Chapter 46: Japanese Manufacturers

In the early 1970s, the semiconductor industry was seen as a last straw, an opportunity for the American economy to transform. Sadly, Americans didn't realize this, or if they did, they couldn't stop technology from flowing out. As long as it wasn't exported to the Soviets, everything else was fair game.

Americans clearly knew that relying on their production capabilities, they would probably never be able to popularize personal computers. Being a junior partner to America, Japan was fortunate; their best role was producing all sorts of electronic products.

Cars, motorcycles, and household appliances were all learned from the West, but their Western teachers met unfortunate ends, almost beaten by their students. Now, America had a new toy, something very appealing, and they had to find a way to get it.

Americans loved buying out patents. If Japan was willing to spend money, they wouldn't hold onto them. Cashing out quickly was the sensible thing, as if they sold late, other companies might get their hands on it. They didn't expect that their own memory factories would eventually crumble, and the ridiculous income from selling patents wouldn't even cover the cost of laying off workers.

They were still mocking White Software for giving up a lot of dollars to share profits with the Japanese. Many years later, America finally learned this method, and by then, White Software had become a behemoth. Obviously, they missed an opportunity to rise.

While large computer companies were still struggling to decide their direction, they suddenly discovered that the microcomputer had already gone international. White Software not only solved the problem of small European languages but also addressed Asian character input. With a character card, the Apple II was unbeatable, and a flood of orders from Asia quickly drove their sales up to 30,000 units per month.

Now, nobody could sit still, and other countries with small languages were clearly furious. A small company could solve the problem, but they were told it couldn't be done.

...

With increasing production in Asia, Apple was already considering Japanese manufacturers. The licensing model used by White Software was good; although 5% seemed small, it was steady income no matter the circumstances.

"Markkula, our third-generation machine has to have this multilingual function," Jobs said eagerly.

Markkula looked troubled and said, "Jobs, I'm afraid it's not that simple. His so-called character card involves a pile of patents that we can't just take and use."

"Darn it, that guy's just a fool; he's blocking human progress," Jobs said, visibly upset.

"Calm down, Jobs, it's not that big of a deal. The licensing fee isn't very high, and we're still discussing the details."

Jobs twitched at the corners of his mouth. He was really annoyed. In his view, this kind of thing should be open.

He thought, "You didn't invent Japanese characters, so why charge fees for them?"

By now, William White had completely set aside any pretenses. As long as you paid, it was all good. If not, he'd show you the door. 

...

The movie shooting was almost done. Just a few more snow scenes and it would be wrapped up. If time was tight, his team would finish it for him. If they couldn't handle even such a simple job, they'd be out.

Though he hadn't seen his dog in a while, it was still affectionate. His family took good care of it; at least nothing was broken. The dog was actually well-behaved. Its destructive nature was just because its owner wasn't home. If you gave it enough to do, it usually behaved.

William White had a bit of humor about him, having a dog and cat living together. The American Shorthair cat in his house wasn't afraid of it, often giving it a slap, while the dog rolled around and whined to him, as if saying even a cat couldn't be handled, guarding the house was impossible.

Seeing its owner jump in the pool, the dog followed eagerly. It was, after all, a breed from the cold regions, and California's heat significantly affected it.

With a rascal spoiling his swim, William White soon got out of the pool. It was odd; the dog had been mostly looked after by servants while he was away, yet once William returned, the dog ignored the servants.

Despite being a bit silly, the dog was loyal to its master. If only it were a bit smarter, it could indeed be a great pet.

"Fulton, how are our silver futures going?" William asked with curiosity.

Fulton replied with a smile, "Pretty good. We've sold about 20% in the US without anyone noticing."

"Good, London's not a worry, it's the US where things can go haywire."

"Our traders are cautious, and with our trading volumes, they're not likely to notice anything."

"I see, Fulton. Go ahead and get us a plane. Look for a suitable 747. With the economy so bad, some folks might have placed orders but lack the funds to buy them."

"Alright, Master, I'll have the family check if there's something suitable."

William White used planes frequently, but Bombardier planes were too small; he disliked their looks. Moreover, four-engine planes felt safer. It's believed that as long as one engine worked, it could land safely.

William White had very little sense of security with airplanes. There was no Airbus 380 yet; otherwise, he'd prefer that over a 747. Apparently, the bigger the plane, the safer it seems. Whether it's psychological comfort or actual safety, William White decided to buy a big toy, at least for the appearance of safety.

*****

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