Chapter 202: This Is Unlike Any Work We’ve Done Before
Miller has always liked the Leipzig Trade Fair. In his view, this is a rare opportunity to sell high-end free world goods to the socialism camp.
Although the free world does not buy goods produced by the socialism camp, they cannot resist the fact that the socialism camp cannot produce high-end goods themselves and has to buy products from the free world.
Soviet people dare not ban them. Even if Soviet people really prohibit them, they have ten thousand ways to sell the goods to the socialism camp.
So every Leipzig Trade Fair fully satisfies Miller’s vanity.
Especially in the electronics exhibition section.
Looking at the most advanced products in the socialism camp’s promotion, which at best can only be compared to free world goods from a few years ago, Miller feels a sense of superiority welling up inside him.
It comes both from being West Germany, the leading side, and the superiority brought by identity, as well as real interests.
He can arbitrarily suppress prices, suppress the prices of socialism camp goods, and conveniently raise the prices of free world goods in his hands.
Although on the surface socialism camp goods cannot be sold, who doesn’t have a few poor relatives in East Germany.
For him, selling East German goods to West Germany at the lowest possible price is also a considerable extra income.
That’s right, he is the sales manager of BV company.
BV company’s original name is too long; in short, you just need to know it is a 1960s West German electronic products seller.
England Bell Punch company designed and manufactured the ANITA calculator (the world’s first electronic calculator), and BV company was responsible for selling it in West Germany. BV launched ANITA at the Hamburg commercial equipment exhibition on October 10, 1961.
Miller, dressed in a neat suit, holding a brochure for ANITA in his hand, strode steadily through the exhibition halls.
He is very confident because IBM doesn’t care about the electronic calculator market at all, and America’s General Electric looks down on the small East German market, so ANITA here is dimensional reduction strike.
Miller himself doesn’t think he is looking for customers; he feels he is patrolling his own territory.
This delicious cake will be exclusively enjoyed by BV company.
Miller looked at the banner overhead with “800th anniversary” and thought, 800th anniversary is good, the more grand the better, this means more exhibitors and purchasers will come to the site, which also means this cake they exclusively enjoy will be bigger.
Inside the exhibition hall, colorful booths displayed the latest technology from various countries.
He sometimes stops to talk with potential clients, introducing ANITA’s convenient operation; sometimes observes other booths, paying attention to possible competitors.
“Our latest product, of course, it leads the world, it is the best electronic calculator of this era. If you need a simple-function calculator, ANITA is definitely your best choice.” Miller spoke eloquently.
Standing in front of him is his old friend, Hermann Schmidt, who is the procurement manager of an East German state-run store.
The “old friend” here needs quotes because in Miller’s view, the other party is a sucker waiting to be slaughtered by him.
Obviously Hermann Schmidt is also clear about this, but he can’t do anything about him because Bell Punch company’s dealer in the entire Germany region is their BV.
Every year Miller insists on selling a batch of high-priced ANITA to the other party, and this batch of high-priced ANITA is even second-hand goods after repair, but Hermann Schmidt has no power to say no because American goods are more expensive.
But he feels something is strange this time; when he introduces the new ANITA product that is about to be launched, the other party’s expression is not eager and expectant, but smirking.
“Miller, what you said is good, but can the electronic calculator you are launching next year calculate trigonometric functions?” Hermann Schmidt asked.
Miller is a bit confused: “Of course not, this is a function that only computers can achieve. Who would use a calculator to calculate trigonometric functions?”
Hermann Schmidt then asked: “What about logarithm or exponential?”
Miller is getting impatient: “What you mentioned is what computers do. If you have such needs, you should ask IBM. Oh, I forgot IBM can only sell you products from five years ago.”
Hermann Schmidt reminded: “I think you should go see the Chinese people’s booth.”
Miller may not have entered through the main door, or maybe the Chinese national flag under the poster made him not look carefully at the content inside.
Anyway, he doesn’t know that this year the Chinese people brought a flagship product which is a calculator.
He subconsciously said: “China, I know China’s Panda brand radio is good, but do they also make calculators?”
Among the products Miller smuggles from East Germany back to West Germany, the Panda brand radio from China really sells the best because it is good quality and cheap, West Germans recognize it the most.
So when the other party mentions China, Miller subconsciously associates it with pandas.
Simply from the Panda brand radio, China is indeed not weak in the electronics industry.
More accurately, among the difficult brothers and sisters in socialism, it is considered strong.
Hermann Schmidt smiled and added: “Yes, the Panda brand calculator they brought this year can not only calculate more complex functions like trigonometric functions, logarithms, exponentials, but also its size is much smaller than your ANITA.”
As soon as these words fell, Miller subconsciously retorted: “Impossible! Our technology is the most advanced in all of Europe.
How could Chinese people possibly make products so much more advanced than ours?”
He doesn’t believe it at all in his heart.
You know, the Bell Punch company that makes ANITA was established in 1878, mainly producing public transportation ticketing machines, later expanding to movie theater, horse racing ticketing systems, taxi meters, and mechanical calculators, an old-brand electronics industry company.
In Miller’s mind, the only ones stronger than Bell Punch are those monster companies in America.
IBM, this blue giant, is an invincible existence in Miller’s heart, a monster among monsters, especially after visiting the Technology Ark in New York, this concept is even more deeply ingrained in his brain.
Hermann Schmidt pretended to be puzzled: “We? Does Bell Punch know that it and the dealer are one?”
He looked at Miller’s dazed appearance and felt he had let off a lot of steam.
On Miller’s side, he finally came back to his senses. He finally knew why promoting ANITA in Leipzig today was not going well. Although these people still gave him face, none placed orders.
This time he finally understood; it turned out that Chinese people were behind it making trouble.
Miller thought, I have to see what good things the Chinese people brought.
When he approached a booth marked with the Chinese national flag, the commotion attracted his attention. Sure enough, it was much livelier here than other places.
On the booth, there was a small electronic calculator placed, surrounded by numerous visitors.
Miller squeezed into the crowd, his gaze locked on that machine.
The demonstrator was skillfully operating it, and a string of numbers quickly displayed on the screen.
“Please look, this calculator can not only do addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, but also calculate trigonometric functions and logarithms!” The demonstrator enthusiastically introduced in German, his fingers dancing on the keys. He inputted “sin(45)”, and the screen almost instantly displayed “0.71”.
Then, he demonstrated logarithm calculation again, at a speed that astonished people.
“Our XM-01 can adjust calculation precision. Ladies and gentlemen, if you want to adjust it to calculate to four decimal places, you can do it here, but the cost of obtaining higher precision is sacrificing a bit of running speed; its result feedback takes longer.”
After a series of operations by the Chinese demonstrator, he recalculated SIN45, and the displayed result became 0.707.
Miller’s eyes widened, his heart racing.
“How is this possible?” He murmured to himself, the image of ANITA flashing in his mind.
That calculator, known for basic operations, although popular in office and commercial scenarios, completely cannot handle scientific computing.
He felt a chill rising from his spine: “If this machine enters the market, ANITA’s sales will definitely be impacted, especially for business owners and engineers; this calculator is simply revolutionary!”
He forced himself to calm down, approached the booth, trying to get more information. He politely asked the demonstrator: “Excuse me, when will this calculator be listed? What is the price?”
Miller was actually cursing the Chinese person in front of him in his heart; he felt his territory was destroyed, the cake was eaten up, and the wonderful 800th anniversary Leipzig sweep was completely ruined.
He really couldn’t imagine that in front of this device named XM-01, who would still need ANITA.
The Chinese demonstrator smiled and answered: “This is our latest prototype; the specific listing time is not yet determined, but we believe it will change the computing field.”
In Miller’s eyes, the other party’s words were vague, obviously unwilling to reveal commercial secrets.
How could he know that this is because China made this globally leading electronic equipment for the first time and simply doesn’t know what price to set.
Comrades in Yanjing responsible for foreign trade and Area 51 have serious differences on pricing.
This time, Area 51 is determined not to settle for a low price.
Miller frowned, anxious in his heart.
He looked around, trying to find a promotional handbook or technical specification sheet, but there was only a simple display board on the booth.
He took out his notebook and hurriedly noted down the observed details: compact appearance, clear display screen, scientific computing functions. He knew he must immediately report this situation to Bell Punch company.
Miller quickly walked to the trade fair’s communication center, where telephone and telegraph services are provided for exhibitors to handle urgent matters.
He pushed open the glass door; the staff behind the counter was busy answering phones. He queued to wait, clutching his notebook tightly, meanwhile thinking about the upcoming dialogue in his mind.
When it was his turn, he took a deep breath and said to the staff: “I need to make an international long-distance call to London, Bell Punch company, urgent!”
The staff nodded, handed him a phone, and dialed the line. Miller anxiously waited, the phone ringing echoing in his ears.
“Hello, this is Bell Punch company.” A steady voice came from the other end of the phone.
“Johnson? It’s Miller Matthias, calling from Leipzig!” Miller tried to keep his voice steady, but his tone revealed urgency.
“Miller? So late, what’s the matter?” Sales Director Johnson’s voice carried doubt.
Leipzig is one hour ahead of London; it was already afternoon in London.
“Sir, I saw a calculator from the socialism camp at the trade fair, from China. It can not only do basic calculations but also handle scientific computing like trigonometric functions and logarithms! This poses a serious threat to our ANITA!” Miller finished in one breath, his voice slightly trembling.
“What? Are you sure? Scientific computing?” Johnson’s voice suddenly rose, obviously shocked by this news.
“Yes, I saw it with my own eyes! They are demonstrating on site, very powerful functions, simple operation, and the appearance is much smaller than ANITA.
If ANITA is a cardboard box, then it is only the size of a lunchbox,” Miller emphasized, recalling the scene at the booth.
“Impossible!” Johnson screamed followed by a long silence, as if digesting the information.
Miller said with a bitter smile: “Of course I hope it’s impossible, but this is what I saw with my own eyes. The Chinese people really brought such a calculator beyond the era.”
Johnson asked: “Can you confirm this is not a smokescreen by the Chinese people?”
Miller said: “I can completely confirm because I saw with my own eyes that it has no cables; it is even battery-powered, and the battery life exceeds my understanding.
I can hardly imagine how many difficulties the Chinese people overcame to make such a device.
Oh right, it’s called Panda.”
Obviously, the Panda name is famous, and China’s image in the industry has been tied to pandas in advance.
Johnson sobered up: “Can you collect more details? Like manufacturer, model, listing plan? Best to take photos of their internal structure and fax it over.”
Miller gave another bitter laugh: “You overestimate me too much; this is their commercial secret. How could they reveal it to me at the trade fair.
I just asked the price, and they were unwilling to reveal too much, only saying it’s a prototype.”
Miller continued: “What I’m worried about is not that it affects our market; after all, socialism products cannot realistically enter the free world market in large quantities.
What I worry about is that IBM or General Electric, Texas Instruments see it, and they make similar calculators ahead of time, then our market, our customers, especially those needing scientific computing, will all turn to such calculators.
Our time is running out!”
Although Miller is arrogant and greedy, his mind is very clear.
“Okay, I understand.” Johnson’s tone became decisive. “I will immediately convene the team to discuss. You continue to observe and try to collect any useful information. Keep in touch!”
“Understood, sir!” Miller hung up the phone, let out a long breath, but the pressure in his heart did not lessen.
He knew that the appearance of XM-01 is very likely to change the competitive landscape of calculators.
The giants who originally looked down on this field may all enter.
The richer the functions, the higher the pricing can be, which means more demand, and greater profits and scale.
In the past, giants looked down on it, but from now on, maybe not.
London, Bell Punch company headquarters, located in a modern office building.
After hanging up the phone, Johnson frowned tightly. He quickly walked to the meeting room, calling his assistant on the way: “Notify Engineering Department Smith and Marketing Department Thompson, emergency meeting in ten minutes!”
In the meeting room, several core members arrived one after another.
Johnson stood in front of the whiteboard and spoke solemnly: “Everyone, I just received a call from our West German dealer Miller. At the Leipzig Trade Fair, a brand new calculator appeared that can perform scientific computing, including trigonometric functions and logarithms. This is a potential threat to our ANITA.”
Engineering Department supervisor Smith pushed his glasses and asked with a frown: “Scientific computing? What specific functions? What is their technical level?”
“Miller mentioned including sine, cosine, logarithm and other functions; the machine is compact and easy to operate,” Johnson answered. “He saw the demonstration with his own eyes, very fast speed.”
“Impossible, right?” Smith was somewhat skeptical. “Our ANITA uses transistor technology, already very advanced. Scientific computing requires more complex circuitry; how did they achieve it? Do Chinese people have such technology?”
“Perhaps some new type of chip, or they optimized the algorithm,” Marketing Department Manager Thompson interjected. “But no matter the technical details, if this calculator enters the market, especially key markets like West Germany, our customers may be lost.”
“No, there’s no need to worry about that; Chinese products can’t enter,” Smith analyzed, not worried at all.
Johnson knocked on the table: “Sorry, we call this kind of calculator a scientific calculator. Chinese scientific calculators can’t enter, but what about scientific calculators imitated by other manufacturers?
For example IBM, or Texas Instruments, can they not enter either?
We cannot just sit and wait!”
Johnson was very angry.
Smith said: “ANITA is designed for business and office, focusing on basic operations. Adding scientific functions would greatly increase cost and complexity.
More importantly, we don’t know at all how the Chinese people did it.”
“I also think we cannot sit and wait,” Thompson said firmly. “If competitors launch such products, we must respond. Chinese products can’t enter; do we have a possibility to buy the technology from China?”
“China is different from us; their technology is not something that can be bought,” Smith reminded.
He continued: “Moreover, we need to confirm the authenticity of this threat. What Miller saw may be a prototype, not necessarily mass-producible.”
Johnson nodded: “I think we need more intelligence. Thompson, contact our industry contacts in socialism to see if we can learn more about this calculator. I don’t believe it’s completely made by Chinese people themselves without cooperation with other socialism countries.
Mr. Smith, convene the R&D team to fully assess the feasibility of adding scientific functions to ANITA.”
“Additionally,” he paused, “we can send someone to Leipzig to personally verify Miller’s report. Time is tight; we must act quickly.”
After the meeting, Bell Punch company internally stirred up a tense busyness. Engineers stayed up all night reviewing technical data, discussing how to upgrade ANITA’s circuit design.
The marketing department contacted socialism partners via telegraph and telephone, trying to dig up more clues.
Bell Punch is just a microcosm.
All the manufacturers who came to participate in the Leipzig Trade Fair, after seeing the new XM-01 launched by China, had only one reaction: place orders.
Those who can decide themselves decide, and use all their budget to place orders without hesitation.
Those who cannot decide themselves, or feel their disposable procurement quota is too small, frantically contact headquarters, requesting more procurement quota.
In short, China’s booth has been surrounded airtight since the first day of the Leipzig Trade Fair.
Quotation voices, inquiring voices, probing voices rose and fell.
Li Mingde, who is leading the team, has never seen such a scene.
In the past, even when Panda brand radios were sought after in the Socialism camp, these purchasers were not this enthusiastic.
As if money is not money.
Single unit procurement price has gone from the initial 1000 US dollars to now even shouting 5000 US dollars.
But Li Mingde knows very well that these people have bad intentions.
Because they offer high prices with preconditions: deliver as soon as possible, the sooner the better, and only order about ten units at a time.
Isn’t the purpose obvious?
It is to reverse engineer how it is done.
This is also because Li Mingde is from Socialism, so these Western Europe purchasers naturally think of suppressing the price.
In fact, if only selling one unit, 10,000 US dollars, they would have to honestly pay.
Currently, IBM’s large-scale computers are priced from 130,000 US dollars to 5.5 million US dollars.
China’s produced XM-01 definitely cannot compare with IBM in precision and uses, but China’s produced is cheap.
The XM-01 with scientific computing capability can largely replace the work of past minicomputers.
Compared to minicomputers costing tens of thousands of US dollars, China’s XM-01 has too great an advantage.
Everyone wants to copy it as soon as possible and seize this market.
This market is too wonderful.
Seizing the first-mover advantage only costs 5000 US dollars; it’s obvious they think Chinese people don’t know the market.
Li Mingde also realized this. In the telegraph he sent back, he wrote:
“To Yanjing:
Leipzig Trade Fair situation is urgent.
Our displayed advanced calculator has aroused great attention; purchasers from many countries are quoting prices. Some purchasers have obvious intentions to buy back for cracking and probing our technical secrets. The delegation is deeply confused on how to price, fearing misjudging the balance of market and technology protection.
Urgently need domestic guidance; hope to quickly discuss pricing strategy to protect technical advantages and ensure market interests.
Awaiting immediate reply.
Chinese delegation”
After the telegraph was transmitted back to Yanjing, the atmosphere in Yanjing’s meeting room was very serious.
Because previously the pricing around XM-01 was discussed by Area 51’s staff in Yanjing and foreign trade comrades.
And this time, Dean Qian came to Yanjing for a report and personally communicated with Fang Yi.
The big shots personally arguing made the atmosphere particularly tense.
Because if they still can’t decide, it has to go one level higher.
Essentially, the country’s good things are just this few.
Hard to have something presentable, everyone is extremely hesitant.
Fang Yi, wearing a gray Zhongshan suit, with a serious expression, holding the telegraph in hand, frowning tightly.
As someone who has always been responsible for economy, in coastal areas, Shanghai, finance, and even guided economic work in Vietnam, he naturally knows how Dean Qian and others consider it.
But economy is never just economy so simple.
It’s not that you can set whatever price you want; comprehensive consideration is needed.
Fang Yi first broke the silence and handed the telegraph to Dean Qian:
“Dean Qian, look, what we need to judge now is not only the pricing issue, but also whether we should follow the original plan to export our calculators to the free world via Finland.”
Dean Qian nodded: “We must export to the free world. Only there can we set high prices, and the market can digest XM-01’s production capacity.
In today’s stiff trade relations with Soviet Union, setting high prices, selling to free world, obtaining foreign exchange then continue investing, maintaining product’s leading advantage, continue selling at high prices, only then can the snowball roll.
Only then can we always have the advantage.”
Fang Yi’s expression was heavy: “Dean Qian, this matter is not that simple.
Your viewpoint is very reasonable; I also know that doing so has the greatest economic benefit.
But you just said that only by setting high prices and selling to the free world can they digest our products.
This also means our products’ sales in the entire Socialism camp are limited, which may affect our relations with the entire camp countries.
To put it more thoroughly, such pricing strategy maximizes economic interests, but politically, how will foreign comrades view us? Do our products only care about economic benefits, and not walk the path of great unity.
Domestically, it will also become a reason for others to attack us.”
Fang Yi has already said it very straightforwardly.
If the person coming was not Dean Qian, he wouldn’t say it so directly at all.
Fang Yi continued: “Moreover, you also said that our product is now world-leading, free world doesn’t have it either; they also want to buy and reverse engineer.
But Dean Qian, have you considered if, I mean if, with such pricing, selling large quantities to the free world.
They reverse engineer it, for example, you earn 50 million US dollars this year, let’s calculate high.
After they crack it, you fail to achieve the expected snowball, instead they use same-camp advantage to quickly seize the market.
We 50 million first year, 30 million second year, not even 10 million third year.
How do you explain? How to account internally? You can think carefully; at that time, even without accountability, won’t you and Academy of Sciences colleagues be affected?
Clearly earned 80 million US dollars precious foreign exchange for the country in three years, but instead gained no benefits.
Dean Qian, I understand economic operation principles very well and whether your thinking is right or wrong.
But things are really not as simple as you think.
We need to comprehensively consider from a global perspective.
In the past, the Foreign Economic Liaison Bureau has always disagreed with your plan not because we target you; actually, we respect Academy of Sciences experts and recognize the achievements you created for the country.
Comrades who have used Panda brand electronic calculator internally have no bad words. We can access Soviet goods, East German goods; we know clearly that what we made is much better than theirs.
Far ahead.
Their large electronic calculator is far less usable in calculations than our Panda brand.
So our bureau comrades are unwilling to confirm high price, do not hope you sell to free world, but walk a flat-price route serving Eastern Europe, Latin America and other regional countries; actually it is to protect you.
You came personally today, so I break it down and explain the logic inside to you.”
Dean Qian’s face became heavier this time.
In the past, he thought it was just stuck at Fang Yi.
Unexpectedly, there is such deep meaning.
What the other party said is indeed very reasonable.
Even many words hit his heart.
He also knows that following Fang Yi’s way, although no so-called excess revenue, at least much more secure.
But the problem is, can secure really catch up with America?
Can secure really catch up with America’s progress on Raspberry Pi replication?
Without getting foreign exchange, without buying more foreign precision instruments and equipment, how to maintain the lead.
Dean Qian thought of Raspberry Pi, of the rapid development of Silicon Valley computer industry seen in foreign science magazines, of IBM’s Technology Ark; he really cannot seek stability.
Seeking stability means missing the hard-won dawn in this invisible competition.
Feedback from the Leipzig site shows that the Panda electronic calculator they made has a broad market as they guessed.
Which means large foreign exchange, means can import a lot of precious precision equipment, academic journals, and more infrastructure.
After thinking for a moment, Dean Qian said: “Director Fang, thank you for your kindness; I fully understand.
But it’s really not me wanting to take risks; at such a critical moment, we have to take risks.”
If there was no Raspberry Pi, or not knowing the existence of Raspberry Pi and alien technology, Dean Qian would definitely choose the secure path, that is the path Fang Yi pointed out for them.
But precisely because he knows clearly what they want to do, how high a peak they want to climb.
They cannot miss any opportunity, no matter how small, let alone such an opportunity.
“Director Fang, I won’t make it difficult for you; I will report to the higher-ups. You wait for notification later.” After Dean Qian finished, he shook hands with Director Fang, packed his notebook, twisted his briefcase, and left.
Director Fang doesn’t know about Raspberry Pi, but he can detect the unusualness from Dean Qian’s demeanor, the explosive development of China’s semiconductor industry, and recent scientists’ movements.
Therefore, after Dean Qian left, Director Fang sighed inwardly and silently prayed for him.
He also wants to do something to protect some people.
“Respected comrades, today I propose an important suggestion concerning our country’s long-term development in science and technology and economy.
Our scientific research team has developed a globally leading electronic calculator that can not only perform basic operations but also handle scientific computing such as trigonometric functions and logarithms. This achievement far surpasses the West and demonstrates the superiority of our system.
However, to catch up with America’s leading position in the semiconductor industry, we urgently need precision instruments and advanced technology, which can only be imported from free world countries.
For this, we need a large amount of foreign exchange. I suggest using Finland for re-export trade to sell our calculators to Western Europe, America and other free world countries to earn foreign exchange.
Direct sales is not feasible. Western countries’ COCOM restricts technology exports; if we trade directly, it will cause unnecessary trouble. Finland as a neutral country has long-term trade relations with us, such as paper machinery exports, and maintains close ties with the West. They can buy calculators from us and then export under their own name to avoid political risks.
I understand everyone’s concerns about technology leakage. For this, we have done our best in design to avoid reverse engineering.
And although the calculator is advanced, it is more advanced in concept; the real difficulty for the other party is light emitting diodes, but diode manufacturing has many American companies researching; our leading advantage is limited. We must continue to increase R&D to maintain the leading advantage.
Foreign exchange income will be used to import equipment, cultivate talent, ultimately achieve technological independence, and narrow the gap with America.
Comrades, this is a strategic opportunity to utilize our technical advantages and promote national development. I earnestly request approval of this plan to add new motivation for national construction!
Comrades, I fully understand the sensitivity of this plan. I reiterate, this is not compromising with the free world, but using our technical advantages to serve ourselves. Foreign exchange will be directly used to enhance our country’s strength and reduce dependence on the West. We can emphasize the strategic significance of this plan through promotion to explain its necessity to internal comrades.”
Dean Qian strives for understanding as much as possible in public multi-party talks.
In private, among the small group who knows about Raspberry Pi, he spoke more straightforwardly:
“Our advantages are very limited; from the technology itself, we actually have no advantage.
The transistors we can make, America can also make; the light emitting diodes we can make, America can make them in at most half a year after getting them.
If we don’t occupy the free world market, it’s equivalent to giving the market away for free.
If we don’t sell to the free world, won’t other countries sell there?
I dare say, the electronic calculators we sell to East Germany will appear on West Berlin electronics company desks the next day, in London the third day, and in America’s IBM and Texas Instruments labs in a week.
If we don’t sell, it’s equivalent to giving the entire free world market to others, which doesn’t achieve technology secrecy at all.”
In the small meeting, Dean Qian spoke much more bluntly.
“What we need to do now is seize every possibility, accumulate resources, turn resources into our own technology R&D motivation and achievements.
Everyone has seen the benefits of semiconductor R&D; in the past, we could only see from Western newspapers how powerful their Deep Blue is, beating another famous human player.
Now with electronic calculators, we can also intuitively feel the changes brought by semiconductor technology development.
It can turn any ordinary person into a calculation expert overnight.
What originally took a lot of time to learn abacus, now half a day is enough, and much better, faster than abacus.
This is technical advantage.
The technological singularity mentioned by Lin Ran absolutely makes sense.
If America achieves technological singularity and we don’t, this is a more worrying technical leading advantage than atomic bombs.”
Dean Qian can be said to have poured his heart out, completely disregarding personal gains and losses.
The meeting room was filled with cigarette smoke; everyone nodded frequently.
“I’m curious about one point; your submitted report says suspecting Lin Ran is a product of alien technology modification; I’m also very interested in this.”
After the other party finished, he looked at Dean Qian. Dean Qian pondered for a moment and said: “This is just suspicion.
Because what he can do, no one could do in the past.
We suspect that America obtained alien technology and performed biological-level modification on him; his brain is different from ordinary people, just like Einstein suspected to be a super brain; we suspect his belongs to a modified super brain.”
After hearing this, the other party smiled: “I have a suspicion; I suspect the technological singularity mentioned by Lin Ran may not refer to artificial intelligence.
More accurately, not only artificial intelligence.
Possibly also including biological modification technology.
We assume Lin Ran underwent alien biological technology modification.
If such modification can mass-produce scientists like Lin Ran.
That would be how terrifying.
Or, America figured out part of the principle, increased success rate, lowered mutation degree.
For example, collectively modify their citizens’ intelligence level, let everyone have PhD intelligence level. This is again how terrifying.
This can also bring technological singularity.
Our entire citizens stuck at junior high or even primary school level, literacy at most lets them recognize words, while their citizens all PhDs; the gap between them, just thinking about it keeps me awake.
The more we emphasize the importance of people, the more we must recognize that if the other party can achieve racial upgrade like the little mustache always wanted, so-called pure-blooded Aryans.
If America can really use alien technology to achieve pure-blooded Americans with natural IQ advantage, then chasing them would also be difficult.
This coincides with the concept of technological singularity.
So everyone, when facing Area 51 work, also consider this aspect, thinking must be sufficiently divergent.
This is different from any work we did in the past.”
This is leading in thinking framework; his imagination is even richer than Dean Qian’s.
After listening, Dean Qian felt that although the other party spoke fantastically, from the level of all Area 51 intelligence, he had to admit it was very reasonable.
“Technological singularity is not necessarily brought by artificial intelligence; it may also be brought by humans themselves.” He finally asserted.
“I agree in principle with Dean Qian’s proposal.
Because we don’t know what America’s biological modification equipment is like, I guess its volume is particularly large; even White Horse wants to give it to us, he can’t.
Now there are two paths: one is computers, one is biological modification. The latter we are blind, know nothing, talent reserve almost zero; for us, this is a field where we put in ten parts effort and get zero return at most, at best maintain a tracking stance.
The other path, computers we have achieved significant results. If our computer technology breaks through, even if the other party modifies humans, we can barely catch up with human plus computer mode.
This path can also create a lot of foreign exchange income, can derive from radios to televisions, calculators and computers; we have no reason not to invest in computers and related technologies.
My suggestion is, for Area 51’s R&D, production, operation and all aspects work, treat them as enterprise standards, delegate power to them to do it themselves, everything with catching up America as the first priority; we only look at results, not others!”
