Reborn in 1977

Chapter 583: Airport Encounter

June 5th, Hongqiao Airport.

Inside the waiting hall, Zhou Yali tightly clutched Chen Fan's arm, tears welling up in her eyes, "Little brother, I can't bear to part with you."

Jiang Lili and Jiang Tiantian watched her from the side, their expressions somewhat strange.

Even if they were cousins, wasn't this a bit too intimate? Or was this just the way things were in America?

Chen Fan coaxed her like a child, "Separation is for reunion, look, summer vacation is coming soon, when summer vacation starts..."

Then he saw Zhou Yali's eyes suddenly light up, "Oh right, America is different from China, our summer vacation starts at the end of May or beginning of June. School's already out for summer, I don't have to go back, and classes don't start until the beginning of September. I have three months."

She immediately turned to look at Zhao Wanru, "Mommy, can I not go back?"

Zhao Wanru smiled slightly, "No."

After a pause, she added, "Although school is out for summer vacation, you still have a lot of homework to catch up on, or else you know the consequences."

Zhou Yali's face instantly fell, "Okay then."

Zhao Wanru smiled again, "If you can catch up on all your homework and successfully pass your social practice course, and Mommy is satisfied, I promise you, before the fall semester starts, you can still come over and play with Xiao Fan."

Before coming over, she was worried that the conditions here would be too harsh and her daughter wouldn't adapt.

But when she arrived, good heavens, her nephew's life was simply too carefree. He had a car to go out, meat to eat, and villas everywhere. It was completely different from the propaganda in some newspapers.

Especially the public security in China, which put her at ease.

In all these days, she hadn't seen or heard of any security incidents. Although many militiamen had guns, they were used to resist invaders, which was completely different from the freedom of guns in America.

She wasn't worried at all about her daughter coming to find Xiao Fan alone.

Hearing her mother's promise, Zhou Yali was immediately revived with full health, raising her fist confidently, "No problem!"

Chen Fan clicked his tongue, silently sighing, 'So rich, truly.'

The fixed route from Beijing to Tokyo currently only flies twice a week. Converting the ticket price to foreign exchange, a business class ticket costs 87,350 yen, and an economy class ticket costs 62,400 yen.

Then flying from Tokyo to the United States, the ticket price is about $3,000. A round trip is nearly 6,000 RMB. An ordinary worker in China would have to save for 15 or 16 years without eating or drinking. Rich people can fly whenever they want, it's truly enviable.

Oh, I also have money? Then never mind.

Chen Fan turned around and saw Zhou Zhengdong still writing and drawing in his notebook, and couldn't help but say, "The Chinese character system is actually not complicated. The most important thing right now is to solve two problems, one is display, and the other is retrieval.

I've already provided the idea for retrieval, using Pinyin input. So now, the most important thing is that after you go back, you need to find suitable researchers to solve the problem of how to display Chinese characters."

A Chinese typewriter is one thing, a Chinese computer is another. In addition to the most critical Chinese character retrieval, a computer has a monitor, which a typewriter doesn't.

In the earliest computers, text display used a character set. Each character was displayed using a 9 * 14 pixel dot matrix. These pixel dot matrices appeared in a 4KB monochrome graphics card, with fixed color and size.

Then, plugging a 16KB color graphics card into the computer allowed the color and size of these characters to be changed. In this way, the originally uniform Latin letters could be transformed to form different words, achieving English display.

The glyphs of Chinese characters are different from each other. There are thousands of commonly used characters alone, but there is no way to freely combine them like English, otherwise the result may not be a normal character.

This determines that the Chinese character storage capacity is hundreds of times that of the character set, and requires larger video memory and RAM.

Moreover, if Chinese characters are to be displayed, the original pixel dot matrix is definitely not enough. At least a 16 * 16 pixel dot matrix is needed to meet the needs of simple Chinese characters, and complex Chinese characters require even larger dot matrices.

This is just the display problem.

As for input, how to retrieve the required Chinese characters from the character library as quickly and accurately as possible is a problem that has persisted for decades.

Zhou Zhengdong closed his notebook and frowned, "In 1919, Shu Zhendong, an engineer at the Commercial Press, conducted research and innovation based on the foundations of his predecessors and invented the first Chinese typewriter with practical significance. However, due to insufficient efficiency and high cost, it could only be shelved.

In 1947, Lin Yutang announced the invention of the Chinese typewriter and named it the 'Mingkuai Typewriter'. It used the method of combining character roots, and only required pressing 3 keys at the fastest to type a character. However, this typewriter, which cost Lin Yutang thirty years of effort and $120,000 in funding, could only be sold to the Mergenthaler Linotype Company for a low price of $20,000.

The Mergenthaler Linotype Company, because the structure of this machine was too complex and precise, the cost was too high, and it was prone to failure during use, determined that there was no market, and after buying it back and doing some research, they threw it aside. Obviously, this typewriter was not mature.

Later, Dwight D. Eisenhower issued a statement saying that he would release a Chinese typewriter to all Chinese people. Unfortunately, after saying that, there was no follow-up.

In addition, IBM also invented a Chinese typewriter. This machine included 5,000 Chinese characters, and the keyboard was four rows of 0-9 number keys. It was necessary to press 4 number codes at the same time to call up the corresponding text, but memorizing these text codes was a huge project. Although some geniuses could memorize such a huge number, it could not be popularized."

(IBM Electric Chinese Typewriter, 'Dianhua' means Electric Chinese)

He turned to look at Chen Fan, his face full of incomprehension, "After more than half a century, so many talents and so much capital have been invested with countless efforts, but the Chinese character input problem has not been completely solved. Is it really as simple as you said?"

Chen Fan smiled and said, "This is not a question of simplicity, but a different way of thinking.

Previous researchers of Chinese character input methods have invariably used character roots and glyphs for retrieval, but Chinese characters are ever-changing and have essential differences from Western keyboards. In this way, even if a machine as close to practical use as the 'Mingkuai Typewriter' can be invented, few people are willing to continue to improve and promote it.

And my current idea is to use the already very mature 'Pinyin' to retrieve Chinese characters. Pinyin letters are exactly the same as English letters, which means that they can be directly grafted onto the gradually maturing microcomputers, without the need to invest huge sums of money in research and development like starting from scratch.

Another thing is that the scalability of microcomputers provides feasibility for this grafting.

Therefore, as long as the problem of how to display Chinese characters on the screen can be solved, and a 'Chinese character expansion card' is developed, it will be possible to type Chinese characters on the computer."

After saying that, he spread his hands, "But I can only provide ideas. How to solve it specifically still requires you to go back to the United States and find someone to study it."

Yesterday, he heard that the Apple II could expand its memory and had 8 expansion slots. At that time, he thought of something: the Chinese character card!

The emergence of the Chinese character card mainly stemmed from two points. One was that early computers did not have fool-proof operating systems, and the built-in programs were only in English. It was almost impossible for Chinese people to process documents through microcomputers, but there was a real demand for this. What to do?

Then make it yourself.

Concentrate the Chinese character system on an expansion card, and then connect it to the computer, you can use Chinese characters to process documents.

And this expansion card mode has another advantage, that is, to minimize the occupation of the computer's own memory space, without affecting the computer's performance and efficiency.

After the emergence of Chinese character cards, they almost became standard equipment for computers in China. If someone bought a computer and didn't equip it with a Chinese character card, it would be like buying a pot but not buying a spatula, and could only stare at the computer in a daze.

It was not until the mid-1990s that the performance of 486 microcomputers "soared", coupled with the Windows 3.2 operating system, that it could well support Chinese character processing, completely eliminating the need for Chinese character card assistance, and without additional costs. Only then did the Chinese character card withdraw from the stage of history and become a part of the old memory.

If Chen Fan hadn't heard his teacher talk about this thing in college, a post-95s like him would have nothing to do with Chinese character cards, let alone give ideas and let Zhou Zhengdong find someone to study it after returning to the United States.

Now, naturally, it is taking the idea and running with it, just to see if his uncle is up to the task.

Zhou Zhengdong was still a little unsure. Although the English alphabet and Pinyin letters are the same, Pinyin does not represent English. If you want to use the Pinyin input method, you still have to relearn Pinyin.

However, after all, this was the first and only thing his nephew asked him to do, so he readily agreed.

At the same time, he was also clear in his heart that if his nephew's idea was correct and he really developed a Chinese character card, then his nephew might become a billionaire with just this one thing.

In addition to the mainland, including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the number of overseas Chinese is as high as 40 to 50 million. Even if only one-tenth of the people need this thing, what a high value would that be?!

Several hundred million US dollars?

Moreover, this kind of electronic product is a consumable. If it breaks, it has to be replaced. The banknotes are endless, it is a hen that lays golden eggs.

Oh, yes, my nephew also has an idea for a Western fantasy novel, which is another golden hen.

Tsk tsk, this is going to run a chicken farm!

And Chen Fan has great confidence in the Pinyin input method.

How was the Wubi input method eliminated in later generations? It is because Wubi has to memorize the radicals, and as long as people who have learned Pinyin can use the Pinyin input method with a keyboard.

Besides, is it difficult to learn Pinyin? Elementary school students who are a few years old can learn it in a few days. How long does an adult need?

If you spend a day or two learning a set of Pinyin, you can use simple and convenient Chinese computer software. What else do you need to consider?

Zhou Zhengdong finally wrote it down in his notebook and said, "Since it is a Pinyin input method, it must need someone who understands Pinyin. I'll see if I can find one in the United States. If not, I can only study the Xinhua Dictionary.

Also, traditional Chinese characters are used overseas, and simplified Chinese characters are used in the mainland. At that time, two character libraries will have to be created."

Chen Fan nodded and reminded him, "The Xinhua Dictionary I gave you is still in the first simplified characters. The second simplified characters are currently used in China. The second simplified characters are not yet mature, so you don't need to consider them when making the character library. Just use the first simplified characters directly."

Zhou Zhengdong nodded and closed the notebook, "I remember."

Time passed unconsciously, and soon it was time to board the plane.

Chen Fan waved goodbye to Zhou Zhengdong and Zhao Wanru.

When it came to Zhou Yali, this girl hugged him tightly again with tears in her eyes, "Brother, I can't bear to part with you."

Chen Fan's old face darkened, "Hey, I said, if you continue to hug me, the security guard will come and take us away."

This is not the United States. How can men and women hug in public?

Zhou Yali wrinkled her nose and snorted softly, "Hate."

However, she finally let go, and then trotted to the two sisters and gave them each a hug.

Only then did she hold the little cage of the gyrfalcon in one hand, pouting her mouth and waving goodbye to him and the Jiang sisters. (I checked the information before, and there was a photo of an American girl in the 1970s holding a pet dog on the plane. I forgot to save it at the time, and now I can't find it. So at that time, you should be able to carry pets on the plane and enter the cabin.)

It wasn't until their figures disappeared at the boarding gate that Chen Fan exhaled a long breath, turned around and spread his hands to the two sisters, "Finally sent them away."

Jiang Lili chuckled and said softly, "If my cousin hears this, she will have to make trouble for you again."

Jiang Tiantian also nodded aside.

They haven't had a good time these past two days either. Zhou Yali likes to be clingy too much, not only to Chen Fan, but also to the two of them.

Zhou Yali's personality is that she is polite and keeps a social distance in front of outsiders, but she is very close to the people she likes in private. They, who had never been in contact with overseas Chinese, were really a little uncomfortable.

Chen Fan shrugged helplessly, "That's why I'm afraid."

Then he waved his hand, "Go home."

The two sisters smiled at each other and followed him hand in hand.

After leaving the waiting hall and standing at the door, Chen Fan looked around and prepared to go to the parking lot to find the side tricycle he had ridden over.

At this time, a voice came from not far behind, "Teacher Chen?"

Chen Fan looked back and was immediately surprised, "Lao Gao?"

Jiang Lili stood behind him, and couldn't help but open her mouth slightly. How could Lao Gao be here?

Jiang Tiantian looked at the person who was running over quickly and asked in a low voice, "Who is this?"

Looking at his appearance, he is clearly an old farmer, but he is wearing a well-fitting shirt, suit pants, and leather shoes, and he is also wearing a big gold watch on his wrist. How does he look like a nouveau riche?

(There is a record in the 53rd chapter of "The Scholars" that "It is also those nouveau riche families. If it were my family, how dare they be so bold!", so nouveau riche was a word that existed in the Qing Dynasty, not created later)

Jiang Lili shook her hand and said softly, "He is a member of the 9th team of Lujiawan."

Jiang Tiantian tilted her head, "Huh?"

Jiang Lili lowered her voice again, "He is the orphan of the Little Japan. Last time I heard Xiaofan said that in April, his uncle from Little Japan came to him and took him to Little Japan. I didn't expect him to come back again."

Jiang Tiantian suddenly understood. So that's how it is, that makes sense.

When Lao Gao walked up to him, Chen Fan's first sentence was, "Why are you dressed like this?"

Lao Gao awkwardly tugged at his shirt and said with embarrassment, lowering his head, "I didn't want to dress like this, but my aunt insisted that I dress like this, so I wore it."

Chen Fan chuckled dryly, then looked at Lao Gao's wife who was following closely behind, raised his hand to say hello, and then looked to the side, "Where's Xiao Gao?"