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Chapter 209: Launching the League of Star Apps

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

On March 22nd at 8:00 p.m., merely two days after the launch of Star Cloud 1.0 OS, Xing Hai Technologies released another software product, drawing attention from across the country and evoking a tremor throughout the globe.

Presiding over the launch at an indoor venue that could accommodate up to a thousand people, Chen Jin remotely controlled his avatar robot and introduced the world to Work Assistant 1.0.

“Our 8,324 top veteran programmers from within our country have ensured that every single line of code generated by Work Assistant will be equivalent to that written by virtuoso programmers...

“Once you are skilled in using Work Assistant, you will soon be coding on par with master coding talent!...

“It allows normal programmers to master many skills while specializing in only one. Programmers who only know Java can obtain a module of C++ code while not being fluent in C++ themselves. Back-end programmers can realize complex front-end interfacing...

“It can transform Android and IOS code into HTML5 and vice versa. It allows Java and C++ code to compile with each other, and it has certain transcoding and code translation functions.”

Of course, these latter functions were yet to be able to transform the whole application layer, but they were working for simple logical algorithms.

Finally, Chen Jin described the product’s pricing. Work Assistant would be provided in the form of computing power in exchange for a subscription fee. Every portion of computing power rated at 100 million times per second would be sold at 500 dollars.

Junior programmers could basically suffice with a single portion. This would improve their productivity by a factor of 1.5 to 2.5. Intermediate programmers could settle with 10 portions, boosting productivity by 3 to 5 times. Senior programmers could purchase at most 100 portions, improving their overall work efficiency by 6 to 10 times.

As for all 8,000 elite programmers who participated in Work Assistant’s beta test, Work Assistant would always be free of charge for them without any limitations on computing power.

The launching of Work Assistant 1.0 caused an uproar within the programmer community. At last November’s 7th World Internet Conference, Chen Jin had given a speech titled “How to Solve the Bald Crisis,” and he had described Work Assistant, the programmers with a deeper understanding of programming had expressed their disbelief. They had thought that his thinking was sound but that he was vastly underestimating the difficulties in actualizing a working product.

In just a few months, however, the legendary Work Assistant was formally announced with great fanfare as the gospel for programmers. The so-called “bald crisis” might really be lifted, at least for the programmer community.

With this evening’s announcement, however, programmers did have something to say about the product’s pricing strategy. Many began voicing their dissatisfaction during the live broadcast of the press conference.

“How disgusting! Why must they foist limitations on such a good product, just like what Baidu did to their download speed? And the pricing is so damn high.”

“I think I’d be considered an intermediate programmer. If I were to use this tool comfortably, will that cost me 5,000 dollars a month, which is one-fifth of my salary?”

“Too expensive! The most expensive software in history! Even the genuine Windows OS was only 880 dollars, and that was a one-time payment.”

“Chen Jin explained that this is to prevent turmoil within the programming industry. If our work efficiency were to improve by 5-fold or even 10-fold, what would happen to the junior programmers? They’ll all have to go home and plough the fields! The programming industry won’t be lacking people for several consecutive years, and this will kill new talent in the field!”

“Okay, we can’t rely on the conscience of capitalists. Only a higher cost will dispel their urge to lay off employees.”

“If senior programmers want to utilize the entirety of Work Assistant, they’ll need to purchase 100 portions of computing power, right? And that would be 50 thousand dollars per month? But programmers of this level can upload quality coding resources to Work Assistant’s servers in exchange for contribution points. I heard that for each point they earn, they can use the tool for free without speed limitations for a day. A total of 100 points would mean they would get to use it for free for a hundred days. It would be like they’re quenching thirst with poison. Xing Hai Technologies is getting better at their own games.”

“Oh? Fifty grand and I can use Work Assistant for free without speed limitations?” At least one veteran programmer with more than a decade of experience thought the price reasonable and would give it a try.

...

The press conference now entered its second half, although typically after the announcement, it would have ended, but it didn’t. In fact, the “real” conference had just begun.

To promote Xing Hai Technologies’ Star Cloud OS, Chen Jin announced another few key bombshells!

“I believe that all of you here are aware of Google’s overbearing behavior. With patent fees of 10 dollars for every mobile phone, plus taxes, the cost for each mobile device in the future will rise by at least 100 dollars. Not only that, but their tactics will also effectively grind down our local phone manufacturer’s last speck of profit, and consumers will spend vastly more for their devices.”

“A hundred dollars isn’t that much, but I would like to ask everyone, Are you willing to spend this money?”

A few instances of sparse voices propagated from below the stage. “No!”

“Alright. Even if most of you are willing to spend this money and are able to afford it, what if Google announces increased prices the next time around? Patent fees might rise from 10 dollars to 20, 30, and more. When various fees start piling up, how will you react?”

“Should you continue to tolerate this?”

“Google is no philanthropist. They want money. Coincidently, in these past few years, we have become stronger and richer. If they don’t earn from us, who do you think they will earn from?”

“So, what should we do? If they want our money so badly, what could we do? Should we just present ourselves to be robbed?”

Chen Jin shook his head. “No, not me, and not you either. On the day they announced that they were going to impose a fee, we started making and using our own operating system.”

He pulled out a phone from his pocket, tapped the screen, projected the phone’s screen on the big screen behind him, and said, “From now on, use Xing Hai Technologies’ Star Cloud OS, because it will be free of charge forever.”

“Wow!”

Clap clap clap!

Cheering and applause exploded from the audience. On the phone of an unknown brand, the operating system embedded on his device was Star Cloud OS 1.0!

“The software ecosystem for Star Cloud OS has yet to mature. Currently, it has about 10 simple apps, but we are using this system to tell Google, You want our money? Dream on!”

Clap clap clap!

The crowd applauded fanatically.

Chen Jin was not evading the challenges Star Cloud OS faced, either. “Of course, we are aware of the Star Cloud system’s weaknesses. The system is new, and it’s still being perfected. Its ecosystem of applications is almost at zero. Comparing it with the Android system, which has a complete ecosystem of applications, I’m afraid that 99.9% of users might be reluctant to use this system.”

“But we have determination, the capabilities, and the resources. We will strive to perfect the ecosystem of applications in the shortest time possible!

“Xing Hai Technologies will at all costs let users of the Star Cloud system say that: Not only is Star Cloud OS better than Android, it is also better than the Fruit company’s IOS system!

“We will be establishing a League of Star Apps, and we welcome all hardware manufacturers within the country to join us. Together, we will build the Star Cloud system’s underlying application ecosystem, fulfilling the customized needs of all companies.

“To all hardware manufacturers within the nation that are willing to join us, Xing Hai Technologies will provide interest-free loan assistance or financing services. We have earmarked 50 billion dollars for the first round of funds. If that’s not enough, we will increase it to 100 billion or even 200 billion dollars! Whoever wants the money only needs to ask!

“In addition, Xing Hai Technologies will be launching a development tool called Star Cloud Studio 1.0. All programmers can download it for free from the Star Cloud official website It includes everything from technical documents, the Star Cloud Virtual Machine, and the software development kit. We welcome all programmers to join us in developing Star Cloud apps!

“Not only that, within the Star Cloud Studio, we have integrated a lightweight version of the Work Assistant, a tool that will be completely free and has no speed limitations. All programmers will have access to this tool. It will greatly curtail the difficulty of development efforts and expedite productivity by a significant margin... but it is only available for the development of Star Cloud apps.”

“And last but not least...” Chen Jin prepared to announce the coup de grace. “To encourage programmers to participate in forging the ecosystem of applications for Star Cloud OS and enrich Star Cloud’s App Store, we have decided to earmark another 10 billion dollars to reward our app developers.”

“As long as the application you create is of good quality, receives good ratings, and has attained a certain number of downloads, you will be rewarded with a 1-million-dollar cash prize!

“That’s right! Fees are required if you upload apps on other operating systems, but not only do we provide it for free, but there’s also an opportunity to obtain a million dollars in cash!

“There are 10 thousand quotas for the reward, and anyone has an opportunity to claim it!

“In addition, for paid apps such as games uploaded by developers, 100% of the profits gained will be paid directly to the app developer. Whether you earn 1 billion or 10 billion dollars, we will not take even 1% from you.”

Chen Jin held open his wide arms. “Join us, hardware manufacturers within our country. Join us, outstanding programmers, join us quickly! Xing Hai Technologies has nothing but money! We ask you to please believe in Xing Hai Technologies’ technical capabilities. With the combined effort of everyone, Star Cloud OS can certainly exceed any foreign operating systems, but only if you are willing to join us!”

“The League of Star Apps welcomes all of you!”

Boom... The audience at the venue was overwhelmed with excitement.

Boom... The hardware manufacturers and programmers within the Z nation were shocked and in furor.

Boom... The higher-ups of Google were stunned and flustered.