Reborn in America: Starting as a California Resident

"It's a great pleasure to meet you, Dr. Engelbart."

On a bright afternoon on June 6, 1979, after settling his affairs in Hong Kong, Henry arrived early and booked a nostalgic coffee shop in Cupertino, California.

Today, he will meet with Dr. Douglas Engelbart, the inventor of the mouse.

As the clock struck three, an elderly man dressed in a light blue shirt and khaki trousers entered the coffee shop.

He wore a pair of slightly worn leather shoes, and his graying hair revealed the marks of time, while his gentle smile made people feel very friendly.

Henry quickly stood up to greet this pioneer in the field of science and technology, extending his hand in a polite greeting.

"Mr. Getty, I am equally honored."

It's unbelievable that the founder of America's number one software company is so young and handsome!

Douglas Engelbart responded with a smile, and then the two walked together to a table by the window.

Golden sunlight streamed through the clean glass window, spilling onto the tabletop and giving the afternoon a warm glow.

After the two were seated, the waiter came to take their order.

After Henry politely inquired about the doctor's preferences, he ordered two fragrant specialty coffees for each other.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Henry got straight to the point.

"Doctor, I've come here today with a sincere intention to discuss the mouse patent."

I believe this invention has immeasurable value; it can greatly improve the user experience.

The doctor nodded, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm for technological advancement: "That's right, I've always been committed to making information processing more efficient and convenient, and the mouse is an important part of that vision."

Henry continued, "Our company recognizes the importance of this technology and hopes to work with you to promote it to a wider market."

Therefore, we have prepared a preliminary cooperation proposal and would like to hear your thoughts.

Having said that, Henry took a document from his briefcase and respectfully handed it to Dr. Engelbart.

The doctor took the document and began to review it carefully.

Outside the window, time seemed to flow slowly along with the street scene;

Inside, the soothing background music added a touch of harmony to the meeting.

A moment later, Douglas put down the documents in his hand and met Henry's gaze.

"Your plan looks very detailed, but there are a few aspects I would like to discuss further."

First, there are the specific terms of the patent grant;

Secondly, it is about how to prevent the technology from being misused;

Finally, I hope that a portion of the profits from our collaboration can be used to support my research team, as we still have many innovative concepts waiting to be realized.

Henry listened attentively and then nodded solemnly.

"Doctor, your concerns are reasonable."

We can certainly discuss the specific terms of the authorization in detail and establish corresponding mechanisms to avoid the risk of technology being misused.

As for supporting your research team, it is our bounden duty.

After all, driving technological innovation is our shared dream…

As the conversation progressed, the two gradually moved into discussing specific details.

Whether it's the cooperation framework of the business model or the outlook on future technological trends, they meticulously analyzed and discussed every aspect with great enthusiasm.

"In my view, we are standing at the starting point of a new era, Industry 4.0."

This marks a new stage in the industrial revolution, characterized by intelligent manufacturing.

"Industry 4.0?"

Douglas was immediately surprised and curious upon hearing Henry's eloquent speech;

In this day and age, the concept of Industry 4.0 is not as ubiquitous as it was in the 21st century;

This is a forward-thinking idea for anyone.

He immediately adopted a solemn demeanor and respectfully inquired, "Could you please explain this in detail?"

"sure,"

Seeing that his topic had successfully piqued Douglas's curiosity, Henry smiled and confidently stated, "In my understanding, Industry 4.0 has several key characteristics."

First, it is a people-centered strategy.

From design, manufacturing, logistics, sales to maintenance, the entire production cycle is seamlessly integrated with the customer, allowing consumer demand to directly drive production, sales, and even logistics, in pursuit of the best user experience.

"Secondly, there is the connectivity of the digital world."

Relying on powerful communication technologies, it tightly connects equipment, technology, production lines, factories, products, workers, managers, suppliers, customers, and services, forming a digital network.

"Third, we need to introduce new factors of production."

Here, data becomes a crucial means of production, with sensors, smart devices, and terminals ubiquitous around the world, enabling an all-encompassing Internet of Things.

"The next steps are the collaboration and integration of technology and systems, improving automation levels, promoting intelligence, transforming from products to services, and building a larger ecosystem, etc."

Industry 4.0 is not just about the innovation of a single technology, but rather the comprehensive application of multiple existing and developing technologies.

The manufacturing industry of the future will no longer be limited to individual automated units, but will be fully automated as a whole, and will enhance the flexibility, efficiency, productivity and quality of manufacturing systems through interconnection.

The goal is to create intelligent products, intelligent programs, intelligent factories, and intelligent service systems, ultimately building an intelligent industrial ecosystem that enables companies to shift from simply selling products to providing a combination of products and services.

By leveraging new industrial platforms, we can achieve broader resource allocation.

Seeing Douglas's furrowed brow, Henry added, "Simply put, Industry 4.0 is the process of integrating information and communication technologies with traditional industrial manufacturing."

For example, the mouse we're discussing now, and the graphical user interface our company is about to launch, are early examples of this integration.

"Imagine a future where countless sensors, robots, and other intelligent devices are interconnected, forming a vast network."

These devices can exchange data in real time, optimize themselves, and even maintain themselves.

Imagine how efficient production would be if machines on the production line could automatically adjust parameters based on changes in materials, or if predictive maintenance could reduce downtime!

"So, Mr. Henry, how do you think we should find our place in this transformation?"

At this moment, Douglas wore a thoughtful expression, clearly showing his keen interest in the topic.

Henry replied firmly, "Doctor, I believe that what we are doing is laying a solid foundation for this future."

The widespread adoption of mice and the application of GUIs are both aimed at making it easier for ordinary users to master complex technologies.

Our collaboration with you is an important step toward that goal.

If you are willing, Dr., I would like to formally invite you to join our team today. Let us work together to ensure that Industry 4.0 arrives as soon as possible!

I believe that people today are already fully prepared to welcome the new era!