As for the goal of producing a cash register in three months, Franz actually felt it had been set too low. After all, historically, the inventor of the cash register had taken less than a year from initial conception to developing a finished product.
During that time, he had only his brother, an entry-level mechanic, as an assistant, while he himself was merely a bar owner with an elementary school education.
Of course, the inspiration of many geniuses could not be measured by education or material conditions, but Franz's presence could completely solve this most difficult problem.
There was no reason the Austrian Empire's top scientists and engineers should be inferior to two amateurs.
Still, it had to be said that at this time, countries other than the Austrian Empire might truly have been unable to develop a cash register.
High-strength components and high-precision gears alone could stump 99% of countries, and with rotary punch-card technology added to the equation, every country other than the Austrian Empire could be ruled out entirely.
Even among high-precision lathes, there were still degrees of precision—the slightest error could lead a thousand miles astray. And aside from the Austrian Empire, other countries could not afford high-carbon steel springs, or perhaps could not produce them at all.
Sure enough, Babbage had barely finished assembling his staff, and before he had even completed his drawings, the engineers below had already cobbled together a rudimentary cash register by hand with their own imagination.
Babbage stared blankly at the cash register before him. It seemed capable of performing every function Franz had requested. Seeing this, the other engineers asked.
"Can we call it done?"
"No!"
Babbage could not keep face. What had happened before had already displeased Franz; if he botched this matter too, there would be no