Nat.: 科学家 在地球上 观察 到 重力异常 诸平 据物理学家组织网( Phys.org ) 2017 年 7 月 21 日 转载来自美国 国际商用机器公司 ( IBM )的消息,科学家在地球上观察到重力异常现象,有关研究结果于 2017 年 7 月 19 日已经在《 自然 》( Nature )杂志网站发表 —— Johannes Gooth , Anna C. Niemann , Tobias Meng , Adolfo G. Grushin , Karl Landsteiner , Bernd Gotsmann , Fabian Menges , Marcus Schmidt , Chandra Shekhar , Vicky Süß , Ruben Hühne , Bernd Rellinghaus , Claudia Felser , Binghai Yan , Kornelius Nielsch . Experimental signatures of the mixed axial–gravitational anomaly in the Weyl semimetal NbP . Nature , 2017 , 547 : 324–327 . DOI: 10.1038/nature23005 . 图 1 就是 IBM 研究院( IBM Research )提供的 UAM/CSIC 理论物理研究所( Instituto de Fisica Teorica )的 弦理论 教授卡尔 · 兰德斯泰纳博士( Prof. Dr. Karl Landsteiner )、同时也是上述《自然》杂志论文的合作者为了解释重力异常所勾画的图示。 Fig.1 Prof. Dr. Karl Landsteiner, a string theorist at the Instituto de Fisica Teorica UAM/CSIC and co-author of the paper made this graphic to explain the gravitational anomaly. Credit: IBM Research 参加此项研究的科学家包括来自德国汉堡大学( Universität Hamburg )纳米结构与固态物理研究所、瑞士苏黎世 IBM 研究院( IBM Research -Zurich )、德国金属材料研究院德累斯顿 的 莱布尼兹固态和材料研究所( Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden, Institute for Metallic Materials )、德国 德累斯顿 工业 大学 ( Technical University Dresden )理论物理研究所、美国加利福尼亚大学( University of California )物理系、西班牙 马德里自治大学 ( Universidad Autónoma de Madrid )理论物理研究所( Instituto de Física Teórica UAM/CSIC )、德国马克斯 · 普朗克固态化学物理研究所( Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids ) 以及 以色列 魏茨曼科学研究学院 ( Weizmann Institute of Science ) 凝聚态物理系 的研究人员 。 现代物理学 特别是 量子物理学 , 已经 使 我们习惯 于现实的 奇怪的和违反直觉的概念 , 量子物理学以离开物理对象 的 奇怪叠加态 而著名 。例如 , 薛定谔猫 ( Schrödinger's cat ) , 他发现自己无法判断 其 是死是活。然而有时量子力学 是 更果断的 、 甚至是破坏性的。 对于 物理学家 来说, 对称性 就 是圣杯。对称意味着一个人可以某种方式改变一个对象 并 让 其 不变的。例如 , 一个圆形的球可以被任意角度旋转 , 但看起来总是相同的。物理学家说这是在旋转 操作之下是 对称 的 。一旦一个物理系统的对称性 被 识别 , 预测其 动力学 通常 是 可以 的 。 不过有时 量子 力学的 规律 破坏对称性 , 在 没有 量子力学 的世界也就是 经典系统 中对称性将会恰当 存在。 即使 物理学家 对此 看起来很奇怪 , 但 他们 将 这种 奇怪 现象 称之为 “ 异常 ( anomaly )。 对其 历史的 绝 大部分 而言 , 这些量子异常 被 局限于基本粒子物理学探索 的范畴, 巨大加速器实验室如瑞士欧洲核子研究中心的大型强子对撞机 ( Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland ) 。然而 , 现在一种新型的材料 , 即 所谓的 威尔 半金属 ( Weyl semimetals,NbP ) 新形式 , 类似于三维石墨烯 , 允许我们把对称破坏量子异常 表达成 日常工作现象 , 如电流的创建。 在 这些特殊材料 之中, 电子有效的 表现为完全相同的方式,如同在 高能加速器 中 研究的基本粒子一样。这些粒子有奇怪的属性 , 它们不能在 处于静止状态,它 们必须 在任何时候 以一 种 恒定的速度移动。 它 们也有另一个 被称为 自旋 的 特性 , 就像在 微粒上 附着 了 一个微小的磁铁 , 它 们 以 两种 状态运动 。自旋 既 可以在运动的方向 ,也可以是 相反的方向。 Fig. 2 An international team of scientists have verified a fundamental effect in a crystal that had been previously only thought to be observable in the deep universe. The experiments have verified a quantum anomaly that had been experimentally elusive before. The results are appearing in the journal Nature. Credit: Robert Strasser, Kees Scherer; collage: Michael Büker 图 2 是罗伯特 · 施特拉塞尔 ( Robert Strasser )、凯斯 ·舍雷尔( Kees Scherer )以及 迈克尔 · 巴克( Michael Büker )提供的照片。 一个国际 性的 科学家小组已经验证 了晶体中一种 基本效应 ,此 晶体先前只认为是 在 宇宙深处可观测的。实验 已经 验证 了一种之前一直在实验上 难以捉摸量子异常。 相关研究结果已经于 2017 年 7 月 19 日在《 自然 》( Nature )杂志网站发表 。 当人 们谈及右手粒子或者 左 手粒子时,这些 粒子 就是具有某种属性即 手性 的 。通常情况下 , 两个不同物种 的 粒子 , 除了 它 们的手性 差异之外其余都是相同的 , 伴随两个不同对称性而又粘附在一起情况的发生, 它们的数量分别是守恒的。然而 , 量子异常可以摧毁 它 们的和平共处 ,使手性粒子发生转变,即将 一 种 左 手性 粒子 转化 成一 种 右 手性粒子 , 或者将一种右手性粒子转化为一种左手性粒子 。 2017 年 7 月 19 日 在 《 自然 》杂志网站 发表的 研究 论文中 , 一个 由 国际 性的 物理学家 、 材料科学家和弦理论家 组成的 研究小组 , 已经 观察到这样一 种具有 最奇异的量子异常 效应的 材料 ,这种效应 迄今为止被认为只有爱因斯坦的相对论 所 描述 过 时空曲率 才会引起的 。但 此研究 团队的惊喜 就在于 他们 竟然 发现 , 在地球上的 固体物理 的 属性 之中也有其存在,很多都是 计算机行业的基础 , 从微小的晶体管到云数据中心 无不涉及 。 IBM 研究 院的 科学家 、同时也是上述 论文的主要作者约翰 尼斯 ·古奇 博士 ( Dr. Johannes Gooth ) 说 : “对于 第一次 而言 , 我们 在 实验 上已经 观察到这个地球上基本量子异常 , 对我们 更好地了解 宇宙是非常重要的。我们现在可以基于此异常 来 构建 一种新的 固态设备 , 而这种异常 以前从未被认为是在经典电子设备如晶体管 内 潜在的规避固有的一些问题。 ” 使用弦理论部分方法的新计算表明 , 这种重力异常 也与如果此材料同时受热和磁场作用 生产 的 电流 有关 。 UAM/CSIC 理论物理研究所( Instituto de Fisica Teorica UAM/CSIC )的弦理论家、 教授 、也是上述研究论文的合作者 卡尔 · 兰德斯泰纳博士 ( Dr. Karl Landsteiner ) 说 : “ 这是一个令人难以置信 、而又 激动人心的发现。我们可以清楚地得出结论 , 在任何物理系统 中都 可以观察到相同的对称性破坏 , 无论是发生在宇宙的开始或正在今天发生 , 恰恰就是在 地球上 。 ” IBM 的科学家预测这一发现将 会围绕 传感器 、 开关 、 热电冷却器或能量采集 等设备的开发,改进 能耗 打开新局面 , 开辟 新 方向 。 更多信息请注意浏览原文( https://export.arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1703/1703.10682.pdf )或者相关报道: Scientists observe gravitational anomaly on Earth ; New breakthrough discovery—every quantum particle travels backwards Abstract The conservation laws, such as those of charge, energy and momentum, have a central role in physics. In some special cases, classical conservation laws are broken at the quantum level by quantum fluctuations, in which case the theory is said to have quantum anomalies 1 . One of the most prominent examples is the chiral anomaly 2 , 3 , which involves massless chiral fermions. These particles have their spin, or internal angular momentum, aligned either parallel or antiparallel with their linear momentum, labelled as left and right chirality, respectively. In three spatial dimensions, the chiral anomaly is the breakdown (as a result of externally applied parallel electric and magnetic fields 4 ) of the classical conservation law that dictates that the number of massless fermions of each chirality are separately conserved. The current that measures the difference between left- and right-handed particles is called the axial current and is not conserved at the quantum level. In addition, an underlying curved space-time provides a distinct contribution to a chiral imbalance, an effect known as the mixed axial–gravitational anomaly 1 , but this anomaly has yet to be confirmed experimentally. However, the presence of a mixed gauge–gravitational anomaly has recently been tied to thermoelectrical transport in a magnetic field 5 , 6 , even in flat space-time, suggesting that such types of mixed anomaly could be experimentally probed in condensed matter systems known as Weyl semimetals 7 . Here, using a temperature gradient, we observe experimentally a positive magneto-thermoelectric conductance in the Weyl semimetal niobium phosphide (NbP) for collinear temperature gradients and magnetic fields that vanishes in the ultra-quantum limit, when only a single Landau level is occupied. This observation is consistent with the presence of a mixed axial–gravitational anomaly, providing clear evidence for a theoretical concept that has so far eluded experimental detection.
Latest Headline News: Samsung acquires Viv, a next-gen AI assistant built by the creators of Apple's Siri . Wei: Some people are just smart, or shrewd, more than we can imagine. I am talking about Fathers of Siri, who have been so successful with their technology that they managed to sell the same type of technology twice, both at astronomical prices, and both to the giants in the mobile and IT industry. What is more amazing is, the companies they sold their tech-assets to are direct competitors. How did that happen? How nice this world is, to a really really smart technologist with sharp business in mind. What is more stunning is the fact that, Siri and the like so far are regarded more as toys than must-carry tools, intended at least for now to satisfy more curiosity than to meet the rigid demand of the market. The most surprising is that the technology behind Siri is not unreachable rocket science by nature, similar technology and a similar level of performance are starting to surface from numerous teams or companies, big or small. I am a tech guy myself, loving gadgets, always watching for new technology breakthrough. To my mind, something in the world is sheer amazing, taking us in awe, for example, the wonder of smartphones when the iPhone first came out. But some other things in the tech world do not make us admire or wonder that much, although they may have left a deep footprint in history. For example, the question answering machine made by IBM Watson Lab in winning Jeopardy. They made it into the computer history exhibition as a major AI milestone. More recently, the iPhone Siri, which Apple managed to put into hands of millions of people first time for seemingly live man-machine interaction. Beyond that accomplishment, there is no magic or miracle that surprises me. I have the feel of seeing through these tools, both the IBM answering robot type depending on big data and Apple's intelligent agent Siri depending on domain apps (plus a flavor of AI chatbot tricks). Chek: @ Wei I bet the experts in rocket technology will not be impressed that much by SpaceX either, Wei: Right, this is because we are in the same field, what appears magical to the outside world can hardly win an insider's heart, who might think that given a chance, they could do the same trick or better. The Watson answering system can well be regarded as a milestone in engineering for massive, parallel big data processing, not striking us as an AI breakthrough. what shines in terms of engineering accomplishment is that all this happened before the big data age when all the infrastructures for indexing, storing and retrieving big data in the cloud are widely adopted. In this regard, IBM is indeed the first to run ahead of the trend, with the ability to put a farm of servers in working for the QA engine to be deployed onto massive data. But from true AI perspective, neither the Watson robot nor the Siri assistant can be compared with the more-recent launch of the new Google Translate based on neural networks. So far I have tested using this monster to help translate three Chinese blogs of mine (including this one in making), I have to say that I have been thrown away by what I see . As a seasoned NLP practitioner who started MT training 30 years ago, I am still in disbelief before this wonder of the technology showcase. Chen: wow, how so? Wei: What can I say? It has exceeded my imagination limit for all my dreams of what MT can be and should be since I entered this field many years ago. While testing, I only needed to do limited post-editing to make the following Chinese blogs of mine presentable and readable in English, a language with no kinship whatsoever with the source language Chinese. Question answering of the past and present Introduction to NLP Architecture Hong: Wei seemed frightened by his own shadow.Chen: Chen: The effect is that impressive? Wei: Yes. Before the deep neural-nerve age, I also tested and tried to use SMT for the same job, having tried both Google Translate and Baidu MT, there is just no comparison with this new launch based on technology breakthrough. If you hit their sweet spot, if your data to translate are close to the data they have trained the system on, Google Translate can save you at least 80% of the manual work. 80% of the time, it comes so smooth that there is hardly a need for post-editing. There are errors or crazy things going on less than 20% of the translated crap, but who cares? I can focus on that part and get my work done way more efficiently than before. The most important thing is, SMT before deep learning rendered a text hardly readable no matter how good a temper I have. It was unbearable to work with. Now with this breakthrough in training the model based on sentence instead of words and phrase, the translation magically sounds fairly fluent now. It is said that they are good a news genre, IT and technology articles, which they have abundant training data. The legal domain is said to be good too. Other domains, spoken language, online chats, literary works, etc., remain a challenge to them as there does not seem to have sufficient data available yet. Chen: Yes, it all depends on how large and good the bilingual corpora are. Wei: That is true. SMT stands on the shoulder of thousands of professional translators and their works. An ordinary individual's head simply has no way in digesting this much linguistic and translation knowledge to compete with a machine in efficiency and consistency, eventually in quality as well. Chen: Google's major contribution is to explore and exploit the existence of huge human knowledge, including search, anchor text is the core. Ma: I very much admire IBM's Watson, and I would not dare to think it possible to make such an answering robot back in 2007. Wei: But the underlying algorithm does not strike as a breakthrough. They were lucky in targeting the mass media Jeopardy TV show to hit the world. The Jeopardy quiz is, in essence, to push human brain's memory to its extreme, it is largely a memorization test, not a true intelligence test by nature. For memorization, a human has no way in competing with a machine, not even close. The vast majority of quiz questions are so-called factoid questions in the QA area, asking about things like who did what when and where , a very tractable task. Factoid QA depends mainly on Named Entity technology which was mature long ago, coupled with the tractable task of question parsing for identifying its asking point, and the backend support from IR, a well studied and practised area for over 2 decades now. Another benefit in this task is that most knowledge questions asked in the test involve standard answers with huge redundancy in the text archive expressed in various ways of expressions, some of which are bound to correspond to the way question is asked closely. All these factors contribute to IBM's huge success in its almost mesmerizing performance in the historical event. The bottom line is, shortly after the 1999 open domain QA was officially born with the first TREC QA track, the technology from the core engine has been researched well and verified for factoid questions given a large corpus as a knowledge source. The rest is just how to operate such a project in a big engineering platform and how to fine-tune it to adapt to the Jeopardy-style scenario for best effects in the competition. Really no magic whatsoever. Google Translated from 【泥沙龙笔记:从三星购买Siri之父的二次创业技术谈起】 , with post-editing by the author himself. 【Related】 Question answering of the past and present Introduction to NLP Architecture Newest GNMT: time to witness the miracle of Google Translate Dr Li’s NLP Blog in English
IBM工程师的奶牛计算 连续写了N篇关于水科学的博文也是累了,今天换个口味谈谈“奶牛计算”的问题。 Bryan Ramlow是IBM计算机公司早期软件工程师,可能腻味于当时计算不透-明,感觉计算机行业这碗饭不好吃,竟然于1980年玩起了奶牛计算。 这老兄住在城郊一个奶牛农场旁边,平常就喜欢折腾这个,捣鼓那个,就当是繁重的软件编程之余的放松吧。 有一年冬天邻居家的牛奶储存罐的制冷系统坏了,请他帮忙看看能不能捣鼓好。果然,过去的物理学基础扎实,三下五去二九弄好了。顺便得闲走进住着一百多头奶牛的牛棚,东瞧瞧西渺渺,发现零下20多摄氏度,尽管牛舍的窗户全部打开,内部也无取暖设备,竟然走在牛群中间不觉得冷。 一手摸着热乎乎的牛肚子,顿然脑洞打开,感觉这牛的身体就是一个活的取暖器。之后,他为了计算奶牛的热功率当量,就商量用邻居家的奶牛做实验,初步估算出成年奶牛的热功率大约1000瓦。 这样看来牛棚里100头奶牛相当于10万瓦的取暖器啊,难怪寒风凛冽的深冬,啥保温措施没有,取暖器也不要,里面仍然暖融融的。 这家伙的脑筋转开了,琢磨一段时间,申请了第一个用牛温取暖的发明专利。IBM的码农工作也辞了,专心致志搞他的奶牛计算,挣的钱比当码农海了去了。 故事详情可阅读英文报道:Using Cow Thermal Energy to Heat Homes in Winter http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/cow-thermal-energy-to-heat-homes-zmaz82ndzgoe.aspx?PageId=1 他的奶牛热能利用的专利:http://www.google.com.hk/patents/US4322953
IBM工程师的奶牛计算 VS 透-明计算 连续写了N篇关于水科学的博文也是累了,今天换个口味谈谈“奶牛计算”的问题,以应景现时火热的“透-明计算”。 Bryan Ramlow是IBM计算机公司早期软件工程师,可能腻味于当时计算不透明,感觉计算机行业这碗饭不好吃,竟然于1980年玩起了奶牛计算。 这老兄住在城郊一个奶牛农场旁边,平常就喜欢折腾这个,捣鼓那个,就当是繁重的软件编程之余的放松吧。 有一年冬天邻居家的牛奶储存罐的制冷系统坏了,请他帮忙看看能不能捣鼓好。果然,过去的物理学基础扎实,三下五去二九弄好了。顺便得闲走进住着一百多头奶牛的牛棚,东瞧瞧西渺渺,发现零下20多摄氏度,尽管牛舍的窗户全部打开,内部也无取暖设备,竟然走在牛群中间不觉得冷。 一手摸着热乎乎的牛肚子,顿然脑洞打开,感觉这牛的身体就是一个活的取暖器。之后,他为了计算奶牛的热功率当量,就商量用邻居家的奶牛做实验,初步估算出成年奶牛的热功率大约1000瓦。 这样看来牛棚里100头奶牛相当于10万瓦的取暖器啊,难怪寒风凛冽的深冬,啥保温措施没有,取暖器也不要,里面仍然暖融融的。 这家伙的脑筋转开了,琢磨一段时间,申请了第一个用牛温取暖的发明专利。IBM的码农工作也辞了,专心致志搞他的奶牛计算,挣的钱比什么“透-明计算”劳什子海了去了。 故事详情可阅读英文报道:Using Cow Thermal Energy to Heat Homes in Winter http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/cow-thermal-energy-to-heat-homes-zmaz82ndzgoe.aspx?PageId=1 他的奶牛热能利用的专利:http://www.google.com.hk/patents/US4322953
昨天,我刚翻完谷歌董事会执行主席 Schmidt 推销他当 CEO 时谷歌的运作、特别是 2009-10 年谷歌在中国业务的政策变换的书 。其中他提到 Chinese dissidents 的 Gmail 电邮被来自中国的黑客侵入,但没有提及我在 2008 、 09 年股东大会的发言和退席抗议,以及 2010 年的股东大会提案 。当时谷歌三巨头执政,年轻的两个创始人中,一人坚持 “Don’t be evil” 的原则不惜撤出中国、另一人犹豫未表态,而老练的 Schmidt 反对撤出中国。不管我的人权提案对最终的撤离中国决策产生了多大(或多小)的压力作用,我很庆幸及时经历了这个人权原则与商业利润较量的经典企业政策改变案例。 昨天我又收到一百年前安那祺主义者 Alexander Berkman 编辑发行的 The Blast 的复版 。我把他作为企业治理的榜样和先驱,希望所有商学院的学生都应该知道 Berkman 的贡献 。 晚上,听了奥巴马总统的富有热情的国情咨文,想到政府也有不错的政策和充满理想的官员,但需要我们公民帮助,共同努力实施社会的进步,就在微信上留言: “ Berkman 为了教育卡内基,替天行道、以身试法,被判刑 22 年,迫使美国的资本阶级开始 ‘ 行善 ’ 。我在与公司的董事会或官员会见时,常常想到如何比 Berkman 更有效改进企业治理。听到奥巴马的演讲,想到更应该帮助政府的政策改善 ” 。但如何以最小的代价能够同时帮助世界头三号经济大国美中日和主导全球化进程的跨国企业改善政策呢? 早在去年 4 月 30 日,我致函 IBM 公司秘书长,提案成立公共政策委员会。原文不长,援引如下,付加适量汉译。 Shareholder Proposal on Establishing a Public Policy Committee Resolved:shareholders recommend that International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) establish a Public Policy Committee to assist the Board of Directors in overseeing IBM's policies and practice that relate to public issues including human rights, corporate social responsibility, supplier chainmanagement, charitable giving, political activities and expenditures,government regulations, and especially international relations that may affect IBM's operations, performance, reputation, and shareholders’ value. Supporting Statement 支持陈述 IBM currently has four board committees: Audit Committee, Directors and Corporate Governance Committee, Executive Compensation and Management Resources Committee, and Executive Committee, but without a committee to legitimately and ethically deal with public issues,especially international affairs, affecting our business 没有一个委员会正当、符合道德地处理特别是国际事务 等公共问题 . According to our 2013annual report, IBM has 32% ($31,628m/$97,800m) revenue in Europe/MiddleEast/Africa, 23% ($22,923/$97,800m) revenue in Pacific Asia23% 收入在亚太 ; “Within the BRIC countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China, ... The company continues to see good opportunity in all regions over the long term and is continuing to invest in these key markets.” (p.40); “During 2013, performance in China was impacted bythe process surrounding the implementation of a broad governmental economic reform plan 公司在中国的业绩受到实施广泛政府经济计划的过程的影响 .”(p.41). IBM is truly a leading international business corporation in the world 不愧是领导性国际商业公司 . The globalization has made the world increasingly connected and complicated 全球化使世界更加联系和复杂起来 . For example, theU.S.-Japan Joint Statement on April 25, 2014 includes such dangerous contentsas 例如, 2014 年 4 月 25 日的美日联合声明包括以下的危险内容 : These commitments extend to all the territories under the administration of Japan, including the Senkaku Islands 这些条约的义务延展到所有日本行政 管辖下的地域, 包括尖阁诸岛 . The United States welcomes and supports Japan’s consideration of the matter of exercising the right of collective self-defense 美国欢迎和支持日本考虑实行集团自卫权 . The Japanese government has misled the U.S.under the U.S.-Japan Security Treaties to crash with the rising power of a nationalistic China since Japan utilized China’s 1989 Tiananmen Tragedy to abandon Japan’s peace constitution (the cornerstone of Asia’s peace after WWII) towards rearmament, militarization and fascism 日本政府利用 1989 年中国的天安门悲剧放弃日本的和平宪法 (战后亚洲的和平基础)走向军备、军国主义和法西斯主义 、 在美日安保条约下 误导美国与崛起的民族主义的中国冲突 . Although the Japanese governmentsigned the G-7 Summit declaration in 1989 to protect Chinese students, I, as agraduate student in Osaka University organizing Chinese democratic and human rights activities in Japan, was persecuted because I refused to collaborate with the Japanese government to betray my fellow Chinese students 日本政府虽然在西方七国 首脑会议上签署了保护中国留学生的宣言,但却迫害我这样的不肯与日本政府作幕后交易的在日中国留学生 . Please refer to Japan’s second largest newspaper Asahi’s interviews with me on February 10, 1990,October 20, 1992 and June 8, 2009, and my article “The Betrayal of Democracy:Tiananmen's Shadow over Japan,” Historia Actual Online, 2004, Issue 4 Volume 2. Partly to respond to my proposals, Microsoft established such a public policy committee in 2012. It is also necessary for IBM to establish a Public Policy Committee. 我几乎在今年的股东大会一年之前向公司提案,多少也期待公司会采取正确的步骤,与我直接联系,有足够的时间商讨改进公司的政策。但直到去年 12 月 14 日,我才接到律师行 Cravath, Swaine Moore LLP 的快件 ,原来 IBM 高层把企业治理的业务也 “ 外包 ” 出去,雇佣这个律师行试图把我的提案排除掉!我 12 月 19 日 向美国证券交易委员会 SEC 发出电邮,反驳律师行的三大离谱的理由。 •If “implementation of the Proposal would cause the Company to violate federal laws, rules and regulations”, why Microsoft ’s establishment of such a public policy committee in 2012 did not cause Microsoft“to violate federal laws, rules and regulations”? Even though there is possibility that a new public policy committee may have some overlapping functions with existing committees (which exist even among existingcommittees), the Company can choose not to violatefederal laws, rules and regulations 即使新的公共政策委员会可能与既有的委员会部分功能重叠,公司可以选择不违反联邦法规 ,as Microsoft does. •My Supporting Statement does not contain any false and misleading statements 我的支持陈述没有任何虚假和误导陈述 . Because the Company refuses to communicate with shareholders, it is natural for shareholders to regard the Company “ without a committee to legitimately and ethically deal with public issues,especially international affairs, affecting our business ”from media coverage and other independent sources. If the Company ever contacted me, there is possibility to improve shareholders’ view. Again, I urgethe Company to positively and constructively communicate with shareholders 我再次要求公司与股东展开积极、建设性的交流 . At least, there should be an email account to receive shareholders’ concerns, suggestions and proposals. •My Supporting Statement used my personal unique case to inform the Company and shareholders of the public policy situation regarding Japan and China, where the Company has heavy business 我的支持陈述引用我的独特经历向股东们提示公司在那里有大量业务的日本和中国的公共政策情况 (ascited in my Supporting Statement). It is not “a personal grievance against the Japanese government,” 不是 “ 个人对日本政府的控诉 ”and it never “wishes to further a personal interest.” 也从未期望得到个人利益 The letter also doubted my statement of my life in Japan without checking the facts I listed in the Supporting Statement. I am always willing to provide any information, but the Company never contacted me. This is another indication how the Company mistreated shareholders. 今天,我收到 SEC 署名昨天 2015 年 1 月 20 日至律师行和我的电邮 ,仔细阅读之后,不由得欣慰美国的民主法规仍然有效。这封由 SEC 企业财务部门总律师办公室的律师 - 顾问 Jacqueline Kaufman 回复的意见信全面反驳了 Cravath, Swaine Moore LLP 律师行排除我的提案的所有理由,三次重申 “we do not believe that IBM may omitthe proposal from its proxy materials” SEC 不同意 IBM 可以 把我的提案从股东大会资料中排除掉。这个“判决”案例同时也表示,自从我向 NetApp 提交类似的 亚太和平政策 提案获得 SEC 支持以来 , SEC 开始同意把广泛的公共政策与管理层高薪、人权、气候等议题一样作为股东提案的一个题材付诸表决。 费尽周折,终于把公司拉到谈判桌上,下一步要看公司董事会如何发布反对声明、以及为了拉拢多数股东反对我的提案而不得不在实质上采纳一部分我的政策了。在最后的战场 — 4 月召开的 IBM 2015 年 股东大会之后,我还要评估提案内容对 1989 年当时的历史真相 及其推动东亚的正义进程的影响。 (Google Executive Chairman and ex-CEO) Eric Schmidt (former SVP of Products)Jonathan Rosenberg, How Google Works. Grand Central Publishing, September 2014. 赵京:“以股东提案推动 Google 谷歌的人权政策转换”, 2010 年 4 月 22 日。 http://cpri.tripod.com/cpr2010/gsp.pdf Introduction by Barry Pateman, AKPress, 2005. 许多美国的工会罢工,俄国的劳工甚至包围美国的大使馆要求释放 Berkman。 http://cpri.tripod.com/cpr2014/IBM-SEC.pdf http://cpri.tripod.com/cpr2015/SEC-IBM.pdf 赵京:“ 在NetApp股东年会宣读亚太和平政策 ”, 2014年9月5日。 http://cpri.tripod.com/cpr2014/netapp.pdf 除了我 2009 年 9 月 23 日致函当时刚上台的日本首相鸠山 http://cpri.tripod.com/cpr2009/Zhao_to_Hatoyama.pdf 要求日本政府公布 当时出卖、迫害我们的真相外,我也再次敦请、呼吁当时的国家教委主任李铁映、中国驻日大使杨振亚、公使唐家璇等官员公布、反省并忏悔与日本政府合作迫害在日中国留学生的政策和行径。见赵京:“如何翻过当代中日关系史上最黑暗的一页”, 2012 年 6 月 4 日。
Software Developer and Tester for Performance Intern, 12/16 Months Markham May The following STUDENT position is a part of IBM Canada's EPIC (Employment Pathways to Interns Co-ops) Student Program. This position is only open to students registered in a Canadian University or College program, who have completed a minimum of 2 years of their degree or diploma program , and who must be returning to full-time study upon the completion of the temporary IBM work term. This Student Position resides in Toronto and is only a 12/16 MONTHS work term Title: Software Developer and Tester for Performance Overview: We are looking for highly motivated individuals who want to understand how systems work together and be the expert in database performance engineering. The Information Management (IM) Performance and Solutions team is an elite world wide team with skills that span from enhancing the kernel of DB2/solidDB data server , configuring and tuning of complex DB2 , solidDB and Master Data Management (MDM) systems, prototyping and implementing innovative solutions , and providing world-wide consultation on best practices and architecture for performance. The team works with millions of dollars of hardware from various vendors (e.g., IBM, Intel, AMD, HP, and Sun) at the lab and there are opportunities to do hands-on work with them. Main Responsibilities include: You will be involved and gradually build up expertise in one or more of the following areas: Work with IBM and non-IBM hardware and software vendors to exploit new features and achieve higher level of performance with the DB2, MDM, and solidDB products. Improve performance of these products with prototyping, performance studies, and regression testing. --数据库性能优化 Develop innovative solutions that put together hardware and software products to improve competitiveness and ease of use. 系统方案设计与优化 Produce world record performance benchmark results with large SMP and MPP systems to demonstrate the superior performance of DB2, MDM and solidDB. Examples of benchmarks include TPC-C, TPC-E for Online Transaction Processing (OLTP), TPC-H, SPECjAppServer for J2EE, TPoX for XML, and SAP. 产品性能标准 Develop tools to improve problem determination and performance data analysis. 错误定位与数据分析 Investigate and exploit technology involving computer architecture, storage sub-systems, OLTP systems, data warehouse systems, query optimization, virtualization, and XML data retrieval 体系结构、存储子系统、交易系统、数据仓库系统、查询优化、可视化、XML数据检索等新技术开发与应用 Support proofs-of-concept in high performance environments (OLTP, data warehousing, etc) with high profile customers and projects. 高性能环境技术POC As the last line of defense for critical situations in IBM involving DB2, MDM and solidDB performance issues with customers, bringing chaos into order in a complex environment involving many products. 灾难恢复 Share our insights with articles and presentation to forums and conferences. 发表论文参加国际会议 Qualification (industry and/or classroom experience): Excellent oral and written communication, teamwork, and debugging skills. Very quick learner of technology, be able to multi-task, and see clarify in complex situation. C, Java, scripting language (e.g., Perl, shell script, etc), concept and usage of DBMS systems. Experience with UNIX, Linux, or Windows. Experience with any of the following would be an asset but not required: Performance testing methodology and tools. Administering, monitoring, and tuning skills for DB2 (or other DBMS), WebSphere (or other application server), or MDM products such as InfoSphere MDM. XML XPath, XML Schema, XQuery Computer architecture, storage sub-system, OLTP system, data warehouse systems, query optimization, and virtualization More importantly, someone who loves to work with systems and wants to understand the internals. Contact: Michael Kwok (mkwok@ca.ibm.com) WHAT IBM OFFERS YOU: 1. Work directly on product and services that affect our clients, while having access to cutting edge software technology. 2. Work is challenging and rewarding. 3. Access to obtain IBM Product Certificate during work term. 4. A casual dress code and flexible work hours Required High School Diploma/GED English: Fluent IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
Software Developer Reporting to the Manager of Systems Integration, the successful candidate will be involved with test automation , regression testing , analyzing test results , reporting and tracking defects , verifying fixes and follow-up work to resolve issues related to the Algorithmics software developed in high level languages (Java, C++). The role requires in-depth knowledge of software testing methodologies with the objective to establish and maintain high quality test procedures and methods to be used in software development and testing. The role includes the development of test plans and test cases from feature descriptions, understanding of software release process and focusing on policies and procedures necessary to ensure high quality of released solutions. The candidate will be required to interact directly with internal and (at times with) external clients on technical support and configuration issues and must be comfortable in a fast-paced environment. Participate in software development and implementation initiatives on a range of Algorithmics Solutions; undertake setup and configuration of the Algorithmics and third party products (database, middleware, reporting solutions) troubleshooting and testing (functional, performance, usability, etc) Communicate with internal stakeholders to analyze new product features and develop corresponding test cases and baselines for the wide range for the Rick Management Solutions, such as Counterparty Credit Risk, Balance Sheet Risk Management, Regulatory Market and Credit Risk Reporting, CVA and other Develop test plans, and via a test harness, implement and execute the test cases to test new and existing software features according to the functional/technical software specifications Analyze test harness results, investigate problems and communicate findings to stakeholders Provide technical support to various groups of stakeholders within the company and, occasionally, to external customers Expand regression test harness for new daily operations and offerings (CCR and RTCE) Improve the reliability of the test automation framework Investigate and troubleshoot system operations and performance issues Establish and oversee the quality tests and trends, qualify Company releases and perform corrective and preventive actions as necessary Education The position calls for a university degree or graduate degree in a quantitative discipline such as Computer Science, Mathematics or Engineering Special Skills Experience with data manipulation and transformation using Perl and/or Unix shell scripting Comfortable working knowledge of UNIX (e.g. Solaris, Linux, AIX) and MS Windows Familiarity with Object Oriented Programming concepts and languages (e.g. Java, C++, etc.) Knowledge of database concepts and programming (e.g. SQL, sizing, installation, performance) Familiarity with database products (e.g. Oracle, DB2, Sybase, MS SQL Server) Systems interfacing or data migration between systems with mapping tools or solutions Proven ability to adapt to, learn and explore new technologies. Proven ability to work with complex software products with minimal supervision. Knowledge of software engineering design principles, software verification, automated testing Knowledge of software testing methodologies (Agile, Spiral, Waterfall) and methods (Integration, Regression, Performance, Stress testing, etc) Knowledge of policies and procedures necessary to ensure high quality software releases Strong analysis, demonstrative investigation and problem solving skills Strong verbal and written communication skills. Desirable Requirements Experience in banking or financial services sectors would be beneficial Current experience in Business Analysis and QA support of the production Enterprise Risk Management Systems Required Bachelor's Degree At least 5 years experience in Shell Scripting At least 5 years experience in data manipulation, transformation and clenasing using scripting languages At least 5 years experience in Object Oriented Languages (C++, Java) English: Fluent
1. 2012年全球超级计算机Top 10 Rank Rmax Rpeak ( Pflops ) Name Computer design Processor type, interconnect Vendor Site Country, year Operating system 1 16.324 20.132 Sequoia Blue Gene/Q PowerPC A2 , Custom IBM Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory United States , 2011 Linux ( RHEL and CNL ) 2 10.510 11.280 K computer RIKEN SPARC64 VIIIfx , Tofu Fujitsu RIKEN Japan , 2011 Linux 3 8.162 10.066 Mira Blue Gene/Q PowerPC A2 , Custom IBM Argonne National Laboratory United States , 2012 Linux 4 2.897 3.185 SuperMUC iDataPlex DX360M4 Xeon E5–2680 , Infiniband IBM Leibniz-Rechenzentrum Germany , 2012 Linux 5 2.566 4.701 Tianhe-1A NUDT YH Cluster Xeon 5670 + Tesla 2050 , Arch NUDT National Supercomputing Center of Tianjin China , 2010 Linux 6 1.941 2.627 Jaguar Cray XT5 Opteron 6274 + Tesla 2090 , Cray Gemini Cray Oak Ridge National Laboratory United States , 2009 Linux ( CLE ) 7 1.725 2.097 Fermi Blue Gene/Q PowerPC A2 , Custom IBM CINECA Italy , 2012 Linux 8 1.380 1.677 JuQUEEN Blue Gene/Q PowerPC A2 , Custom IBM Forschungszentrum Jülich Germany , 2012 Linux 9 1.359 1.667 Curie Bullx B510 Xeon E5–2680 , Infiniband Bull TGCC at CEA , and GENCI France , 2012 Linux ( bullx ) 10 1.271 2.984 Nebulae TC3600 Blade Xeon 5650 + Tesla 2050 , InfiniBand Dawning National Supercomputing Center in Shenzhen|NSCS China , 2010 Linux 2. 自1993年以来的历年的No.1 Systems ranked #1 since 1993 IBM Sequoia Blue Gene/Q ( United States , June 2012 – present) Fujitsu K computer ( Japan , June 2011 – June 2012) NUDT Tianhe-1A ( China , November 2010 – June 2011) Cray Jaguar ( United States , November 2009 – November 2010) IBM Roadrunner ( United States , June 2008 – November 2009) IBM Blue Gene /L ( United States , November 2004 – June 2008) NEC Earth Simulator ( Japan , June 2002 – November 2004) IBM ASCI White ( United States , November 2000 – June 2002) Intel ASCI Red ( United States , June 1997 – November 2000) Hitachi CP-PACS ( Japan , November 1996 – June 1997) Hitachi SR2201 ( Japan , June 1996 – November 1996) Fujitsu Numerical Wind Tunnel ( Japan , November 1994 – June 1996) Intel Paragon XP/S 140 ( United States , June 1994 – November 1994) Fujitsu Numerical Wind Tunnel ( Japan , November 1993 – June 1994) TMC CM-5 ( United States , June 1993 – November 1993) 3. Top500的全球分布(2012) : Top regions United States - 253 Asia - 121 China - 68 Japan - 34 Europe - 107 United Kingdom - 25 France - 22 Germany - 20 4. 超级计算机性能的指数增长 Y轴显示 在 GFLOPS 的 性能 。 红线表示 的时间 在世界上 运算速度最快的超级计算机 。 黄线 表示 的超级计算机 TOP500 名单的最后一名 。 深蓝色线 表示超级计算机Top500排行榜 总 的 综合 性能 。
前几天偶然发现,大名鼎鼎的 SPSS 被更大名鼎鼎的 IBM 收购了,时间是 2009 年,目前的SPSS软件是IBM SPSS 20.0。前者是举世闻名的统计软件,后者是全球知名的 IBM 公司。要论影响力, IBM 的影响力远在 SPSS 之上,因为 SPSS 只在专业领域享有声誉,而 IBM 呢?恐怕全世界没有一个人能够离得开 IBM ,我们每天上网浏览的网站后台数据库,在 IBM PC 兼容机基础上发展出来的微机,几乎都是 IBM 的功劳。 对 IBM 我是有内心崇拜情节的,一家公司能够引起我发自内心的尊敬是不容易的。根源在于我是最早的电脑发烧友之一,当时所用的电脑就是 IBM PC 兼容机,随着其他厂商激烈的竞争,进入 20 世纪 90 年代,有一段时间 IBM 日子并不好过,于是发明了“电子商务”,现在其实并没有多少人知道“电子商务”一词是 IBM 公司发明的,当然再后来, 1998 年我创办了全国第一个电子商务专业——国际贸易(电子商务),绝对具有前瞻性,虽然现在我的研究方向不在该领域,但时常关注电子商务的发展。 至于笔记本电脑,更不能忘记 THINKPAD 了,红点鼠标是 IBM 首创,据说这个小东西有 17 项专利, IBM THINKPAD 一度成为笔记本电脑的代名词。 IBM 笔记本绝对是一台可靠的工作电脑,不花哨,但绝对值得信赖。后来随着激烈的市场竞争, IBM 调整战略,将 PC 业务卖给联想,为此我到现在内心仍然有小小的不快,但仍然坚持用着联想的 THINKPAD 电脑,但实在找不到用 IBM 笔记本的那种感觉。 几年前, IBM 公司由于工作人员的疏忽,将价值 1800 元的笔记本电脑外置刻录机价格错标为 1 元,等数小时发现时网上已经被人订购了上万台,你猜怎么着? IBM 恢复了原来的价格,但对已经订购刻录机的兑现订单,一元一台!你说这样的公司怎么可能不让人发自内心的尊重。 至于说到科技创新, IBM 绝对是该领域最伟大的公司。在 IBM 公司,创新早已不是什么口号。相比我国上上下下,天天宣传的东东简直是冷笑话。 中国有这样的公司吗?应该有,可以有,但是现在没有,希望将来 50 年、 100 年之后能有。 忽然想起一个笑话,大意是上帝问美国足球队、英国足球队、日本足球队何时能够拿世界冠军,回答都有几十年的时间,有人问上帝,中国足球何时能拿世界冠军,结果上帝哭了。 看到球迷整天看欧洲足球,巴西足球,就是不看中国足球,以前不能理解。现在我理解了,正和我崇拜 IBM 公司一样。 2012.7.4 俞立平 于宁波
SAGE 的研发至少通过两个公司对后来的电子商务发展产生了深远的影响,一个是我们所熟悉的 IBM ,另一个是我们不太熟悉的 DEC 。 IBM 走的是大而全的发展方向,而 DEC 则是小而精。前者为美国的众多企业尤其是服务业全面信息化提供了有效但是昂贵的解决方案。而后者则以交互式运算为主要技术特色,通过降低价位和用户共同开发等策略,开创了个人电脑的发展方向,也为早期互联网的发展提供了硬件支持。 从两个公司的历史来看, DEC 的创立是因为晶体管新技术的出现使得用其组装计算机成为可能,所以 DEC 想做的,就是用新技术做新计算机,没有历史包裹需要背负。而 IBM 则是从一个行业(读卡机)涉足另一个行业(计算机),并且已经在所涉足的行业里有了以上一代技术(电子管)开发的产品和客户,所以对 IBM 来说,晶体管的出现是技术的一个升级,而是否完全利用这个新技术取决于很多现有客户市场和产品更新换代的因素。这个区别使得两个公司在这里历史新起点上走了不同的发展道路。 我们先来看看 IBM 。 创建于 1911 年的 IBM 是个独特的公司。美国历史上能够延续超过百年的公司屈指可数,它算一家。尽管它的业务从读卡机到计算机一直是当时时代的高科技,它的最初两代领导人却没有什么高科技背景。老沃森是个做推销员起家的商人,他的儿子小沃森是个富二代,喜欢开飞机。但历史给了 IBM 很多得天独厚的机会。首先是美国政府在十九世纪末由于人口增长导致的管理方面的技术革新需要,使得读卡机(从提高效率来看,相当于那个时代的计算机)的生意蒸蒸日上。老沃森靠此发家。然后,由于两次世界大战和美国的战后技术领先地位,老沃森又通过跟政府打交道建立起的人脉把读卡机把生意扩展到全球(尤其是战后的欧洲)。当小沃森 1956 年接过 CEO 的位置时, IBM 已经在读卡机和计算机领域里成为无可非议的老大。而小沃森接任之后,正赶上前面所提到的美国的企业信息革命,大型机系统在商业领域的应用成为当时的市场焦点。这使得小沃森有了跟老沃森在 50 多年前几乎同样的历史机遇,于是 IBM 再上一个台阶。继续引领计算机产业的龙头老大地位,继续走开发政府和军工项目(降低自我研发成本),然后将成熟技术扩散到民企的路子。整个 50 到 60 年代, IBM 几乎介入了美国所有大型军工项目,从中赚足了钱。这一点从 SAGE 上就可以看出来,仅仅这一个项目就占 IBM 整个公司五十年代利润的 10% 。 IBM 的另一个特色是不只卖产品,而是卖服务。这是从老沃森时代开始留下来的传统。读卡机的制造成本相对昂贵,但对企业来说,从长远看,买还是比租要划算。可以推销员出身的老沃森发现,如果光卖机器本身,对企业来说需要在短时间内支付一大笔钱,对 IBM 来说失去了未来的源源不断的现金流,是个一锤子买卖。另外,读卡机的更新换代也比较快,新的型号出来了,企业可能不愿意再付一大笔钱更新换代。所以还是租赁比较符合当时的双方需求。于是 IBM 就坚持租赁的形式。既然是租赁,就有客服,也就有了提供全套服务,也就是完整解决方案的需求。这既给 IBM 不断的新挑战,也给 IBM 发现新产品和市场,和锁定用户的能力。所以这个策略可谓一石二鸟。 IBM 的租赁策略一直到 80 年代初都屡试不爽,不过其领导层渐渐志满意得,偏离了老沃森策略的深意,认为大型机是其核心竞争力,而忽略了用户真正需要的是服务。这一点直到 90 年代初郭士纳接管 IBM 时才发现,于是 IBM 后来重回正轨,这是后话。 回头再看 DEC 。 创立于 1957 年的 DEC 从创立到产品开发策略再到最后的归宿,跟现在的很多创业公司非常类似。它的两个创始人奥尔森和安德森都在麻省理工的林肯实验室工作,曾经参与开发了 SAGE 的交互式雷达监控系统以及在这之前空军需要的模拟飞行系统。我们前面讲过,雷达信号被转换成数字信号,传送到指挥中心时, AN/FSQ-7 计算机将其显示在雷达监控屏幕上,而指挥人员一边监控屏幕,一边用光笔点触代表敌机的信号,然后再通过一系列屏幕互动指挥拦截。这是一个典型的交互式系统。而当时计算机的主流并不是交互式系统,因为交互式系统将大量的机时耗费在与人互动的等待过程中。这对每月花几十万美元租赁大型机的公司来说,得不偿失。所以当时往往是人一排排站在计算机旁边,等待递交计算任务。可是交互式系统对非商业领域却有很大的需求。比如当时的麻省理工很多学生宁愿使用比较慢的交互式系统来处理他们的数据而不用更快的 IBM 的计算机(其实这是所有面向个人的计算技术的共性,也是苹果公司成功的原因)。这些经验和观察都给了 DEC 的两个创立人足够的信心来开发交互式计算机。 可是两人很快发现,当时的投资人不太愿意投资给小计算机公司。因为这些小公司往往不久就垮掉。于是他们不得不修改他们的创业计划,把成立交互式计算机公司改成成立交互式计算机“部件”公司。这样投资规模小,并且既可以日后生产交互式计算机也可以首先为其他计算机公司提供晶体管部件。于是他们以 70% 的股份换取了七万美元的投资,成立了 DEC 。 投资规模和发展方向都决定了 DEC 跟 IBM 走了两条不同的路。因为投资规模小,他们只生产以晶体管为基础计算机核心部件,把外围的东西留给用户自己解决(就好比只卖主板,声卡,显卡,显示器等等都让用户自己去解决)。而且他们只卖不租。通过提供详细的技术手册的方式,让用户有最大限度的,按照自己的需求,来利用 DEC 提供的计算机。这种模式适合的是对计算机技术有相当了解的用户,而大学和研发机构恰恰是这种用户。这一产品策略衍生出了后来 70 年代的个人计算机市场发展模式以及黑客文化。 DEC 专注的是以晶体管为基础部件的交互式计算机市场。其运算速度虽然比 IBM 的大型机慢,但对用户来说不是问题,所以市场是有的,关键是如何扩大这个市场。而要扩大市场,在价格上要有竞争力。要在价格上有竞争力,就要在设计上省钱。于是在设计上(或者说计算机架构上), DEC 选择了用软件替代部分硬件功能的办法,这样牺牲了一部分效率但降低了成本,这个选择导致大型机与小型机以及后来个人计算机设计上的一个核心区别。 这里的替代主要是在硬件设计的字节长度方面。 IBM 的大型机字节一般至少是 32 位,而 DEC 的最初小型机字节只有 12 位(后来的英特尔系列处理器字节稍长一些,固定为 16 位)。字节贯穿计算机信息处理的几个关键步骤,包括数据的存储,计算和寻址。长的字节跟长的带宽类似,可以在相同时间内更快速地处理数据,而短的字节在这些方面则需要通过软件方法进行转换。简单的讲,一个 9 位数的整数,如果用 32 位字节的计算机来存储,就可以直接从一个地址上读取;而如果用 16 位字节的计算机来读取,因为字节长度不够,就需要至少两次从不同地址读取。这些就导致了软件复杂度增加,而且运算速度也相应减慢。不过好处是硬件费用降低,而速度的减慢比例对交互式运算的用户来说不是问题。在 50 年代末和 60 年代初,硬件部分,尤其是中央处理器和磁芯内存占了计算机生产成本的大头。所以 DEC 这么做,可以将一台计算机的成本控制在一万美元以内。另外,他们把使用晶体管组装计算机的过程标准化,然后通过机器自动装配,这样在提高效率的同时,减少了人工操作的误差。还有很重要的一点就是, DEC 将 IBM 大型机必备的数据处理通道(相当于第二个 CPU ,主要是管理数据的输入输出)拿掉,让内存可以与外围设备直接交换数据(我们现在称其为 DMA ,直接内存访问)。而一个数据处理通道的成本就相当于 DEC 后来一台计算机的价格。就这样, DEC 设计的交互式计算机成功的降低了成本。该公司在推出的第一版计算机 PDP-1 售价是 12 万美元。等到 1965 年推出后来最流行的 PDP-8 计算机时,销售价格不到 1 万美元 。值得一提的是, DEC 的交互式小型机的首批用户除了大学和研究机构之外,还有地处麻省剑桥的 BBN 咨询公司,该公司在六十年代研发了互联网前身阿帕网。 PDP-8小型机
下面的文字出自IBM百年回顾中的内容,我翻译成的中文供大家欣赏。核心内容有三部分:1,企业如何生存的比创建者还要长久;2,如何解决内部的矛盾;3,如何面对无情的商品化大潮。时间有限,我只翻译了第一部分,另外两部分可以在附件文件中找到。 “ I believe that if an organization is to meet the challenges of a changing world, it must be prepared to change everything about itself, except its beliefs. ” —Thomas J. Watson Jr 在 1900 年美国工业公司排名前 25 名的公司中,只有 2 个还能在 1960 年的同一列表中看到。 1960 年未来 500(Fortune 500) 排名前 25 的公司中,今天还能看到的只有六家。 这些消失公司的领导者或者是因为运气很差,或者是因为做出了错误的决策。但是大多数公司的倒闭是因为没能在管理好今天的业务的同时,创建自己未来的业务。 当你读到这篇文章的时候, IBM 已经 101 岁了。今天我们停下脚步,回过头来看一看它的成长历史。我们很愿意分享我们的经验教训——在我们成长的历程中有时候我们做的决策是令人蒙羞的。 公司一个世纪的生命告诉我们这个真理:想要对未来产生持久的影响,那么你必须为了将来进行管理 ( To make an enduring impact over the long term, you have to manage for the long term . ) 这似乎是我们可以共享的最简单的东西,然而在实践中这却需要终生为之奋斗。长远的思考几乎会让你在每一个环节都领先。总结起来其要领就是安全,稳定和保守,看似简单,但其回报却是惊人的。如果想要达到上述三点要领,长远的思考会让你思考一下问题: How does an organization outlive its founder? 我们已经知道不能将个人魅力和领导力进行混淆。而在商业领域,却有很多鲜活的反面例子,这些天才缔造了公司并且创造了大量的财富——至少在公司开始阶段是这样的。公司的创建者往往具有超凡的个人魅力,这种魅力极具诱惑力。 但是接下来呢?如果公司缔造者选择了离开或者公司的寿命超过了他的寿命,这个组织该怎么办呢? IBM 首任 CEO, Thomas J. Watson, 在商业领域最大的贡献在于他创造了超越他生命的价值——一种共享的企业文化。他给我们展示了一个组织可以依靠基本的信念和价值而永远地生存下去,这种信念和价值可以在组织成长过程中成为企业的发展指南。这就是为什么我们永远不能用 IBM 生产的产品来定义 IBM 的原因,无论这些产品成功是否。 说到企业价值,我们并不是指伦理或道德,因为这是每个企业都应该有的基本素养。我们理解的企业价值应该是使得任何一个企业独一无二并且不朽的特质。这种企业文化的创建,也并不是沿着创建者的道路一直前进,而是要将组织内部独特的价值进行制度化——找到核心价值并进行强化。企业的文化应该建立在这样的价值观和目的之上,并且围绕核心价值招聘员工,将其推广到世界的每一个角落,一代一代传递下去。 价值驱动选择,这些选择包括:雇佣什么样的员工,如何服务客户。如何培训不同层次的人才。创造何种业务,参与退出什么业务。控制提升自我的风险等等。 当我们生活在我们自己的价值观中时, IBM 们和我们的公司就会繁荣、强大。相反,我们迟早会受到伤害。 附件: ibm_centennial.pdf
今天是 IBM 百岁生日,一百年前三家小公司合并成立了 IBM(详见 IBM 网站( http://www.ibm.com/ibm100/us/en/ )。一个世纪以来, IBM 遇到了一个有一个个强劲的对手,例如微软,苹果,思科、英特尔和诺基亚等等,现在除了苹果,其它公司都受到了市场转型的影响,并逐渐被市场边缘化。在创新和变化最具有生命力的计算机行业一直保持领袖地位,必然有其过人和值得我们学习思考的东西。先从 IBM 的三次成功转型【三次转型转自新浪专题*】说起吧。 从打孔卡到电子时代 上世纪 40 年代末,随着电子计算机和磁带的出现, IBM 迎来了第一次平台转型。 IBM 管理层,包括自 1915 年就出任 CTR ( IBM 前称)掌门人的老托马斯 · 沃森 (Thomas Watson senior) ,产生了犹豫。当时, IBM 的一名资深员工对第一代磁带驱动器的开发者表示: “ 你们年轻人应当记住, IBM 是一家基于打孔卡片的公司,我们的基础将永远是打孔卡片。 ” 一些人表示,直到小托马斯 · 沃森 (Thomas Watson junior) 于 1956 年出任 IBM 掌门人之后, IBM 才全面接受了这一新技术,从而进入到电子时代。 IBM 当时致力于第一代大型机 System/360 的开发,这一战略获得了成功。 System /360 的开发花费了很多年时间,以及 50 亿美元的资金,而当时还是在 60 年代。这一资金投入甚至超过了美国政府此前研发核弹的 “ 曼哈顿计划 ” 。 System/360 于 1964 年推出,很快就成为市场领先的计算平台。这一系列产品取得成功的原因主要在于兼容性,这意味着只要都是该系列的产品,那么将可以使用同样的软件。 当今社会不会给一个公司十余年的转型期,但上世纪四十年代可以, IBM 做到了 。 从大型机到分布式系统 IBM 遭遇的第二次平台转型是从大型机到分布式系统,包括个人电脑的转型。 IBM 在此次转型中遭遇了更大的危险。即使不考虑美国政府的反垄断调查,技术进步也开始威胁 IBM 接近垄断的地位,以及该公司向客户租赁昂贵计算设备的业务模式。由于大型机业务的利润很高, IBM 迟迟未能推出廉价的分布式计算系统。 90 年代初,分布式计算系统开始蓬勃发展,这导致 IBM 的业务模式崩溃。困难时刻,通过聘请顾问团队,更新管理流程,强化客户关系和信息反馈渠道,很快度过了难关。 从云计算到数据分析 IBM 很轻松地实现了第三次平台转型。在此次平台转型中,通过大型数据中心和网络提供的计算服务开始兴起,而桌面电脑则开始越来越不重要。与其他竞争对手相比, IBM 更快地发现了这一趋势。 IBM 还预计,这种云计算的发展将加速 “ 大规模数据 ” 的出现,而 “ 大规模数据 ” 是进行信息发掘的素材,可以提供有价值的分析结果。因此自 2005 年以来, IBM 已经花费了 140 亿美元,收购了超过 20 家提供各类 “ 业务分析 ” 服务的公司。 附注:说到科研创新,进入一个研究领域不容易。但能全身而退,成功转型的少之又少。在坚持自己工作的同时,关注风云变幻,带领团队追踪前沿,甚至是引领潮流则更加艰难。但引起难能,所以可贵。如何转型,从 IBM 身上可以学到很多。 * http://tech.sina.com.cn/z/IBM100/index.shtml
伟大的公司,创造了一系列 伟大的 科技与工程财富 , 创造了一系列伟大的科技巨人,包括诺贝尔奖、图灵奖等杰出科技与工程人才,引领了信息技术的潮流,为其它IT杰出公司的产生引领了航向 。 产品线众多,真正以创新为理念,领军人物具有远见卓识,不断调整航向,为IBM创新掌舵! IBM创新百年 Making the World Work Better The Ideas that Shaped a Century and a Company
可拓学走进 IBM ——记可拓学创始人蔡文研究员的学术讲座 2011年3月1日,可拓学创始人蔡文研究员应邀到 IBM 公司中国开发中心做了一场可拓学理论及可拓创新方法的应用讲座, 题目是“可拓创新方法及其在计算机等领域的应用”。在现场参加报告会的有 IBM中国开发中心研究人员100多人,还有香港、台湾和美国的IBM研究人员一百多人通过内部网络观看了蔡文研究员的报告。 “百知堂”是IBM公司分享经验知识、交流最新学科动态的平台,作为今年的首场 讲座,并且是首次邀请中国原创学科进行交流,引起大家极大的兴趣,多位员工进行了互动交流。 IBM百知堂负责人范晶给蔡文研究员发了感谢信。全文如下: “蔡教授:您好!非常有幸今天能借您从广州来北京参加研讨会的机会,请到您为我们做关于可拓学的讲座。今天的讲座深入浅出,让我们领略到这门 “前无古人,也无洋人”的原创性学科的魅力,并且在如何做研究,如何寻求创新规律方面很受启发。感谢您和李教授将长年的研究成果和心得与我们分享,令‘百知堂’蓬荜生辉。——范晶” IBM 中国开发中心成立于 1999年,位于北京中关村软件园内。 IBM的中国实验室有研究人员5000多人。 IBM 中国开发中心的研究涉及未来系统、网络技术与业务、分布式系统及管理、信息管理及交互和创新服务等领域,正逐步成为凝结 IBM 全球研究开发技术的窗口,连接世界与中国的桥梁,培养本土人才、发展本土技术的典范;同时积极推进与国内一流大学和研究机构的长期科研合作以及与客户的协作创新。 中国人工智能学会可拓工程专业委员会李兴森秘书长一起参加了本次活动,并介绍了几个典型的应用案例。活动结束后, IBM 中国软件开发实验室范晶、 IBM 全球商业方案中心李华领、 IBM 中国软件开发中心李雨恭与蔡文研究员和李兴森教授做了进一步沟通,希望加强合作,利用可拓学对下一代互联网的深度利用进行研发。 IBM是美国的百年老店,继去年十一月蔡文研究员应邀到跨国公司“上海贝尔公司”做“可拓创新方法”的报告以后,现又应邀到IBM中国分部作可拓学报告,表明可拓学正在逐步引起国内外学者的注意。
主页 IBM researchers 著名科学家、工程师、企业家诞生的摇篮,原初推动IT产业发展的伟大公司。 Thomas J. Watson Sr. (1874 - 1956) Thomas J. Watson Sr. in mid-1920's 1874 born in Campbell, N.Y. 1892 began his career at age 18 as bookkeeper in Clarence Risley's Market in Painted Post, N.Y. Later, he sold pianos and sewing machines in the same village. 1895 took a job as a salesman with National Cash Register Company and later became general sales manager. 1913 married Jeannette M. Kittredge, daughter of an Ohio industrialist. They had four children. 1914 joined CTR (Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co) as general manager. 1915 became president of CTR. After he was cleared of antitrust charges lingering from his tenure at NCR, Watson was promoted to president. 1924 CTR became IBM. 1937 became president of the International Chamber of Commerce. 1956 died at age 82. President Eisenhower declared, In the passing of Thomas J. Watson, the nation has lost a truly fine American - an industrialist who was first of all a great citizen and a great humanitarian. Thomas J. Watson Jr. (1914 - 1993) Thomas J. Watson Jr. in 1939 1914 born in Dayton, Ohio. 1933 entered Brown University. 1937 graduated from Brown University and joined IBM as a salesman in downtown Manhattan. 1940-1945 served as a B-24 pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps. 1941 married Olive Field Cawley. They had a son and five daughters. 1946 returned from war and rejoined IBM, within a year he became vice president and a member of the board of directors. 1956 became IBM CEO. 1971 stepped down as chairman and CEO after suffering a heart attack. T. Vincent Learson became CEO. Watson said, This is a very sentimental moment for me, because I am stepping down from a job that I have valued more than anything in my life outside of my own family. Watson remained on the board and served as chairman of the executive committee. 1979 served as U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union until 1981. 1985 stepped down from IBM board. Watson retired at age 70, ending more than 70 years of Watson family leadership at IBM. He remained chairman emeritus and a member of IBM's advisory board. 1993 died at 79 in Greenwich, Conn. Perhaps the most important legacy of his leadership can be summarized in just three words: IBM means service, says IBM Chairman and CEO Louis V. Gerstner Jr.