camp, only we have the authority to give orders!
“No!” Alexander immediately and firmly objected. “This is blatant plagiarism! It’s a desecration of the scientific spirit! We should use our own wisdom to surpass others, not take this dishonorable shortcut!”
"This is a matter of principle!"
Alexander added angrily.
Ivan Petrovich was speechless, feeling that his previous insightful analysis had been completely wasted.
He stared at the face before him, a face brimming with "principles," then suddenly remembered something and changed the subject:
Do you remember the 'little black water' I brought back for you from the sanatorium's canteen last time?
"Little Black Water?" Alexander's eyes lit up instantly, his stubbornness fading by half. "You mean that black, sweet soda? I remember! The taste is so unique, even better than our kvass!"
That's Coca-Cola.
Ivan Petrovich's lips curled into a smug smile: "If you can master the core technology of 'Rhubarb' and create an 'improved copy,' I'll buy you a case!"
No, two boxes! They're directly from the sanatorium's special supply channel!
Alexander's breathing quickened suddenly, and his fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of his clothes.
No otaku can resist a sugary drink!
This goes back to the Great Patriotic War. At that time, the United States, as an ally, provided the Union with a large amount of supplies through the Lend-Lease Act, including this beverage called "Coca-Cola".
It is said that, in order to meet the needs of the Union leadership at the time, Coca-Cola even specially produced a batch of "white Coke" that was transparent and had its signature brown color removed, and supplied it to the Union army.
You wouldn't believe it, would you? The countries that are now playing the bipolar game were actually allies just a few decades ago. So, the world is a huge makeshift organization.
The "sanatorium canteen" mentioned by the minister is a "special entity" within the alliance!
It was established during my mentor's time, with the original intention of "protecting the health of workers and researchers," and only those who have made outstanding contributions to the country can enter.
Although it seems to have changed its nature, now only allowing people of ministerial rank and above to enter without restraint, the number of goods inside has increased...
"No!" Alexander abruptly took a step back: "Comrade Minister! You've changed! How can you use capitalist methods to corrupt an upright scientist!"
"I think the problem lies with your principles!"
Ivan Petrovich's smile faded. He stared at Alexander, then suddenly changed the subject: "Principles? Have you forgotten about the vanished blonde?"
"What did you say?" Alexander's pupils suddenly contracted, and his fingers gripped the hem of his clothes tightly.
"What did you say? Of course, it's that girl from Vladivostok!"
Ivan Petrovich said slowly, "When the secret of the Minsk codebreaker was leaked, everyone said it was her doing, and that she was a spy from China..."
She was eventually taken away by Lubyanka, and we never heard from her again. You even took a disciplinary action for "failing to report" because of her, which delayed your professional title evaluation, right?
"It's not her!" Alexander suddenly roared, his voice echoing through the laboratory.
"How could a young girl who hasn't even graduated yet have access to the core secrets of three computer scientists in Minsk? You're just throwing mud at her because you can't find a scapegoat! And you even said she's Chinese... Chinese people have blond hair!"
His eyes reddened, the scene of Talia being taken away years ago still vivid in his mind: she was wearing a light blue dress, clutching the kvass she had brought for Alexander, being supported by two men in dark green uniforms, and turning back to shout, "I am innocent!"
But no one believed her. Even Alexander himself was investigated for three months for "having contact with the suspect."
Seeing his agitated expression, Ivan Petrovich smiled knowingly. "I know you're upset. But have you thought about it? If we could replicate 'Big Yellow' and export it to France, we could exchange it for their luxury goods!"
Parisian perfumes, crocodile wallets, lambskin gloves, and even silk scarves from Marseille.
He walked up to Alexander, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "With these things, which girl in Moscow would refuse you when you look for a girlfriend on the streets? Why bother with a 'disappeared spy'?"
Alexander's cheeks flushed instantly. His eyes widened, and his voice was muffled: "Talia... she's still a child! He's my student! You filthy people!"
“Looking at his stubborn appearance, Ivan Petrovich couldn’t help but reach out and touch his forehead: “Alexander, Alexander, for the sake of a nominal student, you would rather accept long-term scrutiny and suspicion than seize the opportunity to change the status quo.”
A term has recently become popular in China, and I think it perfectly describes your current state.
Alexander asked instinctively, "What word?"
Minister Ivan clearly uttered two words:
"Lick the dog."