HPDBC Chapter 418 Spark 3.0 Released
Chapter 418 Spark 3.0 Released
August 8, Beijing, China International Science and Technology Exhibition Center.
Wang Jianguo, wearing a dark blue shirt, stood on the stage. The large screen behind him was lit up, displaying the StarOS logo—a five-pointed star—with the words "StarOS 3.0" below. He cleared his throat, and the audience fell silent.
"Spark System 3.0, codenamed 'Mount Tai,' is officially released today."
The large screen switched to a performance comparison chart. The left side showed Spark System 2.5, and the right side showed 3.0. Several bars highlighted key metrics: startup speed: version 2.5 averaged 18 seconds, version 3.0 4 seconds, a 75% improvement; memory usage: version 2.5 averaged 380 MB, version 3.0 320 MB, a 15% reduction; power consumption: the ARM version's standby power consumption decreased from 5 watts to 4.2 watts, a further 15% reduction.
"Behind these numbers is a kernel refactoring. We changed the process scheduler from O(n) to O(1), upgraded memory management from a simple buddy system to a multi-level page table plus reverse mapping, and replaced the file system from Ext2 with our self-developed StarFS. StarFS supports logging, snapshots, and online expansion, and its performance is 40% better than Ext2."
He switched the screen, and a cloud icon appeared with the words "Nebula Service" below. "The biggest change in version 3.0 isn't the kernel, it's the ecosystem. We've introduced the 'Nebula Service' framework, which supports cloud account synchronization, app stores, and online updates. A document you write on your office computer will be there when you get home and open your home computer. If you switch to a new computer, log in to your Nebula account, and all your applications, settings, and files will automatically sync back. No USB drives, no emails, no hassle."
He demonstrated by logging into his account on a laptop, opening a document, editing a few lines, and saving it. Then he switched to another desktop computer, logged into the same account, opened the document, and the edited content was already there. The process was very smooth, with almost real-time synchronization.
"The Spark App Store launches today. It currently offers over two thousand apps covering various fields including office work, learning, entertainment, and development. WPS, Star Browser, Star Language, VLC, GIMP, Blender, VS Code, and Eclipse are all available. We welcome more developers to join the Spark ecosystem."
In the final segment of the press conference, Wang Jianguo announced something: "Starting today, the Spark System will be permanently free. The personal version is free, and the enterprise version is also free. There are no restrictions on functionality, usage time, or commercial applications."
There was a moment of silence in the audience, then applause erupted, growing louder and louder. Reporters lowered their heads and typed furiously, their flashbulbs clicking.
When the news reached the United States, Microsoft's stock price fell by three percent. A CNBC commentator said, "After StarCraft fell, everyone thought the competition in the operating system market was over. Today, StarCraft's creator, Ling Yun, has re-founded Spark, and Spark's 3.0 version tells the world that the competition has only just begun. And this time, the challenger has a sharper weapon in its hand—free, open source, and cloud integration."
After the press conference, Wang Jianguo returned backstage. Ling Yun was standing there, holding a bottle of water. He handed the water to Wang Jianguo.
"Well said."
Wang Jianguo took the water, unscrewed the cap, and took a big gulp. "President Ling, there's something I need to tell you. Microsoft won't stand idly by. I heard they're preparing a counterattack plan against Spark, codenamed 'The Great Wall.' I don't know the specifics yet, but it's said to involve licensing terms for OEM manufacturers."
Ling Yun looked at him and smiled slightly, "Are you scared?"
Wang Jianguo paused for a second, then said, "No, it's just that it will be difficult for us to expand in the future. Microsoft will keep causing us trouble, especially since you founded Spark."
Ling Yun patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about that. Xingchen was able to beat Microsoft when it had nothing. Now Xinghuo has all the advantages, so seizing Microsoft's overseas market won't be difficult. Microsoft has the Great Wall, we have Mount Tai. The Great Wall is inanimate, Mount Tai is alive."
Wang Jianguo nodded, but Ling Yun noticed that his brow remained furrowed. Microsoft's counterattack wouldn't be as simple as changing the licensing terms. Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer never won through rule-based means.
Wang Jianguo then asked, "President Ling, based on your understanding of Microsoft, what methods do you think they will take?"
Ling Yun looked at Wang Jianguo, "They win over allies, isolate neutral parties, and strike at those who pose a threat to them. That's all they do."
"We'll use every trick in the book—coercion and bribery—to keep our allies away from the stars and the sparks. So what if we lose the antitrust case? The target we were going to fight has already been acquired by AOL, and they're posing less and less of a threat to us."
"We're definitely on Microsoft's kill list, so we just need to prepare for the fight. Now it depends on whether they have any self-awareness. If they think they're Microsoft's ally, they're delusional."
Wang Jianguo was puzzled. "Isn't Weixiang an ally of Microsoft?"
Ling Guo didn't say much. "Go back and think about it carefully. Do you really think a comprador company is an ally in Microsoft's eyes?"