When was the Chinese character laser phototypesetting technology invented?

Let the domestic phototypesetting system go global.

-198 1 inventing laser phototypesetting technology for Chinese characters1981July, China's first computer, the laser Chinese character typesetting system prototype (Huaying optical machine), passed the ministerial appraisal under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and the State Computer Industry Bureau.

The appraisal meeting will affirm that Huaguang I machine is in the leading position in the world in Chinese character information compression technology; The output accuracy of laser imagesetter and some functions of typesetting software have reached the international advanced level. Indeed, Huaguang I system is superior to the most advanced system of Mona Company in Britain in many aspects. Technical experts from the United States, Britain, Japan and other countries who have seen negatives and sample books or visited Huaguang Machinery have highly praised them. However, in Wang Xuan's view, a scientific research achievement, no matter how many honors it receives and how high it is evaluated, is only a charming mirage as long as it does not leave the laboratory and achieve economic and social benefits. "Before the Huaguang system became a practical commodity, our achievements could only be counted as zero!" This is Wang Xuan's challenge to himself. Instead of backing down, he made a strategic decision from scratch.

In the summer of 1980, all the core parts of the software of Peking University Chinese character laser phototypesetting system were adjusted, and the performance was more perfect, which basically met the publishing conditions. Soon, the laser Chinese character editing and typesetting system successfully discharged Wu Hao's sample book-Sword.

The book is only 26 pages, with beautiful and clear fonts and simple and generous cover. From the cover to the text, it is composed of lattice. A series of processes, such as manuscript input, editing and typesetting, proofreading and modifying, and adding page numbers, are all run automatically under the control of the computer. It doesn't use a single movable type, and it doesn't go through a series of complicated procedures such as word selection, imposition, typing and lead casting, and it doesn't have toxic operations such as lead melting and lead casting. This is the first Chinese character book printed by laser phototypesetting system in the printing history of China.

When this book was delivered to Vice Premier Fang Yi, who was in charge of scientific and technological work, he could not restrain his joy and personally instructed: "This is a gratifying achievement. Printing has changed from the era of fire and lead to the era of computers and lasers. " After reading the sample book affectionately, he took Sword of Wu Hao to the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and distributed it to every member of the Politburo.

These seemingly ordinary green pamphlets sent an important message to the top leadership of China: an unknown young expert from Peking University triggered an epoch-making revolution in Chinese character printing in the capital!

Busy Deng Xiaoping didn't ignore this message. He immediately wrote down the instruction that "support should be given".

From 1980 to 10, Fang Yi came to Peking University with instructions and expressed his heartfelt thanks to Wang Xuan and all the developers.

Wang Xuan is lucky. After several years of hard work, he has achieved concrete results of Huaguang No.1, which has been fully affirmed by the party and state leaders. And what about the six companies that started before him?

Two companies in Shanghai, one dismounted and the other changed its research direction.

One of the two companies in Beijing stopped at 1979, and the imagesetter died before leaving the laboratory. Another comrade in charge of optical and precision mechanical design, after seeing the news that Guangming Daily reported a major breakthrough in the main project of Huaguang I machine with a banner title, immediately sighed and said, "Our scheme will be eliminated!" Soon, the family also died halfway.

After reading the newspaper, a second-generation computer cooperation unit in Nanjing also sent people to Beijing by plane to understand the situation, and soon stopped the development of the second-generation computer.

Wang Xuan has no idea of gloating. He knows that these scientific research backbones and technical leaders are talented experts with special skills in a certain field. Their professional level and the design of difficult mechanical movements have reached a very high level in China. However, just because we didn't choose a good plan, ten years' hard work was in vain, and millions of scientific research funds were also wasted. This is really a painful lesson that every technician should not forget!

Only Yunnan is left. Wang Xuan once made suggestions for their outdated technical scheme of simulating the third generation machine, but failed to make up his mind to change the scheme because he was riding a tiger, and did not dismount until 1982.

Wang Xuan's victory made him a news figure for a while. However, he always kept a clear head. Yes, Huaguang I system has passed the ministerial appraisal; The core technology has registered European patents, but the Huaguang system is still far from the goal! Now it's just a prototype. It uses a small-scale integrated circuit, which is a reverse magnetic core memory. These domestic components can only reach the level of the early 1970s, and there are many problems in reliability. More importantly, they are just samples, not commodities!

Just as Wang Xuan and Qi Xin, the indoor and outdoor researchers, were struggling for the commercialization of Huaguang system, there were shock waves such as going abroad, theoretical study and tutoring children, which disturbed the normal order of the research room. Wang Xuan has no ability to solve the problems of going abroad, professional title, salary adjustment, housing and children's further education. He can only see off the transferred personnel with regret and guilt. There are nine people doing hardware in the research room, and there are two left. Wang Xuan is one of them. In the early 1980s, the popular mentality was to completely separate academic research from commodity production, and to divide science and technology into two categories. "Peking University is a famous institution of higher learning in China. How can it make goods? " "Universities are engaged in scientific research and should not do specific technical work." Some friends kindly advised: "Wang Xuan, you have made a breakthrough in academics and achieved great success." Let others do the rest of the work Why are you still working so hard? " These intellectuals' ideas and deep-rooted lofty attitudes, which were branded with the planned economy era, once plagued Wang Xuan and formed great mental pressure.

Wang Xuan carefully counted the people who have made outstanding contributions to computers abroad, that is, those who have won the Turing Award, the highest honor award for computers. As a result, I was surprised to find that both of them are two in one-the person who put forward new ideas and the person who personally realized them.

From this point of view, it is not only blameless for scientists to intervene in production practice and turn their research results into commodities quickly. On the contrary, it is the only way for scientists and a good omen for the prosperity of a country and a nation.

"dry! If you don't do a commercialized Huaguang system, you will die unsatisfied! " Wang Xuan made the second strategic decision since he developed the computer laser phototypesetting system for Chinese characters. The backbone of the Peking University research group led by him is determined to go all out.

Just as Wang Xuan tried his best to stabilize the people's hearts, foreign cooperation units were also anxious. Some leaders of Weifang Computer Factory doubted the future of Huaguang system, ordered the freezing of research funds of several hundred thousand yuan, and forced the technicians who developed Huaguang system to dismount immediately. Later, the computer industry management director personally came forward to lead the work, only to survive this crisis.

Just when Wang Xuan was struggling in adversity, his most effective assistant at work and his closest partner in life got cancer! Wang Xuan was almost crushed by this bolt from the blue! He felt deeply guilty, but he was helpless. He didn't forget his sick wife, but he must work hard for the cause of Huaguang, or he will miss the historical opportunity.

Wang Xuan led all the members of the laboratory to devote themselves to the upgrading of Huaguang system day and night. He is responsible for the logic design and microprogram design of the new generation product Huaguang Ⅱ. The small-scale integrated circuits of the original system were replaced by medium-large-scale integrated circuits and microprocessors, and the development work progressed smoothly.

In the summer of 1983, Huaguang Ⅱ system was successfully developed. Immediately, the large prototype made a proof on ordinary paper! You know, at that time, the most advanced phototypesetting system abroad could only print proofs on expensive photographic paper. The certificate was not printed on plain paper until the beginning of 1984.

At the beginning of 1984, Huaguang Ⅱ system was boldly adopted by Xinhua News Agency as soon as it appeared in the exhibition. This is the first time that Huaguang system has entered the experimental state, which is not only a rare opportunity, but also a severe test. Huaguang Ⅱ system handles more than 654.38+400,000 words of press releases every day. Press releases are different from ordinary manuscripts. They are extremely timely. The mail truck comes to pick up the manuscript on time every morning without any delay. Can the Huaguang II system withstand such a severe test? Wang Xuan was both excited and nervous.

The domestic computer market, from microcomputers to large and medium-sized computers, is almost all imported. Dozens of domestic computer products are lying quietly in the warehouse and nobody cares. Foreign computer equipment is still pouring into China Customs, which is likely to destroy China's computer industry.

Some people assert that imports cannot be stopped. After the manufacturers in Shenzhen and Guangdong join hands with foreign businessmen and introduce advanced equipment, the Huaguang system will definitely die! Some people say it more specifically and more horribly: 1984 10 is the day when the uh guano system officially collapsed. Not all their assertions are nonsense. The International Printing Equipment Exhibition will be held in Beijing from June 5th to 10 this year. Advanced equipment from many countries will be exhibited in China. Many people think that by that time, the uh guano system will have no place and can only be completely disintegrated.

What is even more worrying is Wang Xuan's failure in the People's Daily expert argumentation meeting. People's Daily began to consider introducing laser phototypesetting equipment from 1983 to realize the modernization of editing and typesetting. 1984 held an expert demonstration meeting. The focus of experts' debate is whether to introduce foreign laser phototypesetting equipment. The idea of introducing prevailed at the beginning of the demonstration meeting. They believe that People's Daily is the mouthpiece of the CPC Central Committee and a comprehensive newspaper with the greatest influence and the highest circulation in China. Any mistake in the phototypesetting system will have serious consequences. However, the domestic phototypesetting system is only a prototype and exhibit so far, and it is difficult to predict whether it can reach a truly practical level. Even if it is developed, it will inevitably fall behind and cannot compete with the advanced phototypesetting system produced by Anglo-American Computer Company.

In his speech, Wang Xuan strongly advocated the adoption of the uh guano system. He cited a series of data to illustrate the superiority of the uh guano system, but it still failed to reverse the trend of demonstrations and assemblies. Some people think that Wang Xuan is just bragging about himself.

After the failure of "Huaguang" phototypesetting system in the People's Daily demonstration meeting, the situation of Huaguang system became worse. Therefore, Wang Xuan is well aware that whether Xinhua News Agency can successfully discharge daily newspapers with Huaguang II phototypesetting system has become a key battle to determine the success or failure of Huaguang system. Wang Xuan is determined to stick it out. At the meeting of the Ministry of Electronic Industry to formulate the seventh five-year plan, he solemnly announced that if the Huaguang II system could not be published in Xinhua News Agency on February 1 next year, we would automatically give up the funds for the seventh five-year plan. "Nothing!"

With a strong sense of crisis, the Chinese Character Information Research Office of Peking University and the scientific and technical personnel with extensive cooperation all went all out to participate in the Armageddon.

1 February, 9851day, Xinhua News Agency printed the Xinhua News Agency News Bulletin and the Ten-Day Newspaper Preview with the Huaguang Ⅱ computer-laser Chinese character editing and typesetting system. Type Ⅱ system has stood the test of practice.

In May, more than 100 experts from the computer and press circles in China participated in the appraisal meeting sponsored by the State Economic Commission. After the rigorous test and examination of Huaguang ⅱ computer laser Chinese character editing and typesetting system, experts solemnly announced that Huaguang ⅱ typesetting system is a major scientific research project with international advanced level successfully developed in China. It initiated a new era in the history of printing technology development in China.

The major newspapers and periodicals in China reported this important news and announced that Huaguang Ⅱ system will be put into mass production soon.

Those sensational and noisy predictions went bankrupt one by one. The uh guano system not only did not collapse, but also gained a firm foothold in China.

Then came the good news: Huaguang Ⅱ system was rated as one of the top ten scientific and technological achievements in China by 1985.