Li Wei had to admit that this Steam Mechanics Expo really was an eye-opening experience, and quite an interesting one.
The exhibition grounds were largely organized around the continent's nations, with the Empire naturally occupying the most central and prominent position.
Each nation also had a distinctly different style of steam machinery.
As the birthplace of the steam engine and the Difference Engine, the Empire had always maintained that "the Empire is the true home of steam," emphasizing sophistication, elegance, and nobility.
Simply put, when it came to steam engines and Difference Engine technology, the Empire absolutely could not fall behind another nation. It could not even tolerate another nation catching up.
And the Empire's capabilities were indeed impressive. But aside from things like steam mechs and Airships, what caught Li Wei's eye most was the latest innovation in Difference Engines!
Of course, Li Wei understood nothing about binary or decimal systems, but one revolutionary piece of Difference Engine technology at this exhibition did draw his attention.
The new Difference Engine interface used a visual display!
Although the interface was extremely crude, Li Wei knew just how remarkable this was. Entering programs into the old Difference Engines had felt rather like using DOS: you had to enter commands yourself to make them work. This visual interface had replaced command-based input with something far more intuitive in one stroke. It was no less significant than the transition from DOS to Windows!
If this were a webnovel, this would have been the moment for Li Wei to approach them and discuss working together, building a business empire, and striving to become this world's Macrohard.
Unfortunately, the Empire was no fool. Security around this thing was exceptionally tight, with fully armed guards stationed beside it. One look told Li Wei that he would