Rebirth of America, this is my time

Since a better future can be achieved quickly by taking shortcuts, it is inevitable to reach a cooperation agreement with Xerox. While Steve Jobs went back to sort out Apple's financial reports, Ethan did not stop and worked frantically for a better tomorrow.

First of all, it was naturally to connect with Douglas Engelbart, Vinton Cerf's good friend and the founder of modern personal computers. After Jobs left, Ethan and Evelyn worked together to find each other's home based on the information given by the Stanford Research Institute.

Douglas Engelbart lives in Atherton, which is only two and a half miles from Palo Alto, and it takes less than ten minutes to drive there. Perhaps because he ran fast, when Ethan arrived, the old gentleman was enjoying dinner with his family.

Since Ethan is already a household name, everyone exclaimed when he appeared. The elderly man in his fifties was waiting to learn that Ethan Jones and his friend's student Evelyn Johnson suddenly appeared. After realizing that what he came for was the long-forgotten graphical user interface, he immediately enthusiastically pulled the two of them into his home.

Finding that they hadn't eaten yet, the old man took the initiative to invite them to the table and kept shouting sorry.

"Oh Ethan, Evelyn, although it's our first time meeting you, I'm actually no stranger to you. I didn't know you would come over at this time, so the dinner was just ordinary."

"I hope you don't mind."

"Oh - Doug - you are too polite -" Evelin smiled and waved her hand, saying: "We took the liberty of disturbing you first. If you don't mind, it is already the best welcome."

"Moreover, we usually have three meals in the cafeteria of the Stanford Research Institute. We are all ordinary people, and we are all busy for life. There is nothing rich or not."

"Okay, Okay, Okay..." Douglas nodded with a smile, his face full of comfort.

"As long as you can accept it."

"Let's eat first."

"Is there anything we can talk about in the study later?"

"No problem." Ethan nodded with a smile.

After finishing the meal, the group of people got into the study.

While sitting down, Ethan also told the reason for his arrival.

When Douglas learned that the guy who prompted the two to visit today turned out to be Xerox, he immediately guessed the specific situation, and was waiting for Ethan and Evelin to express that they were very interested in graphical user interfaces and wanted to After investing in him to continue his research, the old man rubbed his hands together excitedly.

“Are you really willing to pay for my research?”

"Yes."

"I want to know, are you ready to bring it to market?"

"Of course, Apple will be responsible for this."

"Woz?"

"Yeah, you know him, right?"

"Yes, yes, Lockheed's research center and my research office are on the same campus. Of course I know that little fat guy who likes to make mischief."

Speaking of Wozniak, Douglas had a smile on his face, "He is great. He has really brought personal computers into people's homes. This is something many people want to do but can't do."

As if he felt that his words were somewhat ambiguous, the old man quickly added another sentence.

"Of course, you are also very good."

"You are trying every possible means to promote personal computers, constantly telling the public what computers can do and what computers can bring to the public. This really impresses me."

"So, if you want to promote GUI, I'm definitely welcome, but..."

"How to solve it at Xerox?"

"After all, they were the ones who found you first."

Douglas got to the crux of the matter.

Ethan came here today mainly because he wanted to test Douglas' tone.

While embracing both Douglas and Xerox allowed him to have it all, people are complicated.

Everyone has a different personality, different thinking, and different values. If Douglas is deeply resentful of Xerox and just doesn't want to cooperate with them, then no one can force him.

Not only that, forcing it may also damage the relationship between the two parties.

so……

Ethan decided to tell the truth, "Doug, Xerox's products are good and we need them. At the same time, your technology and ideas are also an indispensable part of the graphical user interface."

Master Duan Shui's words made Douglas laugh out loud, "Okay, Okay, I understand."

He nodded slightly and said, "It seems that Xerox is doing a good job."

"In that case, you should cooperate."

"You mean..." Ethan wanted to get an accurate answer.

"Your cooperation with Xerox should be through Apple, right?" Perhaps because both parties knew the details, Douglas did not hide it and said directly: "I don't want to meet those guys, but I want to get scientific research funding. "

"So, can Destiny Games give me an office?"

"Like Edgar Corder."

"Or you can buy my company directly."

"Same as Bill Mensch."

"I think I can do it for another ten years."

Douglas’s choice made Ethan very happy!

Although he doesn't want to meet people from Xerox, as long as he is willing to join Destiny Game, it means that he will provide his own ideas and suggestions for the development of graphical user interfaces.

This……

enough.

Since Xerox has already come up with mature products and Apple's final spokesmen are Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, it would be the best choice for Douglas to be a consultant.

If he insists on forcibly participating in research and development, it will cause conflicts.

After thanking Douglas for his choice, he sat in his house for a while and chatted for a while. Ethan, who had nothing else to do, stood up and left. Before leaving, Douglas's child, a young man about the same age as Ethan, suddenly took out his camera and wanted to take a photo.

After asking carefully, I found out that they were also fans of the Destiny game.

There is even a Johnson home console in the living room of the house.

The sudden accident surprised Ethan. At the same time, he fulfilled the other party's wish. Not only that, he and Evelin also left blessings on the host:

‘I wish the Engelbart family happiness and health. ——Ethan Jones, Evelyn Johnson’

"Eve——" On the way back, Ethan called out his sister's nickname while driving.

"Um?"

"I'm sorry to trouble you about Doug's affairs. You can keep an eye on him these days and ask him to move here as soon as possible."

"Okay." Evelin understood what Ethan meant, "I will come over again tomorrow to discuss the acquisition of the company with Doug. Don't worry, no one can take him away from us."

After getting on the line with Douglas Engelbart, Ethan's first task was completed, and the second task was, of course, to buy all the patents related to graphical user interfaces from the Stanford Research Institute. This matter is easy to say, but a bit complicated to say difficult, because when Ethan handed his list of demands to the current director of the Stanford Research Institute...

This guy says he can't make the decision.

"Ethan, purchasing patents in large quantities has happened before."

"But this matter is not something I can approve. It needs to go to the board of directors."

"You know, the greatest significance of the existence of Stanford Research Institute is to attract enough outstanding companies to Stanford University to establish their research laboratories."

“As long as high-tech companies continue to settle in the park, Stanford teachers and students will continue to have access to cutting-edge jobs and experimental projects.”

"But that's not the only goal."

“Creating revenue for the school is also one of the institute’s missions.”

"And every time a company comes to purchase patents in large quantities, it means that they will commercialize the results of these patents in a short period of time."

"For schools and research institutes, this is actually a good profit opportunity."

"So every time this happens, the board of directors will meet to discuss at what price these patents should be sold to help the school operate better in the future."

"This……"

"It's actually between you and Fred, isn't it?"

The current head of the Stanford Research Institute looked at Ethan with a smile.

"You go talk to the principal."

Since the other party said so, Ethan naturally wouldn't hesitate and went to the principal with the list in hand.

When Fred Terman learned that the graphical user interface that caused a sensation more than ten years ago was finally possible to be commercialized, he immediately sighed with emotion.

"very good……"

"That's why I founded the institute..."

"For one day in the future, products that change the world can be born from our Stanford..."

"I don't know when this day will come, but I know..."

"You seem to have never lost?"

"So you want these patents, then take them..."

"However, I want to make one thing clear."

"If it is held by Destiny Game, you can pay whatever amount you want."

"But if Apple holds it, then I hope Apple can exchange it for shares."

"Destiny Games is your company. If the school has difficulties in the future, you will definitely help. But Apple is different. It is not our Stanford company, so..."

"Whatever these patents are worth, we will sell them for."

"Okay?"

The old principal sitting on the recliner raised his head.

The thick lenses sparkled in the sunlight.

"Yeah~"

Ethan understood what the old principal meant, "I will come with Apple's financial statements."

"Okay." The old principal nodded, "I'll wait for you."

Since Fred Terman wanted to separate his relationship with the graphical user interface and seek some benefits for Stanford, which he had been in charge of his whole life, Ethan naturally would not refuse.

What's more, when multiple interests are mixed in Apple, on the surface, it seems that doing business in a formal manner is reducing his wealth, but in fact this approach is more beneficial to him.

As the old principal said, Apple is not his company after all.

As the development of Destiny Game gets better and better, Stanford will unswervingly support the companies it has hatched, so after they enter the Apple game, they will only vote with Ethan. In this fact In front of him, Ethan's wealth has indeed decreased, but his control has intensified.

In this case...

The whole thing fell back on Steve Jobs.

Perhaps because Xiao Qiao could not wait to embrace the future, it took him only three days to complete on August 4 all the accounts of Apple since its establishment on April 1, 1976. It was sorted out clearly and handed over to Ethan's hands.

On the surface, Ethan needs to study four years of accounts, but in fact, what he really wants to see is only the financial report for the first half of this year. Because there were no projects in 1976, Lawrence Rockefeller had already reviewed the accounts for 1977 when he was investing. The statements for 2078, that is, last year, were published a few months ago during the first national video game competition. He has already finished reading it.

As for the accounts for the first half of this year...

That's really beautiful.

Stimulated by the spreadsheet launched by Microsoft, sales of Apple II and external disks have skyrocketed. In just six months, 5 and a quarter of the floppy disk drives have sold 280,000 units. Calculated at a selling price of US$495, this product alone has brought Apple Operating income of $138.6 million.

And the second generation of Apple...

Throughout the first half of the year, Apple sold a total of 110,000 personal computers.

Since Jobs lowered the price of the product to $1,195 at the beginning of this year, the operating income of this product was $131.45 million.

That’s right!

In just six months, Apple has already earned 270 million!

Although the figure of 270 million is not enough compared to Johnson's three-day sales of 600 million home consoles, under the control of new CEO Roger Corrin, Apple's daily operations have improved. It's much better. The gross profit margin of personal computers can be 13%, and that of floppy disks is even higher.

It can be 17%.

When Ethan saw this number, he realized how evil capitalists can be.

The floppy disk drive was not invented by Steve Wozniak, or in other words, before the advent of Apple's external disk, there were actually similar products on the market.

But not only are they very expensive, their capacity is also very small.

When Steve Jobs sold the external disk for the cheapest price of 495 US dollars on the market and still made a 17% gross profit, other companies' similar products were simply killing pigs!

but……

This is actually a good thing.

If those people are not evil, how can they reflect Apple's conscience?

After all, there is no real good or bad in this world, there are only contrasts.

When the gross profit margin can be accurately calculated, Apple's gross profit in the first half of 1979 can be clearly seen. When the figure of just over 40 million was captured by Ethan...

The corners of his mouth raised involuntarily.

"Even if our sales figures grow steadily in the second half of the year, our gross profit this year will still be 80 million."

"If this was a listed company, its market value would be at least 1.6 billion."

"Really?" Jobs' eyes lit up.

Of course he believed in Ethan's judgment and asked just to express surprise.

Because at this moment he owns 31.5% of the company's shares!

This means that his net worth exceeds 500 million!

more importantly!

He is only twenty-four years old!

What is the concept of a twenty-four-year-old half-billionaire?

Wherever this special code is placed, it is the representative of Niubi Dafa!

Note: ① I have raised Apple’s sales data and moved it a year. In reality, their market value on the first day of listing on December 12, 1980 was US$1.778 billion.