LaurieWired
@lauriewired
China’s leap in computer science stemmed from a Soviet disagreement. Soviet computer tech exchanged between the two countries, until tensions between Mao and Khrushchev abruptly ended the swap. Suddenly isolated, China was forced to create their own computer, the Model 107.
For CS researchers, this was brutal. 1000+ Soviet experts were ordered to leave the country within the month. Their tech was the backbone of China’s early machines. Self-reliance was the new game, yet they were intellectually isolated from the rest of the world.
Three researchers were tasked with creating a home-grown computer at the Chinese Academy of Science. Two dropped out. Xia Peisu, a female researcher, didn’t flinch. The last person standing, she either had to finish to project, or doom the country to technical stagnation.
The model 107 was the result. Janky, and only capable of about ~10K ops, but the precedent had been set. China advance in the field of computing alone. Xia Peisu spent the rest of her life pushing the field. Her students, even dedicated CPUs to her honor (Xia 50).
