industrial overlord

Chapter 57 American Apple
After dinner, Lin Zhenhua rode his bicycle to the county seat. When he came back, there were two large cardboard boxes on the car.

Spring in the south is cold and rainy. When it gets dark, there are no people on the road. Lin Zhenhua chooses this time to go shopping to avoid everyone's attention.In order to further deceive people, he deliberately wrapped another layer of newspaper on the box so that people could not see the original English logo on the carton.In this way, even if he encounters someone who asks the last sentence occasionally, he can just say hello and fool around.

Lin Zhenhua rode his bicycle, instead of going home, he came directly to Hu Yang's house.He put the car by the door and knocked lightly on the door.

"Who is it?" A woman's voice came from inside the room.

"Ms. Hu, I'm Xiaolin." Lin Zhenhua replied, and he recognized Hu Yang's wife, Qin Ying, who was a statistician in the container workshop.In the factory, everyone sometimes calls the hostess of a dual-career family Master and sometimes Master, so it is okay to call Qin Ying Master Qin or Master Hu.If it is a single-employee family, then the family members can only be called teachers' mothers, and the real surnames of many workers' family members are not known at all.

Qin Ying came over and opened the door, she looked behind Lin Zhenhua, and asked a little strangely: "Xiao Lin, why are you alone?"

"Is it just me?" Lin Zhenhua was a little curious, did he say who he would bring with him?
"Is Lao Hu not with you?"

"What, Master Hu hasn't come back yet?" Lin Zhenhua was stunned.

At this moment, Hu Yang's voice came from behind: "Sorry, sorry, I was fascinated by reading and forgot to go home."

"What book are you reading?" Qin Ying asked in a slightly complaining tone, "You haven't eaten any food, and you don't feel hungry?"

"Not hungry, not hungry, not hungry at all." Hu Yang was full of joy, he waved an original English book in his hand, and said to Qin Ying: "Xiaoying, look, this is what Xiaolin lent me. The Principles of High-Speed ​​Cutting" is really great. Xiaoying, do you remember..."

"Old Hu, we have guests." Qin Ying interrupted Hu Yang calmly, pointed to Lin Zhenhua and said, "Xiao Lin has something to ask for you."

Hu Yang quickly turned his head and smiled at Lin Zhenhua: "Xiao Lin, I'm sorry, I just remembered that you said that you would come to my house at night, so you hurried back. Qin Ying knows that I like to read books. When I read the book, I forget everything."

Lin Zhenhua smiled slightly. He can now be sure that there must be some stories about Hu Yang. As for what this story is, there will be an answer in the future.From the conversation between Hu Yang and Qin Ying, he can also judge that Qin Ying must also be a character in this story.He couldn't help but glance at Qin Ying, and found that this ordinary-looking middle-aged female worker had a different look in her eyes, which was the kind of wise look that only well-educated intellectual women had.

"Xiao Lin, what do you want from me?" Hu Yang asked, he saw two big cardboard boxes tied to Lin Zhenhua's bicycle, "By the way, you said you were going to give me a gift, is this the box?"

"That's right." Lin Zhenhua said with a smile, "Old Hu, help me, let's carry the box in."

Hu Yang didn't know what Lin Zhenhua meant, but he knew that Lin Zhenhua would definitely not be that kind of vulgar gift-giver. What's more, he was just a wood modeler, and Lin Zhenhua had nothing to bribe him.He went forward and helped Lin Zhenhua untie the rope binding the box, and then carried the box into the house together with Lin Zhenhua.Qin Ying was on the sidelines to help them take care of them, in case the box knocked against the door accidentally.

"What is it? It's dead heavy." Hu Yang put down the box and asked.

Lin Zhenhua asked Qin Ying to close the door, and then said, "Actually, it's nothing, just a box of American apples."

"American apples?" Hu Yang was a little disappointed. He waved his hands and said, "Xiao Lin, you can keep them for yourself, or you can give some to the factory leaders. My family doesn't need them."

Lin Zhenhua smiled without saying a word. He tore open the newspaper wrapped on the box, borrowed scissors from Qin Ying, cut off the packing tape on the box, and then took out a two-foot-long, one-foot-wide, half A heavy flat plastic box over a foot tall.He put the box on the dining table of Hu Yang's house, then turned around and took out a TV-like object with a screen from another box, and put it on top of the flat box.

"Is this an apple?" Qin Ying asked in surprise.

Hu Yang's lips trembled slightly, with tears in his eyes, he said softly: "This is indeed an American Apple, APPLE-II personal computer."

"Old Hu knows what to do." Lin Zhenhua gave Hu Yang a thumbs up.

With the help of Hu Yang, Lin Zhenhua plugged in the power cord of the Apple computer.Apple computers use American standard plugs, which do not match the power sockets used in China. However, Lin Zhenhua couldn't help it. He directly used a vise to unscrew the grounding end of the American standard plug, and the remaining two-pin plug was It just fits into the socket on the wall of Populus euphratica's house.

Hu Yang watched Lin Zhenhua use the vise to deal with this expensive equipment at that time, and couldn't help but tremble with fear.Lin Zhenhua didn't care about it. In the era when computers were popularized in later generations, enthusiasts used computers much better than this.Lin Zhenhua knows the truth: computers are more difficult than football.

Everything was tidied up, under the nervous gaze of Hu Yang and Qin Ying, Lin Zhenhua turned on the power of the Macintosh, the dark green screen lit up, and a cursor flashed rhythmically on the screen.

"I haven't used it before, Xiao Lin, will you?" Hu Yang said beside him.

Lin Zhenhua nodded. He sat at the table, tapped the keyboard, and entered three lines of commands into the computer:
10_PRINT_25*25
20_END
RUN
An answer immediately appeared on the screen: 625.

Hu Yang nodded, indicating that he understood. He knew the word PRINT. As for the asterisk, it should mean multiplication.

"A complicated one." Lin Zhenhua said, and then he typed the order:

NEW
10_FOR_A=1_TO_9
20_FOR_B=1_TO_9
30_PRINT_TAB(B*3－2);A*B
40_NEXT_B
50_PRINT
60_NEXT_A
70_END
RUN
A neat matrix of numbers was immediately listed on the screen, and both Hu Yang and Qin Ying could see that it was a nine-to-nine multiplication table.

"It's amazing." Qin Ying exclaimed in a low voice.

Hu Yang nodded: "Indeed, hearing is believing, seeing is believing. I just read in newspapers that the Americans have introduced personal computers, but I never thought they could design the programming language so simple, which is equivalent to Anyone can design a program. Kobayashi, this is the BASIC language, right?"

"That's right." Lin Zhenhua stood up, took out a thick manual from the box, and said to Hu Yang: "Old Hu, there is a manual here for the grammar of the BASIC language. I understand. I originally planned to translate it for you and then give it to you, but now it seems that I have saved trouble."

"You mean, this computer is on my side?" Hu Yang asked in an unbelievable tone.

"That's right." Lin Zhenhua said, of course he knew how much shock this move would bring to Hu Yang, but he had to put on a nonchalant look on his face, "Old Hu, since the last time you used the abacus to finish the limited After the meta-analysis, I have been thinking about getting you a computer. This computer is only for you in the whole factory."

"Xiao Lin, where did you get it? According to what I read in the newspaper, an Apple computer in the US market costs more than 1000 dollars." Hu Yang said.

"This one is a little more expensive, about $2600. It has 48K memory and can support FORTRAN_77. If you want to do math calculations, BASIC can't play at all, it's too slow."

"2600 US dollars?" Hu Yang stuck out his long tongue, "According to the black market price, it is equivalent to more than 2 RMB. Xiao Lin, where did you get so much money?"

Lin Zhenhua briefly told Hu Yang about Ford's matter. Since Hu Yang was an expert, Lin Zhenhua did not hide too much, and directly said that he had discovered the defects in American machine tools and gave them suggestions for improvement.Regarding the Z80 language, Lin Zhenhua did not disclose it. He only said that he reasoned from the internal logic and proposed several possibilities. After checking, the American engineer finally found that his reasoning was correct, so he agreed to give him paid off.

Lin Zhenhua did not disclose the truth of the whole matter to others, but to Hu Yang, he was the one who talked the most.He believes that Hu Yang is not the kind of person who will reveal secrets. In fact, Hu Yang has many secrets in himself.

"This gift is too expensive, I really can't accept it. You'd better keep it for yourself." Hu Yang said insincerely while stroking the Apple computer.

"Old Hu, I have one myself, and this one is just for you." Lin Zhenhua said, "Old Hu, I don't know who you are, but I do know one thing. One day, your talent will shine again. Don't you want to prepare some knowledge reserves in advance for the day when you are in your prime?"

Hu Yang shook his head: "What kind of dragon am I? I'm just a tree in the desert, and I'll never see water." When talking about water, Hu Yang slightly turned his face away, unwilling to let Lin Zhenhua see his eyes tears in the eyes.

Lin Zhenhua said: "Old Hu, I know that Populus euphratica is the most backbone tree in the desert. In the desert without rain, Populus euphratica can survive for 1000 years, survive 1000 years after death, and remain immortal for 1000 years after falling. Hu, you Believe it, there will always be a day when the clouds clear and the fog clears."

Hu Yang held Lin Zhenhua's hand and said: "Xiao Lin, a friend in need is a friend. Although you are my junior in age, having a friend like you is the greatest blessing in my life. I don't need to say anything. Computer, I kept it, don't worry, I won't let it down."

Seeing her husband nodding, Qin Ying hurriedly stepped forward to make arrangements: "Xiao Lin, we have accepted this computer, but where should it be placed? I remember that the computer room should be dust-proof and anti-static, but you see The environment of our home..."

Lin Zhenhua secretly laughed in his heart, this Mrs. Hu is really not an ordinary person, she can say such professional words as dust and anti-static, and what she said is "I remember", not "I heard". Poor, the revealed information...

"Sister Qin, don't worry. Personal computers are different from those large and medium-sized computers. Americans have already considered the family environment when they produce them. In fact, they don't need any special care. Usually take a cloth Just cover it and don’t let too much dust fall on the motherboard. Because our south is relatively humid, if there is too much dust and the humidity returns again, there may be a short circuit. However, this situation is also very rare.”

"Okay, okay, no problem, I'll tear a piece of cloth to make a cover tomorrow." Qin Ying said kindly.

Hu Yang rummaged through the box containing the computer, took out a small colorful box from it, and asked strangely: "Xiao Lin, what is this?"

Lin Zhenhua said: "This is American chocolate, something that can be eaten, give it to Qin Bo and Qin Tao to try something new."

"Hehe, Xiao Lin really has a heart. Then I will thank Uncle Lin on behalf of their siblings." Qin Ying said happily.Hu's family is a dual-career family, and the economic conditions are better than single-career families. It is no problem for the two children to have enough food, but the children have never tasted such a luxury as chocolate.Seeing this beautiful box, Qin Ying could imagine how much and how long this box of chocolates would bring happiness to her children.

"Uncle Lin?" Lin Zhenhua sweated profusely, "Am I so old?" Hu Yang and his wife gave birth relatively late, but their eldest daughter Qin Bo is also 11 years old. It seems a bit exaggerated to call Lin Zhenhua uncle.

Hu Yang said with a smile: "Xiao Lin, it's you who messed up your seniority. You call Qin Ying the eldest sister, so Qin Bo and Qin Tao don't want to call you uncle? If you think you are not old, you will call Aunt Qin in the future .”

"Am I that old?" Qin Ying gave Hu Yang a blank look, and laughed haha.

(End of this chapter)