I’m in Hollywood - Chapter 1190

[Chapter 1156 Bill Gates’ Conditions]

Five years ago, the reason why Microsoft was willing to cooperate with Yahoo was mainly because Yahoo browser, a breakthrough software product, could promote the promotion of Microsoft’s new-generation desktop operating system.

However, when windows95 was a great success, and Microsoft’s Windows system dominated the rivers and lakes, Bill Gates gradually felt that Microsoft suffered a big loss in this cooperation with Yahoo.

Yahoo browser quickly monopolized the GUI browser market by taking advantage of windows95, but Microsoft has only obtained a promise that cannot be fulfilled in the short term.

Therefore, Microsoft has had the idea of tearing up the contract more than once.

However, in the initial period of time, due to the influence of the 30% forward equity subscription option thrown by Eric, Bill Gates has always had the idea of annexing Yahoo, and he was a little hesitant about tearing up with Yahoo.

In the following years, with the outbreak of the Internet wave, Microsoft realized that the original contract even became a constraint for Microsoft to follow the trend to expand its Internet business.

Although the Yahoo browser is the default browser of the Windows system, the control of this software has always been in the hands of Yahoo.

Through the traffic guiding role of the Yahoo browser, the network interface, Yahoo Portal has occupied more than 70% of the Internet portal market, and has gradually created Yahoo’s current market value of more than 170 billion US dollars.

In contrast, Microsoft’s msn portal gets almost no help from Yahoo’s browser.

However, when realizing this, it was too late for Microsoft to break up with Yahoo again.

Through Yahoo’s technology alliance and tens of thousands of patent barriers, Yahoo’s advantage in the Internet business has been deeply rooted.

Five years ago, if Microsoft refused to cooperate with Yahoo and developed its own GUI browser alone, even if it would be a year or a half behind Yahoo in time, it would still be able to create a new standard with its extensive operating system platform advantages. Yahoo competes.

But now that Yahoo’s series of technical standards have been used on millions of Internet sites, Microsoft, no matter how strong, can’t regain the initiative in the Internet field where it has fallen behind by five years.

It can be said that the cooperation plan with Yahoo five years ago is definitely the most significant decision-making mistake by Microsoft, which has been running smoothly all these years.

Even within Microsoft, there is no shortage of criticisms against Bill Gates himself, who personally decided on this cooperation.

Many people think that if Microsoft can independently develop a graphical interface browser, relying on its monopoly advantage in the operating system platform, a lot of the scenery of Yahoo should belong to Microsoft at this time.

After testing each other for a while, when Amy Adams brought their lunch, Bill Gates picked up the cutlery and cut a piece of the steak in front of him, and then began to gradually reveal his trump card.

Although the 30% forward equity subscription contract has become tasteless, Microsoft does not intend to give up easily, and it must still get enough benefits from Yahoo and even the Firefly system.

“Eric, you really don’t want to sell your Yahoo shares to Microsoft, do you?”

“Of course not,” Eric nodded and said with a smile: “However, after the transaction, whether it’s getting $50 billion in cash or 10% of Microsoft’s shares, it’s a lot for me to take advantage of.”

Looking at Eric’s smile at this time, Bill Gates suddenly thought of the situation many years ago, when he took advantage of the contract with Apple to launch the windows system and was scolded by Jobs bitterly.

Although the attitudes of the two people are very different, the uncomfortable feeling in Bill Gates’ heart is exactly the same.

Turning his eyes to the food in front of him for a moment, Bill Gates still couldn’t find a suitable word to describe Eric at this time.

Of course, if he has studied Chinese, he may be able to easily find some appropriate adjectives from the extensive and profound Chinese, for example, black belly.

He cut off another piece of steak, but Bill Gates didn’t pick it up with a dining fork, but raised his head and said, “Eric, Microsoft has a three-month hesitation period, but from the current situation, Nasdaq It is absolutely impossible for the index to last for another three months. Once the Nasdaq collapses, Yahoo’s stock price will definitely fall deeply. At that time, Microsoft will not need $50 billion to buy 30% of Yahoo’s shares. For the current It’s still very easy for Microsoft to raise $10 or 20 billion in cash.”

“Even if it’s 10 or 20 billion dollars, it’s not bad,” Eric shrugged, and put away his smile again, with a serious expression: “Bill, in my opinion, cooperation between Yahoo and Microsoft is the best win-win situation. Pattern. So, what do you want, why don’t you just say it?”

Bill Gates was stunned for a moment, but quickly said: “Eric, Microsoft can give up this equity subscription agreement, but the condition is that Firefly Electronics must stop the research and development of the yos system, and as compensation, Microsoft can specifically provide Yahoo! A mini music store custom OS platform.”

Since 1996, Yahoo has developed the yos system based on Steve Mitnick’s original operating system ideas and the mobile operating system concept proposed by Eric, and y is naturally the first letter of yahoo.

Although the project was transferred to Firefly Electronics before Yahoo went public, the name of the system has not changed.

After three years of silent research and development, and with the simultaneous advancement of hardware projects such as arm chips and capacitive touch screens, Firefly Electronics now has a very mature full set of tablet computer technology.

Since many details could not satisfy Eric, in order to achieve the goal of excellence, Firefly Electronics is not in a hurry to release tablet products.

However, the mini music store based on a series of technical achievements of Firefly Electronics over the past few years has already begun to be officially promoted.

In fact, when discussing the mini music store plan, Firefly Electronics executives considered Microsoft’s possible reaction to this new operating system.

Now, as expected, Microsoft is really wary of yos, and it’s not a general vigilance.

Moreover, this vigilance happens to be very accurate.

The yos system is related to Eric’s industrial layout for the entire mobile Internet era in the future. Even if he loses 30% of Yahoo’s shares, or even immediately turns against Microsoft, it is absolutely impossible for Eric to stop the research and development of the yos system.

However, in the restaurant at this time, Eric just smiled noncommittally and said, “It seems that you have really done a lot of work in advance.”

“Of course,” Bill Gates nodded. “Microsoft has never looked down on any of its competitors.”

“In this case, Bill, you should know that this is an electronic device that integrates software and hardware, and it is impossible for Microsoft to provide a custom system for Firefly’s mini music store in the short term, nor can we stop and wait for Microsoft .”

Microsoft has obviously considered this situation, and Bill Gates said directly: “Eric, Microsoft can acquire the yos R&D department of Firefly Electronics, so that the problem you mentioned will not arise. I guess Firefly Electronics must be I intend to follow the development model of Apple’s integration of software and hardware, but it turns out that this extremely closed model is not feasible at all.”

“I actually don’t agree with Steve’s closed model of integrating software and hardware. However, I also think that the road is made by people. If you don’t agree, it doesn’t mean that this business model cannot be successful.” Eric said, shook his head firmly, and said: “So, Bill, Firefly Electronics will not stop the research and development of yos, and will not sell the yos system to Microsoft. I really hope to continue to cooperate with Microsoft, But this condition is not enough, maybe, you can consider some other requirements.”

“What about the Yahoo browser?” Bill Gates stared at Eric and said, “Eric, the restrictions in that contract expire next month, and Microsoft can launch its own browser at any time. Browser, excluding Yahoo Browser from Windows.”

Eric smiled and said, “Bill, you mean that as long as I promise to transfer yos, Microsoft can continue to keep Yahoo browser as the default system?”

Bill Gates: “Of course.”

Eric continued to ask: “Are you going to give up MSN completely?”

Bill Gates was not so straightforward this time. He hesitated before saying: “If the contract is re-signed, Yahoo’s browser will definitely be tilted towards msn.”

Eric spreads his hands: “So, this is another thing, Bill, I know that after five years of technical digestion, Microsoft can immediately launch its own graphical interface browser without obstacles, but it is certainly technically impossible. Compared with Yahoo browser. Also, Microsoft has enough antitrust lawsuits now, I think you will not want to add a browser monopoly. Then, the best choice is to continue to cooperate with Yahoo.”

Bill Gates finally said with some impatience in his tone, “Eric, you have been talking about cooperation, but I have only seen Yahoo’s unilateral demands, and there is no sincerity of cooperation in your words.”

“That’s because you put forward conditions that I can’t accept at all, so let’s change it, such as Yahoo browser, as long as it continues to be the default browser for windows, I can agree to Yahoo browser’s traffic tilt to the msn portal. In addition, Yahoo can also pay Microsoft an annual fee for software pre-installation, what do you think?”

If the two sides continue to cooperate on browsers and charge Yahoo for software pre-installation, it is already within Microsoft’s consideration.

But now, Eric is the first to put it forward, which has become a condition of cooperation offered by Yahoo.

Bill Gates was even more depressed, and he actually understood in his heart that Microsoft was in a completely passive position at this time due to its initial missteps.

Eric doesn’t care about the share subscription contract held by Microsoft at all, because Yahoo won’t suffer whether Microsoft executes it or not.

In his view, what Microsoft can really use as a bargaining chip is the pre-installed permissions of the Yahoo browser on the Windows platform.

However, there is actually a big disagreement within Microsoft about continuing to cooperate with Yahoo. Many executives have advocated to immediately cut off all cooperation with Yahoo, launch its own browser, and fully support Microsoft’s msn portal business.

Although he has been in control of Microsoft’s dominance, Bill Gates’ control of the software company is not as strong as it seems to the outside world.

One of the most obvious features is that Microsoft has now produced very clear signs of big company disease.

Large corporations are characterized by bloated institutions, slow responses, and differentiated interests. The most fundamental reason is the power struggle within the enterprise. If Bill Gates still maintains absolute control over Microsoft, many of these ills can be avoided. .

“Eric, you have to understand,” after hesitating for a moment, Bill Gates said again: “windows is Microsoft’s platform. On this platform, Microsoft will always have the final say on how the rules are formulated.”

This is already a very obvious threat.

Eric still nodded tepidly: “Of course, Bill, of course I understand, that’s why I want to continue to maintain a cooperative relationship with Microsoft.”

Bill Gates finally couldn’t help raising his voice: “But you don’t have any sincerity to cooperate at all!”

Eric listened to Bill Gates’ sudden outburst and glanced at the food in front of him with a slight frown. Although he didn’t see the spit flying over, he still lost his appetite, put down the tableware and said, “Bill, we are all Adults, don’t be like a child who rolls on the ground crying without a toy, okay?”

In fact, there have always been other Firefly system executives who came to eat in the restaurant. Hearing Bill Gates’ sudden outburst and Eric’s tone like teaching a child, although he tried his best to suppress it, some people couldn’t help but laugh. Come out.

Bill Gates suddenly couldn’t hang on his face. He also put down the tableware and said with an ugly face: “Eric, it seems that we don’t need to continue talking. UU Reading www.sonicmtl.com ”

Eric nodded: “You calm down, why don’t we make an appointment tomorrow?”

Bill Gates twitched the corner of his mouth and said coldly: “I will go back to Seattle in the afternoon, and Microsoft will send someone to communicate with Yahoo for the rest.”

Eric said very nicely: “That’s okay. You can call me anytime if you have anything. You know my phone number.”

Watching Bill Gates walk away, Frank Wells, who had been sitting nearby, came over with a cup of coffee and said with a smile, “Didn’t the conversation go well?”

Eric looked at the rectangular dining table in front of him for a moment, called Amy to come over and asked her to give him another lunch before answering Frank Wells: “Gates is used to being strong and wants to use chips that are simply not enough. In exchange for what Microsoft wants, do you think I can promise him?”

As a useless and unfortunate useless contract, even if Yahoo does not agree to any conditions from Microsoft, the other party will eventually give up more than 90% chance.

As for the Yahoo browser, with the development of user habits and the advantages of the Yahoo browser itself, unless Microsoft completely blocks this software on the Windows platform, even if it loses its status as the default browser for Windows, the Yahoo browser can still be used. Easily maintain a long-term market advantage.

In a few years, with Yahoo’s further expansion in the Internet field, the role of Yahoo’s browser portal interface will not be so crucial, and even, even now, Yahoo’s portal and Google’s search engine are dependent on Yahoo’s browser. Sex is not so strong anymore.

Although he is the president of Firefly Group, Frank Wells also has an understanding of the cooperation between Yahoo and Microsoft. He said, “In this case, will it be troublesome in the future?”

[End of this Chapter]