Chapter 902: door

On the first day when he came to the "Matrix" laboratory, McGregor felt that he had fallen into the rice tank as a mouse-it was too beautiful!
This is not to say how good the working environment is and how high the salary is, but that he is facing a completely different development environment from Microsoft.
First of all, whether 8088 or 80286, can this slow CPU compare with a 32-bit MIPSCPU? Even if the 68030 CPU installed in the Macintosh is also 32-bit, its external bus is still only 16-bit? How does it compare with a 32-bit SGI host? There are also standard 2MB memory, 20MB hard disk, 1.44-inch floppy drive, optional co-processor... This fantastic host configuration, if fully utilized, its performance can surpass the IBM 80286 host 18 blocks!
Moreover, the IRIX operating system developed based on BSDUnix has a very high degree of completion. All the underlying code has been completed and has been tested for a period of time to prove its operation. This is originally a complete set of operations. The system is many times more complete than the weak MS-DOS. What McGregor has to do is to add a graphical human-computer interaction interface and some commonly used desktop gadgets.
This workload is much smaller than writing an operating system from scratch. McGregor said that with the current team of people, he can get it done in half a year without even working overtime.
Tan Zhenhua told him that he didn't need to hurry up. What he needed was a fully tested operating system, because this system will be released at the CES show in May 1985, so he has plenty of time.
However, he soon discovered that Tan Zhenhua's so-called "sufficient time" was a lie!
Because, he also received another task at the same time.
Tan Zhenhua requested that a suitable office software for this operating system must be developed before the CES show. This software will include two major components: word processing and form processing.
This is the biggest part of the workload!
Tan Zhenhua saw the embarrassment on McGregor's face. Indeed, to complete this office system in less than a year, it had to be a graphical interactive interface, which was indeed quite difficult.
However, he solved the problem with only one light words: "You can buy ready-made software source code to modify it? Software Art Company's "Weskerk" spreadsheet processing system, MicroPro's WordStar word processing system, Or any other similar system on the market, as long as it works and they are willing to sell, you can buy it and integrate it with our operating system-Mike, the first version I don’t need you to be as easy to use as Just use it. Look at your former boss, Mr. Gates, isn’t that what he did? His MS-DOS, the original source code, was also bought from Tim Patterson for $50,000. Was it slightly modified from the 86-DOS purchased?"
McGregor suddenly realized that our "Matrix" laboratory is rich and willful!
At this point, he finally understood Tan Zhenhua's plan, he was aiming at Microsoft!
So, he chose to release these two products at this time of CES, absolutely deliberately!
Because after N bounces, the "Windows 1.0" Microsoft promised to the industry and reporters will also be released at that time, and he was even more convinced of this when he asked Tan Zhenhua to name the system.
"Call it the "Information Door", Mike, we will open the door to the graphical interactive interface for our users, so I think "informationdoor" is a good name, oh, we can be more artistic, do you think we call it "IDoor" okay?" Tan Zhenhua said lightly.
If someone opens a "window", you will install a "door". This name is obviously full of provocation and gunpowder... But why do you like this name so much?
As for the set of office software that was determined to be included in the research and development plan, it was named
iOffice
for granted.
McGregor shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands and said, "Eric, you are the boss, of course you have the final say!"
The black-bellied Tan Zhenhua is not just planning to name his operating system "iDoor"? In fact, he has commissioned RoseLawFirm to register all the words beginning with "i" that he can think of. Anyway, he can't spend a few small dollars, right? So, Mr. Jobs, please think of individual names for your series of products in the future. I will take advantage of this prefix.
Of course, the products Tan Zhenhua is going to release at the next CES are not the only operating system named "iDoor". In fact, there is a long list of products on his list.
The core of course is the CPU.
MIPS has successfully developed the full 32-bit CPU of MIPSR2000 and entered the stage of small-scale tape-out production. Of course, the R&D team with more than 40 people cannot let them sit idle. After the doctor’s discussion, the next stage of MIPS work focused on two aspects. One is to increase the clock frequency of this CPU. This means that the CPU can execute more clock cycles per unit of time, which means As the computing speed of the CPU has been improved, this product with a main frequency of 30 MHz is currently named R2000-30 by Tan Zhenhua, and the next goal is to double the main frequency!
The new high-performance model will of course be named MIPSR2000-60.
The second is to perform subtraction on the basis of R-2000-30 to simplify functions, and only retain the most basic functions and interfaces to run a most basic MIPS 32-bit instruction set. The benefits of this are obvious. The area of ​​​​will be greatly reduced, power consumption will also be reduced, which will also reduce production costs, this downgraded version of the chip will be named R1000, it will be an embedded package, the use is like "Cisco router" This type of equipment that requires a simple computing core, as well as a novel product that Tan Zhenhua is planning-for this reason, he put forward very clear requirements for this CPU, this chip must have good heat dissipation performance, and its sales The price must be controlled within $50 per thousand to ensure sufficient market acceptance.
With this new chip support, "Cisco Router" will also be included in the list of CES exhibitors, and will be officially promoted to the commercial market at the exhibition instead of being limited to trials by university laboratories. It is foreseeable What's more, this network device that can communicate with computers of various architectures will surely trigger a shock and purchasing frenzy in the industry!
Of course, SGI cannot be forgotten.
The "Indigo Indigo" graphics workstation has been put on trial sale in a small area, and has won unanimous praise from users. All users agree that the biggest problem with this machine is only one-expensive, because Tan Zhenhua has developed a retail store. The price is for the standard configuration, the standard version including the coprocessor, the unit price is $19,999 each!
But even if it is so expensive, people still come to buy after hearing the news, but the current main customers are concentrated in small and medium-sized enterprise users who need scientific computing or graphics processing, because for them, the price of 20,000 US dollars is despite High, but compared to DEC’s $50,000 VAX minicomputer, it is only less than half the price, and its performance can reach or exceed 80%, which is the best cost-effective choice.
Moreover, only a slightly larger personal computer can save a lot of floor space, which brings great convenience to the deployment of this graphics workstation.
If it is not for the mass production of CPUs and coprocessors that have not been properly resolved, the sales of "Indigo Indigo" can certainly be improved.
In this case, Tan Zhenhua put forward further requirements to Dr. Jim Clark. Two brand-new computers were put on the research and development agenda. The requested product schedule was of course from May 1985 to Push backwards.
One of them was named "IndigoII" by Tan Zhenhua.
Tan Zhenhua’s goal is that the performance requirements of "Indigo II" are at least four times higher than the current "Indigo I"!
This makes Jim very embarrassed. He said that even if the MIPSR2000-60 from MIPS Lab can be officially delivered on schedule, he will not be able to increase the performance of the whole machine by 4 times, which exceeds that of the low-profile version of the VAX minicomputer. Effectiveness, but more than one CPU is installed inside VAX!
Tan Zhenhua asked him a question back: "A minicomputer can be equipped with multiple CPUs. Why can't our SGI workstation work?"