The journalist exposed all the absurdities, leaving no stone unturned. They were simply unbearable to look at.
Surprisingly, William White's popularity did not decrease but increased instead. His novel continued to be best seller.
Cultural figures tend to be a bit eccentric, often experiencing life in their own way. Moreover, this guy was very young. If he acted mature and restrained even in school, it would be truly frightening.
Readers prefer to immerse themselves in the stories they read. If the author is too aloof, they might not like it.
At that moment, things were looking great. William White was seen as a little punk whose unexpected hardships inspired his creative spark, which readers found very relatable.
Speaking of which, this guy had a tough life. At such a young age, he lost both parents and was now bullied by a big family.
And those damned banks! They were really going too far.
You should know that in this era, many people lost their businesses because of banks. William White's experience was a true reflection of many people's real-life situations.
Those dozens of banks were indeed in a tight spot. Now, White didn't even talk about financial restraint anymore. Instead, he directly accused them of colluding with the Hunter family, which was a terrifying accusation.
...
William White couldn't care less about these matters. He didn't need loans anymore. It was all just a show for others.
"Fulton, are the patent lawyers ready?"
"They will be here tomorrow, sir. It won't delay your work."
"This batch of patents is enormous; make sure to arrange everything promptly."
"Yes, sir. They are professionals with extensive experience in this area."
William White was very busy, checking the software repeatedly. Although it was still quite crude, in this era, it was something new and definitely would be embraced by the market.
"Everyone, just endure for about another month. We'll be moving to Silicon Valley soon. That's where we belong."
"Alright, boss. We've checked these many times already. There will be no issues."
"Good. However, these are just for the Apple system. You need to make other systems work too. Whether this company takes off depends on this moment."
"Don't worry, boss. We'll complete it as soon as possible."
"Very well. Work hard, everyone. My company has an equity incentive plan. Your future mansions and villas are in this, so push hard -- I'm not joking."
The guys started working like crazy, almost as if they had taken a shot of adrenaline.
Fulton didn't know what his Master was busy with, but it was evident that he took it very seriously.
Seeing the group so excited, it was clear it was something significant.
These guys were high-paid hires. Anything that could excite them was definitely not simple. It seemed the rise of the White Family was in sight, and the Misses and Sir would likely be very gratified.
Faced with a pile of patent applications, the two dedicated lawyers were stunned. These would keep them busy for a month.
What exactly were these things for? They had no interest. They charged by the hour, so the more responsibilities they had, the more money they made.
In this era, selling computer software was not good in terms of packaging or promotion. Advertising was also tough as there were no suitable media. To most people, calculators and computers were almost synonymous. In fact, computers were not as useful as word processors and typewriters.
The solution was crucial to changing this embarrassing situation. Computers of this time didn't have printer interfaces, significantly limiting their usage.
Luckily, William White had perfect solutions for all these problems. The Apple II could realize these functionalities. Surely, Steve would be very happy to see them.
...
In fact, Apple's founders were troubled lately. Even though their business was okay, the user experience was awful.
Software in this era was considered elite. Programmers were not cheap, not like in later years. Finding a college graduate was considered good; this era's college students were truly the pride of the heavens.
Computer science was a hot major, and without solid foundations, you couldn't even get in.
Studying at a university in America was a luxury. If you couldn't get a scholarship, better just sleep on it. University fees could bankrupt you.
American parents didn't support their kids much, except for the wealthy.
Kids over 18 had to fend for themselves. The middle class was slightly better, but ordinary folks really had no way.
Want to go to college?
Fine, earn it through work-study programs. Join the army for two years if you have to. The message was clear -- solve your issues yourself.
...
White Oil resumed trading, and the Hunter family stopped causing trouble. Naturally, the stock price couldn't maintain its current level and dropped to around $2.3.
This left the Hunter family completely trapped. Now, forget about cashing out; they might even have to be forced to buy more shares.
A transparent conspiracy often has no solution, unlike a hidden one. If a hidden conspiracy is uncovered, it loses its edge. But with an open one, even if you know about it, you have no choice but to confront it directly.
...
William White's software wouldn't be so crude. Proper packaging and technical documentation were essential. Selling a bare floppy disk for $100 would show disrespect to both customers and themselves.
He couldn't handle the compatibility cards, so OEM was the only option.
No wonder America wasn't suitable for production. A simple printer card cost over $150.
Though it was infuriating, there was no other choice. Looking for manufacturers in Japan right now was too late.
No wonder Americans loved selling licenses; manufacturing wasn't profitable. Directly converting it to cash was easier and more carefree.
Thankfully, that wasn't his focus. Licensing out these cards was better despite a profit margin over 100%. When considering inventory, there wasn't much money to be made.
"Fulton, have people make these things."
"Sir, how many should we produce?"
"Twenty thousand for the official versions and five thousand for the others."
"Yes, sir. I'll arrange it immediately."
Fulton was speechless. This was beyond his understanding. He racked his brain but couldn't figure out what his Master was selling and why the profit was so high. Even robbing a bank didn't seem this profitable.
If it was just a one-shot deal, it wouldn't be surprising. But his Master clearly planned to do this for the long term. Why else apply for so many patents?
No, he had to keep an eye on these patents. They were exclusive deals. No wonder his Master showed little interest in oil; this was more profitable.
Fulton wasn't wrong. The big players in the industry focused on mainframes.
What was a personal PC?
A foolish game console, nothing more.
*****
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