Chapter 753: 753
After leaving Microsoft headquarters, Feng Yu gave Liu Chuanzhi a call, telling him to speed up the development for the browser, platform, office software, etc . All these software had to be suitable for Win95 . More importantly, they have to speed up the anti-virus software .
The current system’s firewall was too fragile and had many loopholes . These few years were the years where anti-virus software become popular . If Feng Yu could get half of China’s market share, his profits will be high .
Feng Yu was surprised when Liu Chuanzhi told him that they failed in taking over Kingsoft . Those people at Kingsoft were very arrogant and priced their software development technologies too high . Liu Chuanzhi did not agree to their demands .
But Liu Chuanzhi and his men saw Kingsoft’s potential . They were strong in office software, anti-virus, and browsers . Although Liu Chuanzhi failed to takeover Kingsoft, he invested a sum of money in them to get some shares .
It was too difficult to catch up with Microsoft on PC’s operating systems . But in the future, there will be mobile phone operating systems . The profits from mobile phone operating systems will be higher than PC operating systems .
Currently, Feng Yu want to groom a group of top software engineers, and then tell them what he wanted, and they will go and develop it .
The most significant difference between the PC and mobile phone operating system was the size of the system . Mobile phone operating system does not require ample memory s.p.a.ce . However, the size of the operating systems will get bigger in the future .
This was also the reason why Microsoft failed in the mobile phone’s operating system, and Google’s Android and Apple took over the market .
If Feng Yu remembered correctly, the next two years would be Apple’s worst years . Apple suffered ma.s.sive losses, and Jobs had left Apple . Feng Yu wondered if he could take this opportunity to poach some of Apple’s top developers .
In Feng Yu’s previous life, the elite software developers were working for top firms, like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, etc . The developers from other companies were considered second-rate . This includes a top technology company, Yahoo . Many people said the reason why Yahoo failed was that they do not have the best developers, and could not maintain their lead .
Feng Yu knew the importance of having advanced technologies . If he could apply for some patents in this industry, he could get high profits and stop his compet.i.tors . Stopping his compet.i.tors was not Feng Yu aim . He only wants to be ahead of the rest in terms of technology developments .
……
“Paul, what do you think of Feng’s request?” Bill Gates had a headache . Feng Yu’s demands were too harsh, but Bill Gates could not reject him .
“Reject them!” Paul Allen barked . “We can still discuss his request to enter the board . But he used China’s market to threaten us? This is unforgivable . How can someone threaten us, Microsoft?”
“Paul, calm down first . I also want to reject his demands . But what he said was right . We need to open up the Chinese market . That is a bigger market than America and have high potential . You don’t want to get this market?” Bill Gates had thought of rejecting Feng Yu, but the returns were too attractive .
“But we are Microsoft . We can make all the hardware companies bow down to us, why can’t we make him give in?” Paul Allen replied unhappily . Although Microsoft was penalized for forcing those hardware manufacturers to do their biddings, it also shows how powerful they were .
“That is China . One of the most powerful countries in the East . Their market is totally different from us . Moreover, Feng had hinted that if he does not want us to enter the Chinese market, we will never be able to take a step into China . Think about India . We are blocked there . If we lose China’s market after India, do you know how much will be out losses? What if China started its own operating system company? We will have one more compet.i.tor . A company with the support of its government will develop faster than we imagine!” Bill Gates worrying said .
Paul Allen frowned . Now, the other party had made it clear to them . If they cooperate, Microsoft will get some benefits and the other party will get more benefits . If they do not cooperate, then Microsoft will suffer ma.s.sive losses, and the other party’s losses will be much lower than them .
“d.a.m.n! How about we agree to one of his demands? Like letting him enter the board of directors, under the condition that he must help Microsoft enter the Chinese market . When Microsoft makes money, he will also make money . ” Paul Allen said after thinking for a while .
“I had suggested this to him, but he disagrees . He said both requests must be met . He wants to enter the board of directors and also want us to sell our systems to Lenovo at 12 USD!” Bill Gates shook his head . If there was only one demand, he might not hesitate .
“But if other companies know about this pricing, it will affect our reputation!”
After all, Microsoft was charging other companies at a much higher rate for installing their operating systems . If the other companies found out about Lenovo’s prices, they would also want lower prices . This will result in high losses for Microsoft, and their shares would also drop .
“Paul, this is also what I am troubled about . Feng had made use of this . If he enters the board, then he will not let this news leak out . He owns quite a number of shares in Lenovo . He will be able to keep this a secret and will make sure this will not be leaked . If not, he will also suffer losses if Microsoft suffered losses . ”
“Bill, you are saying you have already decided? You want to accept his ridiculous demands? What can we earn at such low rates? A few million or tens of millions USD?” Paul Allen retorted .
“I decided to agree to him this time . We will offer him a low rate, but their PC must print our logo and also advertise Microsoft in China . Their product advertis.e.m.e.nts must also include us . Also, we can make use of them to promote our IE to the rest of the world . We will be able to claim that our IE browser has the most users in the world . This will help when we promote our IE browser in Europe . ”
“Then what about his demand for entering the board? His shares are all non-voting shares . If all his shares are converted, he will own 15% voting rights!”
“Exchange . You and I will take out 1% voting shares each to exchange with him . You need money to invest in your new company, right? You can take this chance to sell those non-voting shares . ” Bill Gates had made his decision .
“Fine . Since you have already decided, then I will support you . ” Paul Allen snubbed out his cigar .
This d.a.m.n decision!