SWDnovel #310 - Everyone gets something
#310 - Everyone gets something
“For the DC-10K with a processing speed of 10,000 operations, our export factory price is 300,000 US dollars. For the DC-20K with a processing speed of 20,000 operations, the export factory price is 1 million US dollars. As for our current top-tier transistor minicomputer, the MC-360, our cost price alone is as high as 20 million US dollars. This is a special product, and we need to restrict its use. It can only be used for civilian and scientific research purposes such as teaching and meteorological calculations with the assistance of our after-sales service engineers. Only if these terms are agreed to will this minicomputer be allowed for export, and each unit requires a separate export license application, specifying the exact installation address. In terms of price, the factory price will not be less than 30 million US dollars.”
“As for how much it sells for in Rogue Eagle and other countries, we don't care. However, our service engineers charge a service fee calculated on a daily basis, at 1,000 US dollars per person per day.”
Facing Amos, the representative of Rogue Eagle Commercial Machines, Anke, the head of Dawn Computer Company, listed the conditions one by one.
Of course, the basic terms had already been discussed before. Amos was here today to sign the contract.
Expensive, it was really expensive!
The DC-10K was about the size of a desk, and it sold for 300,000 US dollars, so you can imagine the profit margin.
But there was no choice. Currently, Rogue Eagle's most powerful vacuum tube computer, ENIAC, was the size of a room, weighing over 30 tons. The cost alone was 480,000 US dollars, with a power consumption of 150 degrees per hour. The processing performance was only 5,000 operations, and after being turned on, due to the use of many vacuum tubes, the reliability was questionable. It probably spent half the year being repaired and checked for faults. Even so, the military regarded this computer as a treasure and wanted to increase the budget for several more units.
However, there was no need to develop this thing any further. One DC-10K was at least equivalent to five ENIACs!
More importantly, the DC-10K and DC-20K did not have limited uses. For Rogue Eagle, the value of these two computers was more important than the price.
Although Amos reluctantly signed this high-priced product sales strategy agreement...
...he didn't think he was at a disadvantage at all.
Doubling the price when he got back was a basic operation. This was a military discount for Rogue Eagle; civilian purchases would have to be at least double that!
“Mr. Anke, there are no problems with these agreements. Let us work together for the successful execution of this agreement!”
After signing, Amos said to Anke with a smile, “To celebrate the success of our cooperation, we are hosting a party tonight. We hope Mr. Anke and the leaders of relevant departments, as well as your company's colleagues, will join us to celebrate together!”
Almost at the same time, the signing ceremony for the introduction of E5 diesel locomotive and 50,000-ton synthetic ammonia complete equipment technology was also being held simultaneously elsewhere.
The introduction price of the E5 diesel locomotive technology was locked at 20 million US dollars. There was no room for bargaining because it was a one-off deal, including the subsequent patent fees for the 567 diesel engine, which were all bought out.
A complete set of 50,000-ton synthetic ammonia equipment cost 8 million US dollars, and six sets were purchased directly, with the transfer of process technology. This was considered a relatively generous price.
Expensive, this was also really expensive!
Fortunately, the transistor computer quickly recovered a wave of investment. Commercial Machines ordered 100 DC-10Ks and 50 DC-20Ks at once. At the same time, they also applied for two MC-360 minicomputers, which was a significant boost.
Most of the remaining foreign exchange was used to buy back a batch of second-hand goods at high prices from Rogue Eagle's post-war product inventory. Fifteen million US dollars were used to purchase 200 second-hand C-47 transport aircraft, and ten million US dollars were used to purchase 100 second-hand DC-3 passenger aircraft. Twenty million US dollars were used to purchase two second-hand Fletcher-class destroyers.
Although C-47s and DC-3s could already be produced domestically, the production capacity was too small, less than 20 aircraft per year. This was completely unable to meet the current domestic rapid transportation needs.
Don't underestimate the poor experience of the C-47 transport aircraft. On domestic routes, even with less than 30 aircraft, the routes were in short supply. Therefore, this time, after having the opportunity to make a big deal, Ren Zhong presided over this wave of large-scale procurement, directly bringing about a leapfrog development in the air transport industry.
Because the C-47 transport aircraft and DC-3 had complete maintenance systems in China, and even future parts would be supplied domestically, there was no need to rely on foreign maintenance services.
But Rogue Eagle was ruthless enough. The C-47 transport aircraft, with a purchase price of 85,000 US dollars, was sold back second-hand for 75,000. The DC-3, purchased for 100,000 US dollars, was sold back at the original price without any discount!
The same was true for the Fletcher-class destroyers. When Ren Zhong proposed it, he didn't even think it would be possible. However, Rogue Eagle had too much inventory. The Fletcher was nothing in their arsenal. With General Shi's influence, the purchase of this destroyer didn't take much effort.
Rogue Eagle even promoted the Baltimore-class cruiser! It could be taken away for 40 million US dollars! But Ren Zhong didn't want to waste money on this thing. The Fletcher-class destroyer was bought for the Ship Research Institute to use as a practical sample for research, and also to train the first batch of naval personnel.
After all, they hadn't obtained any good ships before, and the navy was currently too weak to be taken seriously.
However, Ren Zhong didn't actually have his eye on these old cruisers or even battleships, because in his plan, the era of strong ships and powerful guns was over, and now it was time to enter the era of missile ships.
The maturity of transistor technology allowed radar guidance technology to gradually mature.
The error of missiles would no longer be calculated using 100 meters or more.
In a major procurement, Ren Zhong purchased various precision products such as instruments and meters that were still in short supply in China, including some key power equipment such as 110kV power transformers.
The latest novel is first published on 69shu.com!
A technology introduction agreement was forcibly turned into a huge large-scale transaction opportunity.
Although Rogue Eagle didn't suffer a loss in this transaction, the introduction of transistor computers allowed them to enter the transistor computer era at once, solving some of their most urgent problems. The cost of these things was just selling off a pile of surplus technology and materials.
In particular, the performance and reliability of the purchased computers far exceeded their current vacuum tube computers, and also exceeded the first-generation transistor computers under development, which was a timely solution to their urgent needs.
At the same time, Rogue Eagle's intermediaries also earned a considerable price difference, making everything seem so good.
Only the Elco steam locomotive company was a little unhappy. They had finally connected with a batch of Chinese intermediaries and were preparing to make a big splash in the railway field. Now, with the introduction of the E5 diesel locomotive, their technological gap disadvantage was particularly obvious.
However, the few domestic capitals were not aware of this. They enthusiastically started investing in factories.
They were elated to have obtained the operating rights of three branch railways of about 200 kilometers each, believing it was a huge step forward for them.
Frankly speaking, the three branch lines they obtained, one in the Northeast, one in North China, and one in Huainan, if carefully managed for more than ten years, the development of these places would be changing with each passing day. Freight and passenger traffic were relatively active areas within the province. If they calculated carefully, there might be an opportunity to make a profit.
According to the latest railway transportation prices, it was still very hopeful to recover the investment in 20 years. However, for capital, this profit recovery space was obviously too long.
First update, asking for monthly tickets!