Free Web NovelChapter 169: Chapter 152: I want to Sell Books!
The past two months has been a sobering period for the Rubik’s Cube computer and source code.
After the publication of the ’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’ paper and his lecturing tour at Yanhua University, many felt that market would soon be flooded with a lot of ’freeware’ versions of the Rubik’s Cube calculator, and ’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’ would soon be applied broadly across various fields.
However, two months later, there are still only ’incomplete’ versions of the ’Rubik’s Cube calculator’ in the market, and ’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’ has yet to be notably applied in other areas.
Many industry insiders have had their reality check by now.
’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’ is undoubtedly a novel and highly practical method, but to apply it in other fields, one needs to have an in-depth understanding of it.
It’s like how some people handle mathematical calculations, such as trigonometry. If they don’t even understand which angle corresponds to which side, applying this knowledge to calculations will surely create a whole host of problems.
At this point, many people have finally understood why Zhao Yi said that the proof of the ’Collatz Conjecture’ was derived during the research on the ’Carrying-Unrelated Filtering Method’. Compared to ’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’, the proving procedure of ’Collatz Conjecture’ is simply a bit more roundabout. It’s mainly analysing binary data graphs. For an undergraduate student, understanding it merely requires time.
’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’ is a whole different story.
Liu Hemin, who is a top computer researcher focusing on artificial intelligence algorithm research, had instructed Zhao Yi on writing the paper. He even reviewed Zhao Yi’s lecture contents and made a special trip to meet Zhao Yi in Zhengyang to have a face-to-face exchange with him, and only then he completely understood it.
For other people who thought they could just watch a lecture or read a paper and understand it completely from beginning to end, they need ample time. Once they understand it, applying it to other fields is not that easy either.
In fact, it’s quite normal.
The ’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’ method that solved the Rubik’s Cube algorithm problem that scientists had been grappling with for decades, is indeed something highly complex.
After two months, many teams conducting related research, or teams hoping to use ’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’ to address some data mining and screening issues, have finally fully grasped this. Their solution is--
To buy the source code!
The core algorithm of the Rubik’s Cube computer is ’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’, and there are certainly some other important related algorithms. The source code definitely has research value.
Also, the source code itself has significant worth. It can solve the Rubik’s Cube’s calculation problem, push it further to solve the fourth-order Rubik’s Cube, and develop multiple features based on this.
Just this last point alone is very valuable.
A large number of companies at home and abroad want to negotiate to buy the source code.
Zhang Zhen has received one offer after another, starting with a million yuan and two hundred thousand dollars to later become five or six million yuan. And then a foreign lab offered one million dollars.
One million dollars!
Hearing this made Zhang Zhen tremble all over. As the manager of the technical department at Universe Interactive, he’s seen a lot, but domestic computer development is still in its early stages and is incomparable to other industries.
For example, the fundraising amount for one round by Universe Interactive is only 46 million yuan.
One million dollars is equivalent to eight million yuan. Such a large transaction is indeed...
"Zhao Yi, to sell or not to sell!"
Zhang Zhen’s voice was trembling over the phone.
Zhao Yi was also very excited to hear it. Upon hearing it was from a foreign research institute, he hesitated for a moment and asked, "How have the sales of the Rubik’s Cube computer been recently?"
"They stopped overseas, but they are still quite good domestically!"
Zhang Zhen stated.
The Rubik’s Cube calculator’s source code became hot, and the sales of the Rubik’s Cube calculator followed suit with a rebound.
This may have something to do with the circulating rumors that the Rubik’s Cube calculator had stopped selling overseas and was about to become ’out of print’.
’Out of print’ is always very appealing!
Although the Rubik’s Cube calculator has various issues, such as it being crudely made and having limited functions, ’out of print’ is always different. If it’s not installed on the computer, there’s no chance of installing it in the future once the software has been downloaded, because being out of print doesn’t mean it’s free.
Hence, many people have downloaded, bought, and installed it.
"Recently about one to two thousand per day, it’s estimated to be able to maintain this for a while, just that we don’t know..."
"Then let’s not sell it for now!"
Zhao Yi was still unable to make up his mind as the main buyer was a foreign lab which sounded a bit odd. He said, "I’ll think about it."
"It’s actually good not to sell."
Zhang Zhen suddenly said after calming down, "Not to mention overseas, but the domestic Internet industry is so large. Future development will definitely see resources tilting towards large companies. Many companies want to buy now, so selling to anyone would offend the others. It would also be troublesome afterwards, selling the source code would involve signing many agreements, which would affect what we do in the future."
"Alright, thanks for the trouble. I’ll give it more thought."
Zhao Yi rubbed his forehead which was starting to ache.
In the past few days, Xu Chao resorted to living at his place, studying the ’Dynamic Color Distinction’ code written by Zhao Yi. Although he hadn’t completely decided to go in it together, he was well aware of the confidentiality of the source code.
Zhao Yi still showed him the ’Dynamic Color Distinction’ code.
It’s actually thanks to Xu Chao for this code. The copied ’Dynamic Color Distinction’ execution program provided most of the input and output end information.
Subsequently.
He easily wrote the new code.
Xu Chao was pretty touched. He really didn’t have a choice, ’Dynamic Color Distinction’ is the laboratory’s outcome and although he had done most of it, it wasn’t entirely his. freewёbnoνel.com
He was just a lab worker.
Xu Chao then turned around and asked, "What did you just say, eight million?"
Zhao Yi casually explained, "Just now, an institution wanted to buy the source code of the Rubik’s Cube for eight million. I turned it down."
"They thought they could buy my source code with this little money?"
"They’re dreaming!"
He then shook his head and walked to the bathroom, leaving Xu Chao wide-eyed in shock, repeatedly muttering to himself, "Eight million...eight million...eight million..."
The next day.
Zhao Yi also started receiving information.
Some people found his phone number, Penguin Number, email; some just wanted to buy the source code, and some had other requests.
For example, some university professors called to ask him if he could provide annotated content for his paper; on one hand, it would help them understand better, on the other hand, they could use it as a subject to teach their students about advanced algorithms.
Three publishers also approached him, wondering if he was interested in writing a book.
Zhao Yi was intrigued.
Previously publishers had reached out to him about publishing a book, but he had declined outright.
But that was then, and this is now.
Back then, Zhao Yi needed to focus on his studies, he couldn’t devote time to writing a book. Now, while he still needs to study, he also has an artificial muscle--
Xu Chao!
"So, Brother Chao, are you interested in helping me write a book? Centered around the ’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering Method’ - yes, the book will be called ’Zhao’s Filter’."
"With the core code of the Rubik’s cube calculator as the principal point, I think there is great potential!"
"A publishing house said that as long as the book is written, two universities and a training institution have already pledged to purchase it as a teaching material. Even overseas, it’s bound to sell well!"
On the way to send Xu Chao off, Zhao Yi asked with great sincerity.
Xu Chao paused for a moment, "You brought me in to start a business together just to help you write a book?"
"Well, that is part of entrepreneurship too!"
Zhao Yi explained, "Think about it, I have the upper hand. I can probably get ten points, and if a book earns five or ten bucks and sells a hundred thousand copies, that’s half a million or a million."
"It can sell domestically and internationally!"
"We should publish both Chinese and English versions. Even if the English version is slightly simpler, it doesn’t matter. The most important thing is to hold the copyright."
This is what Zhao Yi came up with.
Selling the source code directly is a bit of a pitfall. There are a lot of agreements to sign, and future development using the source code could also be troublesome.
It’s better not to sell it at all.
’Effective and Irrelevant Carry Filtering’, no matter how complicated it is, is just a method. For others to fully grasp it is only a matter of time, just like Apple Company, they believe with a lot of talent, as long as the research direction is correct, they will fully understand it eventually, the source code just helps them understand faster.
In the explosive period of internet age, time indeed equals money and it’s not just a saying.
This is precisely why many companies want to purchase the source code.
Zhao Yi decided to make the code public.
Considering that the paper has been written and the presentation has been made, the source code doesn’t need to be sold anymore. Getting someone to help write a book to sell might earn more money.
Selling code is just a one-time deal, whereas the income from selling books is a constant stream!
For example, once several universities decide to use his book as a teaching material, won’t they be purchasing it every year? Universities can’t possibly buy pirated versions, right?
Zhao Yi continued, "Writing a book is entrepreneurship. It produces a constant stream of income! The goal of entrepreneurship is to make money. We can research and write a book at the same time. I’ll give you a commission..."
He held out a hand.
"Fifty percent?" Xu Chao opened his mouth in surprise.
Zhao Yi took a deep breath, stopped right there, pointed at a taxi on the side of the road, "Goodbye, take care, I’m not seeing you off!"
Xu Chao nodded with a smile, "Okay, I’ll think it over and get back to you in a day or two!"
...
Five points is not a small amount.
On the train ride home, Xu Chao carefully calculated. Profesional books aren’t easy to sell, but a book on an algorithm involving ’monopoly technology’ is bound to be snapped up in the industry.
In addition, some universities are sure to make purchases.
The major group buying such books are universities and institutions. Even if they don’t run relevant courses or study in depth, they will certainly buy some for their library.
At the same time, professional technical books aren’t afraid of piracy because the market is fixed. Even if pirate editions are sold to ordinary people, they simply won’t sell.
The sales volume of hundred thousand that Zhao Yi mentioned is just the basics. Combining the domestic and overseas markets, the sales volume shouldn’t be anything less.
A commission of five points is definitely not a small amount. It might be higher than his annual salary now.
Xu Chao was tempted.
What intrigued him was not only the ’writing and selling of the book’ but the real business venture.
Zhao Yi offered him a basic salary of ten thousand, plus five points of technical stock rights. In the future, when the company is officially run, his technical stock rights will be converted into actual stocks.
Technical stocks are direct benefits brought about by technology.
For now, they only have technology. Once the company starts to expand, things will change. It will involve some investment and bring about other forms of income and profits. The expansion of the company will require more people, so the shares will have to be renegotiated.
Five points of technical stocks does not sound like much, but Zhao Yi has almost figured out the core content. He is just ’selling labor’ to complete it, similar to the work he did in the lab.
"A noble doctorate, selling labor to a high school student..."
Xu Chao found it sad to even think about it. However, before his train reached the capital, he had already made up his mind.
To quit his job!
Compared to the toiling days in the lab where he was waiting for a promotion and barely earning any money, working on research with Zhao Yi had a future.
It was the work that he enjoyed.
And most importantly...
There were prospects of earning more money!
