Chapter 214 Bill Gates' crazy idea
Seattle, Redmond.
Microsoft was founded in 1975, but they only moved here a few weeks before the company went public in 1986.
Compared with futuristic technology companies, Microsoft headquarters is 'simple' like an office building, and each building is named after a number. Due to the large number of buildings, if you look down from a height, the entire Microsoft campus is more like a small town.
This is not an exaggeration.
Since the entire park adopts an open design, it covers a relatively large area, close to 495 acres. If you have to compare, the largest urban park in Seattle, Discovery Park, is only 534 acres. The entire Microsoft The park is equivalent to an exploration park at 0.92. When employees travel, they don't drive or take shuttle buses. On that day, they have to spend time on the road.
Of course, for founder Bill Gates, commuting is not a problem at all.
The most famous landmark in the Seattle area is Lake Washington. The shore of Lake Washington in the central area is the famous mansion area here. Bill Gates’ home is here, and the Microsoft campus is on the east side of Lake Washington.
Not only that, the earliest batch of office buildings in the Microsoft campus were built along the lake. In order to allow employees to enjoy the natural scenery outside the window at any time, and to ensure that each office has sufficient sunlight, these office buildings are all X-shaped , and his own room can still enjoy the lake view, if he wants, he can even choose to swim home.
Unfortunately, he is not in his office at the moment, but in the No. 33 visitor center building.
The huge hall is extremely empty, with only one ruined wall standing in the center.
If you look at the introduction sign in the lower right corner, you can know the identity of this wall.
This is the broken wall of the Berlin Wall that was torn down in 1989.
On February 8, 1996, it was presented to Bill Gates by Mercedes-Benz, which cooperated with Microsoft.
"I heard from others that whenever you have time now, you like to come here and stare at this wall?"
"If you really like this wall, let someone move it into the office, so you can see it every day?"
A familiar voice came from behind, and Bill Gates, who was standing in front of the graffiti, laughed without turning around. With his hands in his pockets, he knew the identity of the visitor, and said directly: "I like this wall, but I don't like it." Would love to see it every day."
Hearing this, the elegant man in a plaid shirt stood side by side with him. While carefully looking at the wall, he didn't stop talking, and asked, "You think it symbolizes Microsoft's mistakes, right?"
"Yes." Bill Gates nodded and sighed, "The future world is not PC, but the Internet."
"I found out, too late."
After the Windows operating system appeared, Microsoft became a hit.
In 1995, it was already a giant in the IT industry, monopolizing nearly 90% of the market, with nearly 18,000 employees, and an annual revenue of 13 billion. It can be called the darling of the times.
Because the situation is so good, Bill Gates, who made his fortune with the operating system, stubbornly believes that the PC is the future, and the web browser is just an ordinary application software. It is this kind of thinking that allows Netscape to seize the opportunity of fate. .
Waiting for Netscape to crazily harvest the incremental Internet users that were continuously generated due to the birth of the Internet, Bill Gates realized it.
Microsoft, wrong.
The Internet can make people's demand for personal computers skyrocket.
Without the Internet, an operating system that relies on PC shipments to survive is not worth mentioning.
At the same time he discovered the problem, Netscape CEO Baxter proudly told the "Time" magazine reporter, "The Internet is a place that will not tolerate mistakes. If Microsoft is wrong this time, it will never find it." on the right path."
It is true that for ordinary self-made people, this battle can bring them back to the original point.
But Bill Gates is not self-made!
The superior family background made him understand one thing since he was a child.
If you can’t solve the problem, then get rid of the person who caused the problem.
It is not terrible to make mistakes, but despair is to have no money to buy answers.
Unfortunately, Netscape rejected Microsoft's acquisition request.
But it doesn't matter, buy the kernel and tinker with IE yourself!
But the problem is that even if he asked Microsoft engineers to stop their work and devote themselves to the development of Microsoft browser IE, the user experience of IE is still not as good as Netscape.
Such a situation caused him a lot of headaches to find PC equipment manufacturers and persuade those guys to let their personal computers use the Windows operating system and embed the IE browser at the same time.
My own products are not as good as yours, so I will engage in bundled sales and use monopoly means to crush you!
It's a pity that Microsoft still failed to overwhelm Netscape after the two must-kills came out, but slowly eroded the market, and there was no immediate effect. Therefore, Bill Gates, who was full of confidence two years ago, really I'm in a hurry.
My special code has already violated the "Antitrust Act", but it still can't beat Netscape?
But the problem is that IE is really bad, and the unstable user experience is really bad!
Even if it is bundled and free, it is not as easy to use as Netscape!
No matter what era it is, users are so simple, UC shocks the department, penguins scare people to death, and they don't see serious content at all, so everyone can publish today's headlines from the media, of course the latter is the last Attractive!
But it doesn't matter, Microsoft has plenty of money, and they also found a bug in Netscape.
When Netscape dominated the browser market, like Microsoft, which dominated the PC market back then, it was not prepared for danger in times of peace.
Windows is an interface that people cannot bypass when using a computer, and Netscape browser is an interface to the Internet, but it is undoubtedly wrong to only become an interface. Only by controlling the interface and controlling the content can one be invincible place.
Now Netscape's business model is still the same as that of Microsoft back then, staying on selling software.
The company that really controls Internet content is Yahoo!
Netscape didn’t realize the value of Yahoo at all. They only knew that controlling the interface would control the world, but they didn’t realize that the interface can be changed, but the content is eternal!
Regardless of the operating system or the browser, these are just tools!
People are not interested in tools, they can replace them if they work!
However, the content is different!
The key to driving people to connect to the Internet is the rich content of the virtual world, and companies that sell content that users like have grasped the essence of the Internet! At the moment, it is not Microsoft who really enjoys the dividends of the Internet! Not Netscape either!
Instead Yahoo!
"So, you want to buy Yahoo, don't you?"
"If my information is correct, you were the one who placed the purchase order with Carl Icahn?"
"Yahoo went public on April 12, 1996, and now it is April 10, 1997. In two days, the stock in Roland Allen's hands has passed the freezing period. Carl Icahn will be able to Bought it straight away."
When the elegant man turned his head with a smile and looked at Bill Gates with a playful look, his plain words detonated thunder.
Yes, Carl Icahn didn't tell the truth to Roland before.
It is true that the removal of board members and tinkering can make Yahoo sell better.
However, it was not his original intention to focus on Yahoo, but a buyer had already placed an order.
As the wolf king of Wall Street, how much money can he make by manipulating stock prices?
Accepting large orders like acquisitions and helping buyers successfully acquire their favorite companies is the real source of big profits!
Faced with such words, Bill Gates was not surprised. He finally looked away from the broken wall of the Berlin Wall. He turned his head to look at it with a heart, and said with a smile: "Yes, it is indeed my order."
"I talked to Carl, and he asked Roland, Roland meant to sell the shares."
"Really? Why did Roland sell the shares?" The elegant man, who was still as calm as water, was surprised.
The next second, he asked again: "Could it be that Karl told him your identity?"
After saying this, the elegant man showed a helpless smile, "Could it be because of us?"
"But now, he has no intention of going against the Sixth Congress."
"And Steven, for the time being, has no intention of doing anything."
That's right, the only guy who can chat with Bill Gates like this is the founder of Microsoft, but he left Microsoft's Paul Allen; when Microsoft was facing the Internet crisis, this guy who also lived in Seattle was fine Come chat with friends.
Although he left Microsoft, his property can never be divided with it.
His conjecture is also very simple—'he thinks that Roland is willing to sell Yahoo shares because Carl Icahn told Roland the real buyer, Microsoft, and Microsoft is the real backer of DreamWorks. The closer the two parties cooperate , when any party encounters difficulties, it can get the most effective support at the first time. '
"DreamWorks and Warcraft Film and Television want to mix in Hollywood, it is useless to rely on connections alone, and Microsoft, which also wants to enter Hollywood, can provide him with a lot of money and the most cutting-edge graphic technology, even if he encounters a tricky one. They can also give effective support under the pressure of public opinion, and the most fundamental thing to get this kind of mutual help is close cooperation on weekdays. '
‘When Microsoft needed it, Roland sold Yahoo shares. This is the cooperation of resource exchange. '
However, Bill Gates shook his head and denied his old friend's opinion, "No, Carl didn't expose me."
"Roland also made a condition with him, what he wants is Marvel."
Marvel?
Paul Allen was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, "Marvel? Oh, is he addicted to filming Spider-Man?"
"I remember you collected his information before, and I have read it."
"In that document, it is clearly stated that Roland holds the filming copyright of all Marvel characters on the market."
"Is the copyright not enough? He also wants to swallow the whole company?"
"As expected of the students taught by Steven and James, they really have personality."
"Steven likes to collect copyrights, and James always likes to play big..."
"Under their combination, the Roland who was taught directly started to eat other companies?"
"But this is also good, it can be regarded as an equivalent transaction, and we don't need to owe him favors."
"I heard about Steve."
"Hey, according to the development of the company, you shouldn't help him, but according to the depth of the relationship, I support you."
Thinking of this, Paul Allen was deeply moved.
The debt of favor is the most difficult to repay.
Don't say that the company doesn't care about human feelings, it's all bullshit!
You helped me when I was in a slump, and now you are in trouble, I will also help you.
Microsoft and Apple have been fighting for so many years, and Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have always been inseparable.
But now?
When Jobs returned to Apple, Bill Gates directly supported him with 150 million yuan. Not only that, he also let the foundation under his name acquire Apple shares, eliminate those shareholders who opposed Jobs, and send him to the top.
Companies may be impersonal, but the helm is also human.
When Jobs left Apple that year, Microsoft took the opportunity to sign the best contract with Apple to help its development. Apple agreed that if Microsoft continued to provide software for Apple, it would allow Microsoft to use some of Apple's graphical interface technology.
Without this deal, Windows might never have succeeded, and now that Microsoft has succeeded, and Jobs has returned to Apple, then Bill Gates also hopes that genius can lead Apple back to its feet.
Bill Gates has always felt that a world without an opponent is terrible.
Because of that, they will lose their way forward.
If Steve Jobs had been at Apple, Netscape might not have appeared, and Microsoft would not despise the Internet.
But when it comes to Jobs, Bill Gates sighed.
Patted his old friend on the shoulder, signaling him to follow him.
When the two walked back to Bill Gates' office, a stack of three-inch-thick documents appeared in front of Paul Allen.
"This is?" Paul Allen asked doubtfully.
"Look for yourself." Bill Gates put his hands on his hips.
Such a situation made Paul Allen puzzled.
But after he opened the document, the first line on the first page made him frown!
【Shouwang Venture Capital has been buying Microsoft shares aggressively since February 7th. As of March 9th, it has held 10.48 million shares, currently worth 159 million. 】
The second line made his eyes widen even more!
【Shouwang Venture Capital has been buying up shares of Apple since January 14th. Until March 15th, it has become Apple's largest shareholder, with its shares accounting for 10.73% of the total share capital. 】
"He can't be crazy!"
When Paul Allen saw these two lines of words, he was in shock!
Who does Shouwang Venture Capital belong to? If the public doesn’t know, will they not know?
When people mention Yahoo, they think of Jerry Yang, who is at the helm, and David Olsen, the luckiest investor, but which one of them at the top of the industry doesn’t know that the real boss is Roland Allen?
Everyone felt that Roland Allen was so lucky that he was able to hit Yahoo, an outlet for Internet content, and Amazon, the largest online bookstore that was about to go public, was also within their monitoring range.
Almost everyone believed that the upcoming listing of Amazon could double Roland's net worth.
And at this time, he, who has been betting on start-up companies, actually bet heavily on Apple?
Not only that, but when everyone bad-mouthed Microsoft and felt that he could not beat Netscape, he built a position backhand?
This, this, this...
Is this special code brain-dead?
"Don't you understand?" After seeing the shocked face of his old friend, Bill Gates laughed, "I didn't understand it before, but if you turn it back, I think you can understand it... "
"Why?" Paul Allen asked curiously, but while he was asking, he took the initiative to turn the document to the second page.
If the two-way transaction information on the first page shocked him, then the records on the second page made his scalp tingle.
【Shouwang Venture Capital holds a 67% stake in IMDb, which is the largest online movie database in the world. 】
【Shouwang Venture Capital holds a 15% stake in Amazon, which is the largest online bookstore in the world. 】
【Blizzard Capital wholly-owned Blizzard Entertainment, Blizzard Entertainment is the world's largest real-time strategy game content provider. 】
A piece of information made Paul Allen frowned. After he read all the content assets held by Roland, he raised his head again, his eyes were filled with shock, "His thoughts, and you it's the same…"
"No, his thinking is ahead of yours!"
"Yes, I only saw the third floor, but he is already on the fifth floor."
Bill Gates didn't hide it, nodded very seriously: "Everyone thinks that Yahoo is the one who really gets the Internet dividend, but no one sees that Roland Allen is already using the Internet dividend to realize crazy cash."
"For example, the traditional media such as ABC and CNN are equivalent to the interface for people to know the news. In the past, after people learned the news, they could only communicate with their friends in reality, but now, with the Internet, people can use Windows This PC interface, open the Internet interface of Netscape, enter the content aggregation interface of Yahoo, and talk freely with strangers on the message boards of various platforms..."
“Although from the appearance, each interface is very important, because without them, people cannot become netizens and roam freely in the ocean of the virtual world, but we all ignore one problem.”
"The interface is mutable, but the content is eternal."
“People choose Windows because we use commercial means to force them to use Windows.”
"People choose Netscape, or our IE, because they can only choose Netscape and IE."
“People choose Yahoo because it has the most features right now, and they can only choose Yahoo.”
"Once something that can replace the interface appears, all interfaces will be greatly challenged!"
"Yes, we replaced Apple, but someone may replace our PC interface in the future!"
"With the development of the times, people may abandon Windows! Abandon Netscape! Abandon Yahoo! But they will never abandon IMDb! Amazon! Blizzard Entertainment! Because what Roland sells is the real needs of users!"
"content!"
“We used to think that Yahoo is content, but it is actually a content interface!”
"Only Roland is really making content!"
"Look at how much money Roland has made from Internet users!"
"IMDb's advertising fee! Amazon's merchant commission! Blizzard Entertainment's game payment!"
"Roland's money alone is several times that of Yahoo!"
"But because he didn't take the company public, no one ever found out!"
"The interface is easily replaced, but the content is not!"
"Just imagine-"
"Years later, when people look up movies, they go to IMDb."
"Why? Because it is the largest and most professional provider of movie data content in the world!"
“Years later, when people buy a book, they go to Amazon.”
"Why? Because it is the largest and most professional book content provider in the world!"
“Years from now, when people play the game, they might think of Blizzard.”
"Why? Because Blizzard is working hard to become the world's largest provider of game content!"
"Choose Microsoft, Netscape, and Yahoo because users have no choice!"
"But IMDb, Amazon, and Blizzard are all chosen by users!"
"The former is just a habit, and the latter is what users like!"
"Passively accepting users may be the number one in the world, but actively supporting users will make him invincible!"
When Bill Gates knocked on the table emotionally and said this, Paul Allen, who was also not a fool, naturally understood the other party's thoughts, and after discovering the limitations of Microsoft in the interface battle, both sides agreed that , content production is the best way to win over users, so Microsoft created MSN, and combined with NBC to create MSNNBC, which provides interactive online news services to users 24 hours a day, unfortunately...
Still can't handle Yahoo, and it's hard to make a profit.
That's why they wanted to acquire Yahoo, and then bundled Yahoo to IE, using the PC interface and content interface as a bundle, crushing Netscape in one fell swoop, but at the same time they wanted to get Yahoo, Roland's behavior shocked them.
If investing in Yahoo and Amazon is just luck, then the current content layout is definitely not luck.
Roland's current behavior is that users don't know what they want, and we have already done what they need!
Coupled with the content interface drainage, Roland is one step ahead of everyone, and this step can get rid of everyone!
Bill - Gates and Paul - Allen believe that Amazon will never be an online bookstore.
As long as there is a chance, with Roland's current layout, it will definitely become an online Wal-Mart.
Once it is done, it is a monopoly.
"But...it doesn't make sense!" After thinking over and over again, Paul Allen, who was silent, suddenly discovered a problem.
"If Roland wants to create content crazily, then he can't sell the channel of content interface!"
"Once the Yahoo shares are sold, it will be very difficult to use Yahoo to attract customers to IMDb, Amazon, and Blizzard Entertainment like now! Because once we get it, we will definitely ask him to pay the registration fee!"
"Yes, I didn't think about this question before."
Bill Gates heard the words and said bluntly: "But now, I think the problem may be on the horizon. He bought the shares of Microsoft and became the largest shareholder of Apple. Isn't he just trying to become the controller of the PC interface? "
"His real layout may be in the future, people use his computer, use his browser, go to his website, enjoy the content he provides! Then on his platform, express the information he wants to see Feedback!"
"There are too many types of content, and there is no way to monopolize this kind of thing, and the content he is doing now is all related to his own industry!"
"His roots are in Hollywood, so he invested in IMDb. His uncle controls the Double Star Group and sells derivative products, so he invested in Amazon. He and Steven both like games, so he got Blizzard Entertainment!"
"He controls all the content he likes, but he wants to monopolize the entire industry chain of interface and content!"
Paul Allen was stunned, not because Roland Allen's layout was too crazy, but because he felt that there was something wrong with Bill Gates' thinking.
Monopolize the entire industrial chain?
Is this more difficult than monopolizing an industry?
Using Roland's computer, open Roland's browser, through Roland's portal website, watch movies produced by Roland, play games produced by Roland, and consume on Roland's special sale website?
It’s impossible even if you think about it!
If Roland was informed of their guess, he would definitely jump up in surprise!
Because of Bill Gates, I guessed it 80%!
And the remaining 20% ??- of course, watching my news channel (ABC), playing with my mobile phone (ios, Android), using my social software (Facebook, ins), based on my search engine (Google), take the child to navigate to my paradise (Disney)!
Children only do multiple-choice questions, but I want all of them for adults!
"William, I think..."
However, before Paul Allen finished speaking, Bill Gates interrupted his words and said with a smile: "Do you think I am too tired now and want to lead IE to beat Netscape too much, so I am crazy? "
"Uh..." Paul Allen didn't speak.
"I also feel that I am crazy." Bill Gates admitted openly: "Because my speculation is really crazy, he is just a child who will grow up next year, how could he think so much!"
“Also, I really don’t believe he’s going every step of the way.”
Hearing these sensible words, Paul Allen breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, a madman will not admit that he is crazy.
However, before he could be happy with his friend's rationality, Bill Gates said again: "However, when Steve Jobs made the Arkanoid, he was only one year older than Roland Allen."
“Some people, the meaning of existence is to interpret success.”
"Otherwise, you can't explain why he was popular for eight years."
"What is said in Hollywood now is not that Steven Spielberg can create the impossible, but that whoever owns Roland Allen can break the global box office record. Now the world's total box office ranks No. 1. The second one is him, and those data analysts firmly believe that as long as Roland is willing to keep filming, he will be the only one on the entire list."
"Now he has surpassed Harrison Ford, but he seems to be the only one who can beat him."
The fact of the bare fruit left Paul Allen speechless.
After staring straight at his old friend for a long time, he sighed and gave up: "Well, did you call me here today because you wanted to tell me these things? If it's just to describe Roland's crazy ideas , I have heard it."
After seeing his old friend give up persuasion, Bill Gates also laughed, "No, I called you over today, just to tell me that I want to meet Roland Allen, and I hope you can help me. "
"Oh, my God, you want me to ask Steven out for dinner, and then let him call Roland out by the way?"
"Yes, how, is it difficult?"
“Steven is doing Lockdown Rage now, and after that, he’s going to the UK to shoot Saving Private Ryan, and Roland will be in, so I don’t think they’ll have time to come…”
"No time to come over? It doesn't matter, we just go to Los Angeles. You invited me to visit DreamWorks, learn about DreamWorks' current projects by the way, and then have a meal with them. Isn't that just right?"
Looking at the joking smile of his old friend, Paul Allen was really convinced.
Is Roland Allen really so important? Is it so important that you can let go of IE's research and development control now and go meet each other?
However, even though he had doubts, Paul Allen did not refuse.
First, he understands that his old friend has been busy with the IE project for two years without taking a break. It is also a good thing to go for a walk now; It's actually very troublesome to untie.
Since this is the case, it became a matter of course to help him match up.
However, before contacting him, he thought of another question, "So... since you are going to California, do you want to call Steve? Microsoft has invested in Apple, and Roland is the largest shareholder of Apple. Let's meet. As it should be."
Hearing these words, Bill Gates, who was in a good mood because of his old friend's answer, smiled even more happily, "Of course, call Steve out and let him meet Apple's largest shareholder."
"He might never have imagined in his life that the Apple he was so proud of was actually controlled by Steven's students, right?"
"You know, the current Pixar animation has launched a revolution in computer animation."
"But when DreamWorks Animation learned from it, the apple he was most familiar with was no longer his apple."
Since the old friend can still tease, it proves that he is still normal now. He nodded in response. When he took out his mobile phone to look for the number, Paul Allen asked casually, "Then... Will Yahoo still buy it?"
"There is no rush for this matter, I have already greeted Carl Icahn."
"After IE4.0 is released, we will be working on this matter."
"Of course, our goal now is to meet Roland first."
Note: ①Microsoft really defeated Netscape in October 1997, after the release of IE4. . ②Microsoft really thought about buying Yahoo back then, and killed Netscape directly through the PC interface and content interface. It was said that after Yahoo went public, its stock price halved in half a year, just to prepare for the acquisition, but I did not expect that IE4.0 let Microsoft Turned around, and at the same time that Microsoft trampled Netscape to death, antitrust investigations appeared, and Microsoft simply had no time to acquire Yahoo. ③MSN is a portal website, and Yahoo was the benchmark back then, but before the millennium, it had never been played. ④Bill Gates' crazy ideas are based on the description in "Top of the Wave" written by Dr. Wu Jun. According to the book, Bill Gates fell into madness during the period when he led Microsoft to defeat Netscape. All Microsoft projects have stopped, and he is fully committed to developing IE. He can do anything as long as he can beat Netscape, and he has only seen this kind of madness twice, and the other time was on the founder of Google. ⑤As for crowding others out with bundled monopoly, Microsoft has also used it on Yahoo and Google, but Yahoo and Google have also signed pre-installation agreements with HP and Dell to squeeze Microsoft in reverse. These big companies have no serious business . ⑥Microsoft invested in Apple after Jobs returned to Apple. Bill Gates said that this was a commercial investment behavior, but Steve Ballmer admitted that the crazy decision in 1997 was to save Apple and help Jobs clean up competitors.
(end of this chapter)
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