The Goddess Shines on America

The ternary computer is a computer developed on the basis of the ternary number system. Compared with the binary number system used by computers today, this type is closer to the way of thinking of the human brain, that is, it is approaching from the foundation. The field of real artificial intelligence.

Because in general, the proposition is not necessarily true or false, it may also be unknown. In ternary logic, the symbol 1 stands for truth. The symbol -1 means false and the symbol 0 means unknown. Not many years after the birth of the computer, experts have clearly realized that this logical expression is more in line with the development trend of computers in artificial intelligence. Therefore, as early as the 1950s and 1960s, starting with researchers at Moscow State University in the Soviet Union, this type of computer research and development has been vigorous for a while.

This technology provides the possibility of fuzzy calculation and autonomous learning of computers. However, due to the great development of mainstream binary computers and the lack of support from the Soviet high-level, for decades, most engineers have been stuck in research on ternary computers. In appearance or form, the only two products ended after only a few hundred units were produced.

Fortunately, the Soviet Union launched two ternary computers successively in the 1960s and 1970s. Even if the production stopped after less than a hundred units, it was enough to provide Alice with too much theoretical basis.

It was a product of history, and Alice knew exactly how much it was worth. It can be said that as early as when she was extremely bored and persuaded her parents to buy the newly listed shares of Apple, she was already thinking about the research and development of this kind of computer.

In fact, in general, the ternary computer failed to break through the von Neumann system. When the circuit accuracy reaches the nanometer level and climbs to around two nanometers step by step, the ternary computer will inevitably be the same as the binary system. , encountered the limit problem of computing power. At this point, unless Alice develops a neuron computer, or a quantum or photonic computer, there is still no solution.

But even within a limited range, that is, on the basis of equivalent basic technology, the computing power of a ternary computer is at least many times that of a binary computer, not to mention its potential for real artificial intelligence.

The principle is that scientists in the Soviet Union adopted the ternary byte "tryte" to replace the "byte" of the binary computer. Each ternary byte is composed of six ternary bits, and the unit byte is equivalent to about 9.5 data volumes in binary. At the same time, arithmetic instructions allow more operands to exist, and the result data is expanded to as many as six bytes.

That is to say, making hardware on the same process basis consumes the same amount of power and time, and a ternary computer can obtain more data faster than a binary computer. It's like two students in the same grade, a top student and a low student, obviously both do the same homework in the same school, but the former can get the correct answer much faster than the latter, and often has more solutions ...

Such a task cannot be accomplished at a small cost. When the Soviet Union was conducting research and development, the researchers stopped immediately when the upper echelons said they would stop developing it. Although Alice has a lot of inheritance now, there will be more places to spend money in the days to come, but she doesn't have the manpower and material resources to build some high-end computer laboratories. Even if she already has Microsoft and Cisco in her hands, at least she must consider the issue of confidentiality.

But if you find the world's top hackers online, it's completely different.

In this era, the development of computers and the Internet is still limited, and globalization has not yet fully unfolded, so hackers also speak from their true skills. After all, at this time, anyone who has the ability to work in the computer departments of major companies and government agencies, almost all computer students from a few world-class schools such as Stanford and MIT, are top experts. To be able to make troubles around under the stalking of these people is absolutely impossible without real skills.

This principle is very similar to the situation in the Chinese thief circle before the crackdown in the 1980s. At that time, whenever a thief was caught, he would be beaten to death. Who didn't start to... steal in the streets after years of hard study and a real graduation?

These are hard-to-buy talents. Alice can't tell when she will officially start the research on ternary computers, but she will definitely not let go. Whether it is its potential as a true artificial intelligence or its computing power surpassing any binary computer, it is enough to give her 10,000 reasons to develop it.

At the same time, since she is now in Eton, only a few dozen miles away from Oxford and Cambridge, apart from her daily studies and normal management of the company, she naturally devotes more energy to various scientific research fields.

For example, the study of a mysterious virus named "Caesar".

From September to October, it was enough for Evan Delof, the university professor who was supposed to be Alice's exclusive tutor, to get some results as her special researcher.

Ivan's faculty and staff dormitory is located on the edge of the Eton complex. In fact, the entire Eton College really occupies a large area, and the dormitory owned by each classroom is essentially an independent courtyard. There is no difference between this place and an ordinary middle-class community. The only difference is that the scenery is more beautiful and the cultural atmosphere is stronger. When you wander around the street for a few times, you can see all the students with an Eton accent and the students mainly from Oxford and Cambridge. professor tutor.

There is no teacher who can't do research in his own room, but in the past month, even Ivan himself doesn't know what kind of impact his current actions will have on the world.

"I have cultivated enough viruses, and your freezer is already full, but biological experiments cannot be started so casually."

In mid-October, one afternoon, in the exquisitely and elegantly decorated living room, Ivan said to the visiting Alice: "I can't do this kind of experiment in the staff dormitory of a middle school, if you can't prepare it for me as soon as possible Without a formal laboratory, our process can only be delayed indefinitely."

Alice nodded in agreement and said, "I agree with that. If you inject the mice with the virus and they suddenly turn into some kind of brave mice or the Guinea Pig Special Team, the earth will perish."

Talking nonsense in a serious manner, Alice sipped her tea and continued, "But in theory, as long as the relevant accessories are perfect enough, it's okay to start working in the basement of the dormitory, right?"

Ivan was noncommittal: "What do you think?"

"All measures are to prevent the virus from leaking, and more than 80% of the ways that biological experiments will cause the leak are concentrated on the escape of animals. In other words, unless the Caesar virus can really turn mice into... er, guinea pigs Secret service or something, otherwise, as long as we use a special cage and make the basement completely closed, it will be fine here, right?"

This is the way most people would think of. As his own virologist, Ivan certainly knew what kind of ivory Alice's dog could spit out. He smiled softly, shook his head and said: "First of all, in terms of biological experiments, the first thing to pay attention to is the safety protection of researchers. Cages or something, just like you said, unless this virus can turn white mice into monsters, how else? Everything is enough."

"Second, Alice..."

He looked at the girl with a half-smile: "It's a special cage, a fully enclosed basement, enough protection for researchers, and space to accommodate all related equipment. You are not a poor man, you are directly in the small town of Windsor. Just buy another house for me? There seems to be no reason for us to stick to the school apartment, right?"

Alice blushed a little, and her little trick was exposed. She curled her lips in displeasure: "I'm not short of money, but I can't spend it recklessly. The town of Windsor is adjacent to Eaton, and housing prices are not cheap at all. If you can save Why not save hundreds of thousands of dollars?"

Ivan still had a smile that was not a smile: "There are hundreds of thousands left, Alice, if I remember correctly, the movie that is being filmed near Windsor now seems to be the crew of your DreamWorks? If you are willing to spend millions of dollars to order an armored vehicle from an arms dealer, what is a house worth hundreds of thousands of dollars?"

"Stop talking, do you think I don't know what your plan is?"

Alice raised her chin, looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, and said, "You are a Soviet citizen with British nationality. If I really bought a house, wouldn't it be considered a home for you? I hired you as my house." It's normal for a researcher, but the boss personally buys a house for the employees, it seems like too much money, right?"

"Oh, that would be a pity."

Seeing that the girl's neck was almost tilted to a 60-degree angle, Ivan Deloof still had a flat expression, and said quietly: "Because I actually have plans to immigrate to the United States recently, and I will study in Eton for a few more days. After the year book, you may have to choose a position in the Ivy League immediately, or some research institutes of large companies, such as Bell Labs of Lucent Technologies... Haha!"

As Ivan expected, when he deliberately mentioned Cisco's old rival in the industry, Lucent Technology and the famous laboratory to which it belonged, Alice could no longer keep looking up at the sky at nearly seventy degrees .

"Oh damn, return to Bell Labs? Why don't you say that you will become an engineer at IBM? My dear professor of disease, virus, and science, your Excellency!?"

For the last few words, Alice gritted her teeth and said: "Also, when we were chatting a few days ago, you still refused to reveal your future plans to me. What's the matter, when it comes to buying a house, All kinds of threats!?"

The girl's angry look obviously pleased Ivan. He smiled slightly and said with great satisfaction: "Of course, even if you leave in three years, wouldn't you still be able to live for three years before leaving?"