I think what the first message is referring to is that in the file [UQM-install-dir]/doc/manual.txt exotics are listed as being worth 20 RU, rather than 25 as it is in the game (I'm playing the Win2k 0.2 EXE and I found this to be the case).  It's a simple misprint, in the section entitled PLANET LANDING under the listing for EXOTICS.