"Begin inputting the hotel's daily revenue, then calculate the total revenue for the month."
"Deduct all expenses, calculate monthly profit, and average daily earnings."
In a very simple office software program, once the relevant data was entered, the desired results were quickly produced.
Meanwhile, the manual accounting team tasked with comparison was still calculating.
"I declare the office software successfully developed!"
Lin BaoCheng clapped his hands and announced loudly. This wasn't the first verification test — every time, the software's data‑processing function proved far faster and more convenient than manual work.
"Great!" "YES!" "Woohoo~~"
Aiden Sherlan, Peter Roslin, and the other developers cheered. Months of effort had finally borne fruit.
The software was still quite simple, with only three main functions: word processing, data processing, and database. This was inevitable — in 1978, features like image or video processing were impossible.
Word processing: for editing, formatting, and proofreading text. It allowed office staff to quickly and easily prepare documents, improving efficiency and enabling paperless work.
Data processing: primarily spreadsheets, calculating figures across industries with speed and accuracy, reducing errors.
Database: for storing data. Capacity depended on computer memory, but stored data could be easily retrieved.
Isabella clapped and said: "Boss has decided we'll hold a celebration party tonight at the company. Everyone must attend — enjoy yourselves!"
"Wow!!"
The office erupted in mock wails of excitement.
Parties were already part of American culture. When Isabella asked Lin for approval, he didn't object. To succeed in this country, one had to integrate, not remain an outsider.
The software was complete, but for the company this was only the first step. Next came sales. Without profit, even the best software was meaningless.
But since the software had just been finished, and the party was scheduled for that evening, sales strategy could wait.
That night, the celebration was attended by all New Century Software employees.
Lin also joined. Since most staff were men, with only a few women, models were invited to liven things up. They were there to drink and socialize, but if employees managed to take them home, the company wouldn't interfere.
The next day, a meeting was held to discuss sales.
Lin and Isabella already had ideas. The meeting was to communicate those plans and ensure management understood. After all, managers couldn't be left in the dark.
The software was designed for computers. At that time, personal computers were just emerging; large computers dominated.
Institutions buying large computers included government offices, banks, hospitals, schools, and major enterprises. They used them for office work, making them prime targets for office software sales.
The personal computer market couldn't be ignored either. Families wealthy enough to buy PCs often had office needs too — potential customers.
After the meeting, Lin called Aiden Sherlan and Peter Roslin into his office. Though Aiden was head of R&D, Peter was also highly capable, so both were included.
"Aiden, Peter," Lin said. "Now that the office software is complete, your department's tasks are: upgrade the current software with more features, and develop new programs."
"Boss, do you have ideas for new software?" Aiden asked.
"I do. Database functionality," Lin nodded. He had long considered this. "I want you to expand the database function into a standalone product. Organize, store, and manage data by structured divisions, creating a data warehouse."
"It should be a large, organized, shareable, centrally managed collection stored long‑term in computers. Capacity should reach millions, tens of millions, even billions of records."
"Data shouldn't be stored randomly. Structured organization improves query efficiency."
"As for sources of data, they can be collected gradually. No rush — the software isn't built yet."
Lin explained his vision of databases. He believed such software had great potential, since the future of the internet depended on data.
Aiden said: "Boss, storing that much data will require massive servers."
Peter added: "Only IBM sells such large servers, and they're expensive."
Lin smiled: "We don't need to buy them now. First develop the software. Don't worry — the company will have money for servers."
Since the boss said so, Aiden didn't argue further. Instead he said: "Boss, during development we may still need your guidance."
"I'll only step in when you encounter difficulties. Day‑to‑day development is your responsibility," Lin replied.
He couldn't spend every day at New Century Software. He had many ventures. At most, he would solve problems when they arose, not work like an engineer.
Aiden and Peter felt a little regret, but accepted it. Lin was the boss. They couldn't expect him to do their work better than them — otherwise, why would the company need them at all?