Rebirth 79: I opened a bank in the United States

Chapter 48 The Two Brothers of Microsoft

This model is very familiar to Carter. Isn’t this the so-called Internet thinking in later generations?
It is free for you to use first, and when you get used to it and can't quit, then start harvesting!What taxi, takeaway, community group buying, are all this routine.How could the young Gates know how to do this?
Carter can only say that a boss is a boss.The thinking is really advanced.
But too advanced thinking also brought a big trouble, that is, the payment problem of this year.Now there is no mobile payment, and it is not the so-called Internet of Everything.Even though microcomputers have appeared now, computers have not entered thousands of households at this time, and they are only a professional tool in terms of positioning.

The methods of downloading and disseminating software these days are almost all offline.That is, at a gathering of computer enthusiasts or in a community, one person takes a disk with software and shares it with others, and they take it back and install the disk on their own computers to download.Pure physical downloading, this method of downloading and dissemination, makes charging a big problem, and the concept of users is another big problem at the same time.

As mentioned earlier, computers are just a professional tool in these years, so now almost all the people who can get in touch with computers or play with computers are professionals.After the software is developed, it is a mainstream atmosphere in the computer circle at this time to share with each other, together with the source code, to help each other improve and promote.

Carter has heard of this, it is the so-called free software or "open source"!In the future, there will be GitHub, a well-known open source community, dedicated to sharing codes made or improved by programmers with the spirit of sharing.However, this GitHub seems to be acquired by Microsoft?

This is so meow, after the boy who slayed the dragon finally became a dragon, he turned back?

Carter didn't quite understand this kind of operation, and he didn't even realize that he was cheated a little by Gates and Paul.Gates didn't start charging for his compiler after mits closed down at all. As early as 3 years ago, this guy had already started his own charging action, completely betraying the Open Source Alliance.
Of course, if he knew this, Carter would probably be happier.Because doing so may not be authentic from a moral point of view, but it is a material for real business.Make money, why face?
"So, Bill is sending a collection letter now, in fact, it's a joke! I met a timid person, saw the collection letter, and worried about getting a lawsuit, so I paid the money honestly, but when I encountered a difficult old gun, there was nothing to do. Even if you don’t hand it in, you can’t do anything about him, right?”

After roughly listening to Microsoft's situation and the reasons why the two brothers were worried, Carter made a summary of the problem with a smile.

"Well we could actually sue them too, yeah"

Paul was a little dissatisfied, but was quickly struck into silence by Carter's words.

"It's just that you don't have enough money and energy to sue and recover one by one. Moreover, if you operate too aggressively, it may also lead to collective boycotts from users. After all, your products are easy to use, but without your Microsoft's interpreter, and it's not like they don't have other interpreters available!"

In response to Microsoft's question, Carter thought for a while and continued:
"I can think of two ways to solve the problem now. The first one is to do it from the professional field. For example, can you add a code lock or other program to your interpreter software, which is to replace the functions of the free version. Castration, if they want to continue using it, they must ask for the password you gave. This code generator must be designed as a dynamic program that will randomly generate and issue passwords based on the terminal software number, and bind it to the software terminal to achieve One interpreter, one password, which also prevents one of them from paying for the password and then spreading it to others for free use.”

Adding restrictions to software is a very common software profit model for Carter in the future.What network disks and wps offices all do this, and what's even more exasperating is that those little butters made in China have used this trick to the extreme!

Whenever you play an exciting and exciting place, an activation window will pop up, prompting you to pay to obtain an activation code before continuing to play.In the previous life, Carter was often so angry with this thing that he vomited blood and cursed the author for giving birth to a son without an asshole.
The result is now switching to myself, to be precise, to the company I plan to invest in.Everything has changed, those who pay are good friends, and those who don't pay whores are thugs! !The truth that a boy who slays a dragon will eventually become a dragon can be put anywhere.
"This is a very good idea! But with the current technical conditions, it may be difficult to achieve it, especially since our software has already been released."

As soon as this method came out, Brother Gates' eyes lit up. He keenly sensed the commercial value of this simple method.But unfortunately, after thinking about it in his heart, he found that it was not suitable to do so at the moment.

"Then there is only the second way. Beat those thorns! Kill the chicken and scare the monkey! Sue the people who have been in arrears for the longest time, and they will go bankrupt. If the others are afraid, they can only pay obediently. But This method will undoubtedly hurt one thousand enemies and eight hundred harm to yourself. If you do this, I am afraid that it will be very difficult to promote your software in the future."

If the restrictions in the software cannot be achieved, Carter has no good solution.After giving their own suggestions, they have to weigh the rest.

When Gates and Paul heard the murderous words, they immediately understood the risks involved.The current computer circle is still small, and there are not many related service providers.If you are too ruthless, you will undoubtedly tarnish your reputation. Now people are afraid of lawsuits and may pay for it, but if you want them to use your products in the future, then there is no choice but haha.

But both of them admit that Carter's method can indeed solve the company's financial distress in the short term.That's the price.
"Go ahead, Bill! If there's no money now, there's no future for us."

"Are you sure? This is too risky, and it may cause public outrage. Our current income can last for a few months, why don't we wait?"

Compared with Paul, who was gritting his teeth and preparing to act, Gates seemed much more gentle.Of course, you can also say that he has a longer-term vision, and he cares more about the future of the company than the current Xiaoli.

And Carter, who watched all this quietly, also roughly understood the character traits of the two brothers.Paul, who is two years older than Gates, is much stronger than Gates in terms of decisiveness.Just like Gates dropped out of school because of this guy, he looks chubby and naive, but this guy is really cruel.In front of a major fork in the road, he is the kind of person who really dares to take a step!

Looking at Gates, who is shrewd and philistine, he looks more like a qualified businessman.Even though he seems a little indecisive now, Carter knows how thick-skinned and psychologically tough it takes for a person to betray the general environment.

When Gates came into contact with computers and learned computers, he grew up from the knowledge and codes selflessly shared by those open source people!As a result, when he grew up, instead of inheriting this kind of selfless sharing, he began to move closer to the direction of commercial software and engage in a charging system.

Thick skin is not a compliment, but it is an indispensable advantage for a successful businessman!Combined with his keen sense of smell, and that advanced Internet thinking
Carter didn't know if it was a situation he made on purpose, or maybe it was a coincidence.Anyway, if you say a thousand words and ten thousand, and judge by seeing these things in front of you, Carter is convinced that this is the future Microsoft!After all, Microsoft has always had a thick skin in the future.
After the release of Windows 98, Microsoft: This is our last generation of operating software!Then they came out with windows ME; when windows 10 was released, Microsoft: this is our last windows operating software!Then they came out with windows 11
More importantly, the current Microsoft is in their weakest period!This isn't a golden egg anymore, this is a golden dragon egg!In order to protect the interests of the first golden dragon egg he found right now, Carter spoke:

"I think Gates is right, Paul, there is no need to worry. Using the second method, the blow to word-of-mouth is too great, and it will be very detrimental to future development. If it is only a financial problem, I can borrow you first A sum of money tides over the difficulties!"

(End of this chapter)