Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 1347 Overtaking on a Curve (First Update, Please Subscribe)
Technology is money!
I don't know since when, this sentence has been deeply rooted in NBC and has become a well-known truth.

Where does this truth come from?
It's an international electronics company.

The International Electronics Company, located in Yining District, Chang'an, is a company that looks... not very conspicuous, but in fact, it is one of NBC's most well-known companies.

This company was born entirely because of transistors. At that time, it was the first company in the world to realize industrialized production of transistors. At that time, it supplied 70% of the world's transistors.

It is precisely because of the rise of transistors that today's international electronics companies came into being.

Even to some extent, NBC was born. Before the invention of transistors, in the era of vacuum tubes, NBC's economy relied on exporting simple consumer goods such as clothing and toys.

It was because they invented the transistor that NBC was able to upgrade its industry later on, and achieved industrial upgrading by exporting various transistor household appliances.

It started with transistors and ordinary electronic computers, then integrated circuits, and then various household appliances. During this process, NBC has grown from a backward tropical country to a country with extremely developed economy and technology.

Not only Ivanov, the general manager of Sunan Trading Company, understood this, but Alexei, who was also an electronic computer expert, was also very clear about it.

"It was the transistor that changed everything. At that time, electron tubes were being produced all over the world, even at NBC. The first batch of electronic products they produced used electron tubes. Most of the German engineers at the time were experts in electron tubes. They were at the world's advanced level in the technology of miniaturizing electron tubes. So, technically speaking, if they had chosen electron tubes, they would definitely have had a technical advantage."

The Soviet Union and NBC do have something in common in this regard. After all, the Soviet Union also introduced a group of electron tube experts from Germany, and Germany was far ahead in the technology of miniaturizing electron tubes at that time. Therefore, it was natural for the Soviet Union to further develop this technology.

"But they finally chose transistors and integrated circuits, didn't they?"

Ivanov said.

"Yes, that's the difference between us and them."

“In the Soviet Union, the direction of scientific research was determined by the members of the National Academy of Sciences, and their research directions were determined according to the needs of the country.

We chose electron tubes because the military believed that the future form of war would be nuclear bombs dropped on each other, and transistors could not resist the electronic pulses generated by nuclear bomb explosions. Under the technical conditions at the time, unless special protection was taken, they would basically be burned and would not be practical in combat. Therefore, the military believed that transistors and integrated circuits were not suitable for future wars. To ensure advanced automated combat capabilities in nuclear wars, only electron tubes could be used. "

Alexei frowned when he mentioned this old story, and Ivanov asked:
"Haven't they figured out that transistors aren't suited to warfare?"

"They discovered it, but unlike the Soviet Union, NBC and Western countries' technological development was mainly carried out through enterprises, and the development of enterprises was market-oriented. For ordinary people, they would not consider the premise that transistors are not suitable for nuclear war, but transistors and vacuum tubes, which is lighter, cheaper and more practical."

Alexei shrugged helplessly.

"Yes, the rest is up to the market. The electron tube will be miniaturized... The market will choose between transistors and electron tubes. Whichever is lighter, cheaper and more practical, the market will choose that one, just like integrated circuits."

Although he is just a scientist, Alexei couldn't help but sigh after this incident.

"This is the most amazing thing about market will. The market will eliminate products that do not meet market demand. It will not be affected by human will."

“That’s not a correct view.”

Ivanov reminded from the side.

"But it is also true. The small size of transistors made the radio that people used to listen to on the table become a small radio that can be put in pockets. It was widely welcomed by people and sold millions of units in the first year of its launch."

Looking at the International Electronics Company not far away, Ivanov continued:
"At that time, there were many cars parked in front of the gate of International Electronics Company. As long as someone bought a transistor from there, someone would actively increase the price to buy it. It was precisely because the market demand for transistors was very high that NBC eliminated all the electron tube factories in just one or two years. Those electron tube experts either changed their careers and continued to study transistors, or became unemployed."

Ivanov's words made Alexei shake his head and sigh.

"Unemployment is impossible in the Soviet Union. Moreover, the whole country has a large number of factories, engineers and technicians focusing on the electron tube industry. It is impossible to let these thousands of people lose their jobs because of the project being cancelled due to the change of technical goals.

Not only that, there are a group of academicians in the National Academy of Sciences who are researching electron tubes. They will naturally not eliminate their own. Therefore, not only will they not be eliminated, but they will also publish articles and use their own status and influence to influence the direction of the country's scientific research development.

In the Soviet Union, scientists, engineers and factories even formed an anti-transistor community of interests. It still influences the development of the Soviet electronics industry.

As an electronic computer expert, Alexei was extremely familiar with the situation of the Soviet electronics industry.

When he mentioned all this, there was an expression of anger that was hard to conceal.

"They even used fraudulent means to oppose transistors and integrated circuits. The advantages of vacuum tubes in some aspects were not obvious, but just like the earliest cars were not as fast as horses, but in the end, no matter how fast a horse is, it can't be faster than a car. In the end, vacuum tubes can't compete with transistors."

Looking at Ivanov, the computer expert from China, he said.

"That's why you're here."

"I'm here because... we need Deep Blue!"

Alexei said bluntly.

"In order to meet the military's requirements for weapon performance and the country's development will, the Soviet electronics industry, on the one hand, never relaxed its efforts to tap the potential and development of electron tube performance, wasting a lot of manpower and material resources. On the other hand, it semi-publicly engaged in scientific research fraud and imitation to cope with the inspections and pressure from above. But... Deep Blue 2000 changed everything."

Gazing at the building in the distance, Alexei continued.

"Before Deep Blue 2000 came out, those people could still cover up everything by forging facts. However, its appearance changed everything. The advantages of transistors and integrated circuits have reached a point where those people can no longer cover up. Even those laymen in the military are fully aware of the advantages of transistors and integrated circuits. After all, it is a supercomputer with a speed of million times. In the era of hundreds of thousands or millions of times, they could still use the so-called "advantages of vacuum tubes" to cover up everything. But now it is no longer possible. It can no longer be covered up."

Sometimes reality is so cruel. During last year's "Operation Iraqi Freedom Restoration", the Soviet Union discovered that NBC had begun to use semiconductor integrated circuits in the latest fighter jets and missiles.

Although the Soviet Union only got some weapon wreckage, the performance data of these new weapons was far superior to that of Soviet weapons. War is the simplest materialism, coupled with the abnormal "2000 million computing power" of "Deep Blue ", the Soviet military finally recognized the advanced nature of transistors and tried to stop the miniaturization of electron tubes and began to turn to the research of transistors and integrated circuits.

And the reason why Alexei came to NBC this time was precisely for this reason - to buy the "Deep Blue 2000" from International Electronics.

Of course, this is just an idea of ​​Moscow. In addition to purchasing supercomputers for domestic scientific research, they also hope to purchase the "Athlon microprocessor" launched by International Electronics, which is a microprocessor with 3098 transistors. In terms of performance, it is not only far ahead of the famous 101 chip, but also more suitable for use in extreme situations. Of course, its price is also more expensive.

When thinking of this, Alexei's expression was slightly sad.

Because in NBC's experience, everyone saw what it means to overtake others by taking advantage of the curve. NBC firmly grasped the opportunity of this technological change and surpassed European and American countries.

What about the Soviet Union?

However, the Soviet Union did not seize this opportunity. Not only did it not seize this opportunity, it even missed it in vain, simply because - there was a group of people who were immersed in the glories of the past.

For those people, they did protect their own interests, but what about the Soviet Union?
And this is also the reason why he came here, because he is backward, so he needs help here.

Sometimes this is a curve. Some countries have achieved overtaking on the curve, while some countries have chosen to fall behind on the curve.

What exactly prompted them to make such completely different choices?
Until now, Alexei still had no answer in his heart. However, at this moment, he was in the parking lot, looking at the building in the distance.

It's not just a building.

Rather, it is proof of NBC's overtaking on the curve. It was at this curve that NBC, which was once lagging behind and even not worth mentioning, achieved their overtaking on the curve.

And the Soviet Union... has been left far behind by them. Fortunately, the top leaders have now realized this problem.

There is still a chance to make up for it...

“Will they sell it to us?”

While expressing his feelings, Alexei still had a hint of doubt in his heart. After all, this microprocessor was different from the civilian 101 microprocessor. The "Athlon microprocessor" was a widely used dual-use military and civilian microprocessor.

“We should be thankful!”

Ivanov said:

"It is NBC that has these technologies. Compared with other Western countries, they are more willing to cooperate with us in various fields. They are not so exclusive of us in these fields."

"Just like we imported the car production line from them, right?"

Alexei said.

"Yes, if it were other Western countries, they would never provide us with automobile production lines and the most advanced automobile technology, but NBC is willing to provide us with all of this."

Ivanov said:

"This is also the fundamental reason why Moscow thinks NBC is different from other Western countries. This is a capitalist country, but they are one of those countries that are extremely friendly to us. Isn't it ridiculous?"

The sudden question stunned Alexei and he didn't even react.

"As the only country in the world that is completely owned by businessmen, they are surprisingly the most friendly to us. Perhaps this is the truest side of businessmen."

Ivanov sighed like this because we all know what capital is. "As long as there is enough profit, capitalists will sell the noose that hangs themselves!".
They all know this, and this is the reason why they came to NBC! At NBC, they are willing to sell almost everything as long as there is enough profit!
"This is the truest side of capital, but... why is it here?"

Thinking this in his mind, Alexei looked out of the car window. This country sometimes gave him the illusion of being in the Soviet Union, or even a "high-end version".

But, this is a country of capital!

A country that is completely ruled by capital actually provides people with free housing, medical care, and pension services like the Soviet Union, and even far exceeds that of the Soviet Union.

That is why he had a certain illusion - because this is the Soviet Union.

The fundamental reason for this feeling is that they take very good care of everyone.

All this is unimaginable in other Western countries.

Maybe this is NBC.

Alexei opened the car door with emotion, and when he got out of the car, he said:
"Let's hope we can get what we want! Like we can get a car from here..."

(End of this chapter)