Chapter 150: Immortal Pointing the Way [Bonus Chapter 10]

"Just for a reason like that!" Our Boss Huang never tells lies.

"Fair enough, I suppose." Ni Guangnan looked at Huang He somewhat speechlessly, then said, "So you're saying your main purpose in getting into chips is to build servers?"

"Yes!" Huang He replied.

"Well, that actually makes things a bit simpler!" After pondering for a moment, a smile instead appeared on Ni Guangnan's face.

"Really? Aren't servers supposed to be much more difficult than personal computers? How come server chips are simpler than PC chips?" Huang He asked with a puzzled expression.

"Because not a single PC chip out there can run the Windows operating system!" Ni Guangnan sighed, his face full of helplessness. "A computer chip isn't just about meeting the demands of a computer and performing calculations; to actually be usable, a computer chip needs to work in tandem with a control system to perform at its best."

"Right now, apart from Apple, 99.99% of computers globally use Microsoft's Windows system. Therefore, all computer chips must be compatible with the Windows system, and their design must revolve around it."

"And the Windows system has always been bundled with Intel chips, incorporating many of Intel's technical patents. Consequently, if you want to design a chip that perfectly matches the Windows system, you have no choice but to find a way around these Intel patents. Every single step here is a minefield. If I really tried to accomplish all that, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to do it in this lifetime!"

"Since we can't bypass Intel's patents, we can just bypass the Windows system!" Huang He said with a smile.

"Indeed, that was what I originally thought, which led to my previous cooperation with the Ark Company!" Ni Guangnan's expression grew even more depressed. "Back then, Ark Company was an OEM manufacturer for IBM and Intel. They possessed chip production and manufacturing technologies, along with dozens of relevant engineers. You could say their foundation for development was exceptionally good. Later on, IBM and Intel stopped using them as an OEM and turned to TSMC across the strait instead. Thus, their business was cut off, and in order to survive, they came to me to cooperate on producing a brand-new computer chip."

"Coincidentally, I came across the Linux system at that time. This was a foreign open-source system. Although it was extremely rudimentary compared to Windows, it had immense potential and exceptional expandability. A complete system, no less powerful than Windows, could theoretically be developed from it!"

"Therefore, I believed this was the savior of China's chip industry. We could design an embedded chip entirely centered around the Linux system, which would drastically reduce the difficulty of chip design and patent traps."

"Facts proved my idea was right. In just two years, Ark 1 was born. But in a mere half-year, Ark 1 completely withdrew from the market. Not a single enterprise or institution was willing to buy our computers anymore. Do you know why?" Ni Guangnan asked.

"I suppose it was because there was practically no software available that could run on Linux!" Huang He pondered and said. In truth, he hadn't specially investigated the reason for Ark 1's failure. Without needing to rely on hindsight, anyone could guess where Linux failed: its software library was virtually equal to zero.

To put it simply, take a standard office worker doing desk work; they need at least a complete WPS suite, and depending on their profession, they might also need Photoshop, financial management software, medical software, and all sorts of other diverse professional applications.

Yet the Linux system of today didn't even have a single piece of software capable of opening Office files. The software compatible with the entire system could be counted on one's fingers, and no software companies ever produced programs specifically for it. All of them were open-source applications independently created by PC enthusiasts.

This was a system born entirely out of interest and passion, but interest and passion ultimately cannot defeat capital. Without the mass influx of capital, the Linux system was destined to remain nothing more than a toy for enthusiasts.

By the year 2021, the Linux system had indeed made substantial progress and developed many of its own applications—at the very least, the WPS suite could be opened on it—but shaking the Windows system was out of the question, and capturing even 1% of the market share was entirely nonexistent.

Conversely, the strictly closed Apple system truly managed to shake up the market, but Apple's sales strategy also dictated that its market share would remain capped at that level, making it impossible to overturn Windows' dominant status.

"You're smart, so I suppose you also understand why I said server chips are easier to design than PC chips!" Ni Guangnan retorted.

"I think I get it!" Huang He nodded. Servers require the storage, circulation, and calculation of massive amounts of data; they don't need a huge array of specialized application software, requiring only a set of control programs custom-tailored for servers.

Therefore, servers have absolutely no need for something like the Windows system, or even the Linux system—as long as there is a basic DOS system, it's enough.

As a result, the architecture and design of server chips become much simpler, even simpler and easier than the previous Ark 1 chip.

"Well, however, server chips are ultimately meant to serve servers, so our chips can be specially designed targeting the characteristics of servers. This allows us to omit a lot of unnecessary designs and maximize computing power or storage capacity as much as possible!" Ni Guangnan smiled. "If you can find a qualified chip foundry and piece together a team for me, then I have the confidence to design the server chip for you within a year."

"Of course, I can't design anything too advanced either; we're limited to current mid-to-low-end chips. We have zero foundation for high-end chips, so don't even think about soaring to the skies overnight!"

"While such chips might seem quite useless in personal computers, using them in servers poses little problem. Servers can be designed with multi-chip and multi-device serial connections anyway. Therefore, servers don't actually need exceptionally high-end chips. As long as you string together enough server clusters, low-end chips can achieve the same effect as high-end ones. This is what we call 'many hands make light work'."

"Take the supercomputers recently hyped up abroad and domestically, for instance. Their computing power is fierce, seemingly demonstrating how advanced our country's computer technology is."

"In reality, those are just thousands upon thousands of CPUs strung together to perform calculations. It's actually quite simple."

"Besides, for a network company like yours, the purpose of your servers is mostly to store and transmit data, placing low demands on raw calculation and high demands on storage functions. You just need to wire them together directly."

"Good!" Huang He nodded heavily. He certainly hadn't picked the wrong person in Professor Ni Guangnan. With just a few words, he had completely cleared away the fog for Huang He and directly carved out a path forward.

This path was somewhat opportunistic. For example, if you needed to lift a hundred-ton boulder, advanced foreign standards would involve designing a single lifting device capable of hoisting the massive rock entirely on its own.

However, Ni Guangnan's approach was to design ten lifting devices capable of working together to jointly lift the stone. Although it sounded a bit like cheating, the effect was identical.

Moreover, as the saying goes, the more precise something is, the easier it is to break; simple things, conversely, are exceptionally sturdy in practice.

"Then, Teacher Ni, are you willing to lead a team to cooperate with us and make this happen?" Huang He asked excitedly.

"Me? I think I'll pass!" Unexpectedly, Ni Guangnan shook his head and said, "You don't actually need someone of my status for this matter. I have a student with exceptional ability who is more than capable of helping you sort out these problems."

Ni Guangnan's subtext was simple: Huang He's server chip design was too straightforward and lacked breakthrough innovation, failing to spark our Teacher Ni's interest.

"Teacher, you're mistaken about that. Although server chips are simpler than PC chips, they are still chips that our domestic industry currently lacks. Without an experienced master like you to steer the ship, how could we possibly succeed?" Huang He quickly said. "Besides, server chips are only the first step. Once we get servers sorted out, we will undoubtedly venture into more high-end servers in the future. Moreover, we currently have another opportunity to bypass and overtake Windows!"

"Overtaking Windows?" Upon hearing this, Ni Guangnan looked at Huang He with a gaze as if looking at an idiot. "Child, I know you have high aspirations, but don't utter such foolish words that even laymen wouldn't believe. It won't make you look clever or ambitious."

"It certainly can't be surpassed on PCs, but I'm talking about within twenty years!" Huang He smiled and nodded. "However, if we switch platforms, then it's anyone's guess."

"Switch platforms? What platform? Is there any platform in this world whose demand for chips can surpass personal computers?" Ni Guangnan asked in astonishment.

"This one!" Huang He took his Tianxing smartphone out from his waist.

————————

"The old man actually didn't keep me for dinner!" It wasn't until 8:00 PM that Huang He finally emerged from Ni Guangnan's apartment. Although he still hadn't gotten Ni Guangnan to agree on the spot to help him, Ni Guangnan did agree to accompany Huang He to Cao County next week, and then to Wenzhou, to inspect the actual conditions of the Jiangnan Group while also preparing a more detailed proposal and plan.

In other words, as long as Ni Guangnan believed that Huang He was genuinely sincere about developing servers and chips, he would come out of retirement a third time to help our Boss Huang, which made Huang He extremely happy.

It was just that the fact that Ni Guangnan didn't offer him a meal left Huang He rather aggrieved; right now, he was desperately hungry.

"Zhiwen, you're actually still waiting here!" When Huang He stepped out of the apartment building, he spotted a young girl standing beneath it, staring blankly at a bare tree.

"Oh no! I forgot about her!" Huang He slapped his forehead. Initially, Huang He had brought Leng Zhiwen along, but upon second thought, bringing a female secretary like her might seem a bit frivolous, so he had gone up alone—completely forgetting to tell Leng Zhiwen to head home.

Well, truth be told, Huang He hadn't expected that he would chat from 3:00 PM all the way to 8:00 PM, a full five hours. Poor Leng Zhiwen had probably been waiting down here for the exact same five hours.

"It's nothing, this is the duty of a secretary!" Leng Zhiwen said with neither sorrow nor joy. However, when a young woman wore an expression like that, it meant she was already furious.

[PS: I've been writing at high intensity all week and it's getting a bit overwhelming. I'll take a two-day break tomorrow and the day after, so there won't be any bonus chapters—just maintaining the normal schedule of two chapters a day. Starting August 1st, I will make up for the previously promised bonus chapters!]

Zibi Literature