Reborn in 1977

Chapter 590: Out of Stock

While Chen Fan was assembling the computer, Xiao Peng watched from the side, afraid to make a sound, lest she disturb him.

Once it was assembled and he plugged in a strange-looking plug into the power strip, and pressed a button, the machine roared to life. Only then did she widen her eyes and say, "Isn't this a television? Why do you call it a typewriter?"

The screen flickered, bigger than many televisions.

Chen Fan met her puzzled gaze and smiled at her. "This isn't a television, and it can't be used as one. The image display is different, not suitable for viewing."

Then he pulled out a chair, sat down, rubbed his hands, and entered a string of commands.

Thank heavens, if he hadn't learned computer language in a computer course during his university elective, and curiously fiddled with this antique machine a few times, he'd probably just be staring blankly at the screen now, waiting for Zhou Yali to send him a few introductory computer books.

Computers these days don't have a graphical user interface. When you turn it on, only the BASIC programming language interpreter built into the ROM is available, and that's the most advanced product. Moreover, there are no such teaching materials available in the mainland for the time being, and there's nowhere to find books to learn from.

It's the same as many students who took the college entrance examination last year.

While recalling, Chen Fan slowly operated according to the instructions, and finally figured out the functions of this computer.

(1 Product Manual, 113 pages in total)

Thanks to Big Sister Zhou for sending the expansion card, he can finally use the computer to write.

Then, under Xiao Peng's unblinking gaze, Chen Fan sat in the chair, his ten fingers flying across the keyboard, creating countless afterimages, while lines of English letters appeared on the screen with a 'cha cha cha' sound.

The speed was almost as fast as talking.

Xiao Peng's eyes widened more and more until they felt dry, and she rubbed them vigorously.

When she opened her eyes again, the screen was already filled with a stream of text.

What is this stuff he's writing?

If you want to ask, just ask.

Xiao Peng looked curiously at the screen, then at Chen Fan, "Director Chen, are you writing in English?"

Chen Fan turned his head and glanced at her, his fingers not pausing at all, and smiled, "Yes, it's English. I'm mainly testing the computer's performance to see how fast it responds."

"Computer?"

Xiao Peng's attention quickly shifted, "What's a computer? Didn't you say this was a typewriter?"

Chen Fan didn't explain in detail, mainly because it wasn't necessary, so he chuckled and said, "A computer is actually the meaning of electronic computer. It's right to say it's a typewriter, because this computer is mainly used for typing, and it can also process some forms and documents to help with office work.

But the difference is that a typewriter needs paper and is not convenient to modify. The computer first stores the text in the computer in the form of electronic information, and can be read directly through the monitor, oh, it's this thing that looks like a television.

If there are any errors, you can also directly modify and save them on it, and then through an external printer…"

Chen Fan suddenly paused, quickly got up and walked to the box, rummaging through it vigorously.

Until he dug through the bottom of the box, he murmured at the large hole, "Where's the printer? What's the point of having this without a printer?"

Xiao Peng saw his expression and asked cautiously, "Director Chen, what's wrong?"

Chen Fan's shoulders slumped, and he weakly took the cardboard box off and threw it aside, saying with a wooden face, "I need to make a phone call."

Xiao Peng blinked lightly, silently raised her hand, and pointed to the table, "The phone is on your desk."

Chen Fan turned around and walked out, "I need to make an overseas call."

Xiao Peng quickly followed, and also closed the door, "Then you have to go to the communications room."

In order to prevent some people from using the phone for too long, the phone in the room can only make internal calls. If you want to make local calls, you can only go to the communications room, let alone international long distance.

In the communications room, Chen Fan lay on the table, the microphone to his ear, quietly waiting for the connection.

In China, it is common knowledge that it is difficult to make phone calls, and it is ten times more difficult to make long-distance calls. As for international long-distance?

Just wait.

Chen Fan slept on the table, and the phone finally connected.

With the microphone pressed against his face, Zhou Yali's voice came from the receiver, "Hello?"

Chen Fan immediately sat up straight, "Hello, it's me."

Zhou Yali hesitated obviously, "Little brother?"

Chen Fan coughed dryly, "Can't you recognize my voice?"

"Haha."

Zhou Yali immediately became excited, "It's really you, ah, I haven't seen you for a few days, do you miss me? I told you to come here with us at that time, but you weren't willing. How about it, do you want me to book a plane ticket for you now?

Hey, do you have enough money? If not, I'll send you some travel expenses. I asked, it will arrive in a week by wire transfer."

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes, and a few black lines appeared on his forehead, "No need, no need, I'm not going to go over there. Well, the computer you sent has been received."

"Ah? You're not coming?"

Zhou Yali's interest suddenly disappeared, she lay back, turned over on the sofa, looking listless, but still reluctantly raised her voice and said, "It's good that you received it, is there any problem? Can you assemble it?"

Chen Fan couldn't help but find it a little funny when he heard her mood change so quickly, "Didn't Auntie say that she would allow you to come over when you finish your studies? You just need to work hard and study well."

Then he coughed dryly, "The computer is assembled and I tried it out, it can be used normally. But there's no printer, and there's no floppy disk either."

Zhou Yali pouted, "So that's why you're calling."

She turned over and sat up, explaining seriously, "The printer was out of stock, so I didn't send it to you this time. The old printers were too blurry and not very easy to use, and dot matrix printers are only suitable for printing receipts, so they're not very good.

If there were no better printers, it would be fine, but last year Siemens launched an inkjet printer. This printer is much better than the old electronic computer printers. The handwriting is clear and neat, and the paper surface is very clean. As soon as it was launched on the market, the demand exceeded the supply.

I wanted to buy you this new type of printer with better results, but I have to wait about half a month."

She shrugged, "This is still because my family has connections, and the distributor is willing to give us face, otherwise, you may not be able to wait for a month."

Speaking of this, the disappointment just now had disappeared without a trace, and a smile reappeared on her face, "Little brother, half a month is all, it will be here soon. Don't worry, as soon as I receive the goods, I will send them to you immediately."

Chen Fan suddenly nodded, "So that's how it is."

He really didn't know this.

It's good to know something about computers, who would care about when the printer was invented?

In fact, when we talk about it, the emergence of printers is still related to the competition between the two superpowers.

After World War II, the confrontation between the two countries gradually intensified, leading to a global arms race and arms expansion. The demand for equipment that can output computer-processed information is also increasing.

It was in this context that 1ington Rand Corporation developed a truly meaningful electronic computer printer for the UNIVAC computer system.

Then, in the late 1960s, Japan's OKI Corporation invented the world's first dot matrix printer.

Although this printer was not convenient for document printing, it was well-suited to the specific needs of bill printing.

Then, in 1969, Gary Starkweather at Xerox's PARC research department innovated a way to project laser beams directly onto the photosensitive drum for drawing, thus ushering in the era of laser printing.

However, this thing was too large and more suitable for graphics printing, which would not be very suitable for Chen Fan.

It wasn't until 1977 that Siemens introduced the PT-80 printer with Drop on Demand (DoD) technology, the world's first commercially viable inkjet printer.

This was just right as a document printer.

So, if Chen Fan had recognized his relatives two years earlier, the Zhou family would probably have had to find a way to send him a laser printer.

Oh, he hadn't arrived two years ago, so never mind.

Having figured out the problem, Chen Fan breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Next time there's an accident, can you put a letter in the box to explain it?"

Zhou Yali said matter-of-factly, "I wrote one! I was just about to ask you, the floppy disk is in the box too. Didn't you see it?"

Chen Fan pondered for two seconds, "Which box did you put it in?"

Zhou Yali fell silent, and after several seconds, she stammered, "Aren't the three boxes all the same?"

Chen Fan couldn't help but look up, speechless, at the ceiling, "If they were all the same, why would I have asked you to send them to two addresses?"

Zhou Yali's eyes darted around, "Uh... Hello? Hello? Strange, why is there no sound suddenly? Can you hear me, little brother?"

Chen Fan really couldn't help but roll his eyes, "Say hello to my aunt and uncle for me."

Then, with a snap, he hung up the phone.

Let her 'hello' by herself.

Scratching his head, he picked up the phone again... then put it down again.

That scatterbrain made him so angry that he forgot that today is Saturday, and Lili is still in class and won't be able to answer the phone until evening.

Then he'll call again in the evening.

Coming out of the communications room, Chen Fan glanced around and saw Xiao Peng poking her head out and looking this way.

Seeing Chen Fan, she immediately ran out from behind the counter, "Director Chen, how is it? Can the computer be repaired?"

Chen Fan's mouth twitched slightly. When did I say the computer was broken?

Then he smiled slightly, "It's okay, it's just a small problem."

Xiao Peng breathed a long sigh of relief, "That's good, that's good."

She patted her chest and said with lingering fear, "Just now I met Professor Huang from Jiangnan University and asked him what a computer is. He said it is a very valuable thing and very helpful for scientific research. It is a device that the country needs very much now."

"I thought your computer was broken and was worried for a long time. If it were really broken, it would be a very big loss."

It must be said that the public servants of this era, although they eat and drink from the unit, really take the unit as their home. Small problems may not be taken care of, but when encountering big events, almost everyone is concerned.

Chen Fan chuckled and was about to speak, then his expression changed slightly, and he looked at her and asked, "Professor Huang from Jiangda? What is his major?"

Xiao Peng shook her head, "I don't know, I didn't ask. He is a member of the Municipal Writers Association. When the Municipal Writers Association doesn't have a venue, they occasionally come here to arrange some meetings. That's how I know him."

After a pause, she added, "Just now he also said that he was in a hurry to get back to school and would come over later. He also wanted to see your computer and asked me if it was convenient for you."

After speaking, she tilted her head and looked at Chen Fan, and found that his face seemed not very good, and she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy, "Director Chen, did I say something wrong?"

Although both the municipal and provincial writers associations have some connection with the Cultural Palace Guesthouse, obviously the Provincial Writers Association is closer. Not to mention that Chen Fan is still a deputy director.

If Director Chen is offended because of this Professor Huang, then it will be terrible.

Chen Fan came back to his senses, waved his hand at her, and said with a smile, "It's okay, I was thinking about other things."

After speaking, he thought for a while, and then gestured, "If Professor Huang comes over later, just take them directly to my place."

Xiao Peng's eyes turned slightly, "Really okay?"

Chen Fan laughed, "Really okay."

Then he put his hands behind his back, bent slightly, and smiled at her, "What, do you want to treat me to a meal to make amends so much?"

Xiao Peng breathed a long sigh of relief and patted her chest, "You scared me to death, I thought I had delayed your business."

Saying that, she raised her head and chuckled, "It's no problem to treat you to a meal, what do you want to eat? I know that the chef at a state-owned restaurant on Jianshe Avenue in front is very good, how about going there?"

Chen Fan laughed, "Let's forget it, you only have so little salary a month, if I eat half of it at once, I'm afraid you'll go home and hide in the quilt and wipe your tears."

After speaking, he waved his hand and left, "I'm going back to my room, you can just bring them over later."

Looking at Chen Fan's back, Xiao Peng sighed faintly, as expected, there was still no chance.

Why is he so able to guard his body like jade?

He doesn't give any chance at all.

...

Chen Fan returned to the room, thought for a while, deleted all the things he had just written, disassembled the computer, put it back in the box and packed it.

If he guessed correctly, many people will come to visit this computer later.

There's no way, who made the country lack everything?

Jiangnan University has a computer major, and it was established as early as 1958, and it is one of the earliest schools in China to establish a computer major.

It is almost at the same time as Tsinghua University and the University of Science and Technology of China, only a little later than Harbin Institute of Technology.

Moreover, if he remembers correctly, Jiangda will establish a Department of Computer Science this year.

That is to say, right now is the time to prepare for the establishment of the Department of Computer Science.

The first officially imported microcomputer in my country was the IBM-5150 launched in 1, which is still three or four years away.

Then, how attractive a current world's most advanced microcomputer is to the computer teachers and students of Jiangda is completely conceivable.

Once this machine enters the country, it is impossible not to attract the attention of relevant people.

The reason why Chen Fan asked Zhou Yali to send him three computers was to prepare for this time.

However, preparation is preparation, except for the one that he must keep for himself, it is up to him who can take away the remaining two.