American Entertainment 1982

Chapter 139 Windfall
After taking a shower, Tommy walked out of the bathroom without wrapping a towel. Anyway, Jason had already gone to the SSD General Assembly, and there was no one else in the dormitory.

He opened the refrigerator in the dormitory, only to find that the food inside had gone bad. At this time, he was reminding him and Jason with a black and rotten appearance that they hadn't opened the refrigerator for a long time.

Tommy took out the last can of beer from inside, and as soon as he opened the pull tab, Charles pushed open the door and walked in. He just took a sip of the beer in Tommy's hand and said, "Thank you, Mr. Exhibitionist."

"You're welcome, because you snatched it away, and I didn't plan to give it to you. It was the last can of beer in the refrigerator." Tommy sighed, "What happened?"

When Charles heard the last can, he didn't bother to explain to Tommy, so he chose to drink it all up, and then said: "It's nothing, our SSD Stanford chapter just received a donation from an alumni, 10 yuan, so you'd better fuck it Put on your clothes and come with me to thank the other party at the door."

"Master Chairman, I don't have any position in SSD right now. I'm a rookie, okay?" Tommy heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that it was a donation from an alumni, and he fell on the bed and closed his eyes: "Just let me sleep for half an hour, I'm going to call Florida in half an hour, please go easy on your feet when you go out."

Organizations such as fraternities can hire lawyers and have funds to organize various large-scale activities, mainly relying on donations from members after graduation. The annual membership fees paid by members of the school are only enough to pay the rent of Stanford University and hire cooks and Just cleaners.

If the alumni who are too far away send a check to donate, SSD can only call to thank them, but if the alumni donate near Silicon Valley, SSD will organize a group of members to come to thank them, and everyone will sit down and have a meal or drink some wine and chat. Talk about the difference between SSD today and when the other party was studying, and what interesting things happened.

In short, it is just a routine communication. This kind of communication is usually controlled by a few SSD veterans. It is difficult for a rookie to get a chance. Chance.

"The other party calls for you to pass, just me and you." Charles looked at Tommy, picked up the soda can in his hand, threw it towards Tommy, and hit Tommy's club precisely, and said with satisfaction : "Effective score!"

But Microsoft turned around and sold IBM completely. As long as Microsoft paid a licensing fee, the computer company would not refuse anyone. In short, after paying the money, you can use the MS-DOS system as you like.

Didi, Didi, Didi... Tommy's pager rang. He made an embarrassed gesture to Benjamin, picked it up and took a look. It was an unfamiliar number: "Excuse me, can I call you back?"

……

Although they were dressed like a middle school physical education teacher who was about to retire, Charles and Tommy didn't have the slightest intention of belittling each other. They sat up straight and looked directly at each other.

Whether it is Microsoft, Compaq, or even the former Oracle, it is certain that even if IBM stands in the plaintiff's seat, if IBM makes a big fuss, it will lose in the end, so it dares to be so unscrupulous.

In 82, Compaq sold 1.11 personal computers with a sales volume of 82 million US dollars, becoming the fastest start-up company in the US computer hardware industry to achieve [-] million sales. Coincidentally, in the same year of [-], Lotus The company became the fastest start-up company in the US computer software industry to reach [-] million sales.

"SSD is really full of talents, and you all chose to copy this path, but your Actor is software, and his Compaq is hardware." Charles said with a smirk: "I think he might want to communicate with you, how to Plagiarizing the other party’s experience and shamelessly extorting it, making it bigger and stronger, has completely made Stanford University notorious.”

Members of Congress are still drooling and looking for opportunities with table knives, so IBM doesn't dare to deal with these other computer companies that are robbing business with great fanfare. sue.

"I was wrong, Charles, the reason I was dissatisfied just now was not your behavior, but how could you choose beer cans, you should change to darts, and take the opportunity to open my cue!" Tommy stood up : "As long as you are finished having fun, you can take me to see each other."

Tommy also nodded, and said a sentence: "Compaq, established in 82, is essentially an Actor company in the computer hardware industry."

"Of course, the phone is over there." Benjamin signaled the butler in the distance to accompany Tommy to answer the phone, and chatted with Charles about the recent situation of SSD.

Benjamin Rosen, after graduating from Stanford University, went to Columbia University Business School for further study, and then went to work on Wall Street. After 15 years, he sat in the position of senior vice president of Morgan Stanley, and then chose to retire, and Leon Seven In 1981, the venture capital company Severn Rosen Foundation was established. In the year of its establishment, it invested in Compaq Computer Corporation and served as the chairman and chief executive officer.

However, Leon, with his insight and wisdom, invested in Lotus, which is a leader in the software industry, but in the end, because of irreconcilable conflicts with the two founders, he finally chose to withdraw the capital, and the return was far less than expected.

The cold beer can taken out of the refrigerator suddenly stimulated the cue, causing Tommy to quickly open his eyes and sit up, covering his vitals with his hands. He didn't care about asking why he wanted to see him, but first sent a series of swear words to the current chairman of SSD charles.

Benjamin didn't think the price was too much. After all, Actor's OSS sales data of tens of thousands of sets was there. He handed the cigar in his hand to Tommy and laughed: "IBM, you want me to convince them to invest in you? No Are you kidding? They want to send me to the gallows now, and let their competitors in their eyes persuade them to invest in your Actor?"

None of them was wrong, but the result was different. Benjamin was in charge of Compaq, which was rapidly rising in the hardware industry, and made Compaq, a copycat company, the No. 3 market share of personal computers.

"Tommy? Is that you? I'm Otilia." Otilia's voice sounded over the phone.

Although he was joking, Tommy's words made Benjamin believe that this young man was indeed a robber in a suit as described in the magazine.

Compaq and IBM are a bit like Actor and Lotus at this time, because 16 computer companies including Compaq used PC cloning to copy personal computers that are fully compatible with IBM-PC, and they reverse engineered IBM's BIOS firmware , using the same [-]-bit AT bus as IBM, etc., except for the brand difference, the whole computer is no different from IBM-PC, all hardware can be perfectly replaced, all software can be perfectly compatible, and it can be sold cheaper than IBM, IBM lost its price advantage.

Benjamin Rosen, the chairman and CEO of Compaq Computer Corporation, a tycoon in the computer hardware industry, of course Tommy has heard of the other party's name, but he didn't expect that the other party would want to meet him. He thought those SSDs were keen on investing in the software industry Alumni will probably be the first.

"So, if you're not planning to find a man to marry, why are you looking for me?" Tommy asked curiously.

Benjamin did not continue to exchange pleasantries hypocritically, but continued following the topic Charles raised: "I saw the article in the magazine, Lotus Company, and Leon told me after the divestment that that company would be wiped out sooner or later." Erase, I just didn't think it would die under the siege of other big companies, but would fall under the knife of our SSD members, 170 six friends of the court, Tommy, you shouldn't be doing computer software, you should be Those lobbying firms on K Street in Washington working to pimp businessmen and politicians, it's a beautiful thing to do."

It was obviously betrayed, but IBM was helpless, because everyone knew that IBM did not dare to be too arrogant. After all, the US government had accused IBM of monopolizing for 20 years. This industry constitutes a monopoly behemoth.

The performance of these two companies in [-] seemed to tell all investors that the US computer industry had officially entered a new era.

Tommy glanced at Charles, the chairman of the fraternity is still his favorite, the best candidate for the CEO of Actor Company, the character of Shuangshang Online, this guy must go to work in those think tanks.

"Miss Otilia Farrell? It's me, that's right, I'm Tommy Hawke." Tommy froze for a few seconds before smiling into the receiver and said, "So, are you going to find Is this man married? The timing was perfect, my girlfriend just broke up with me and I was just about to make my first 1000 million, I mean, not as much as your father Mr. Farrell selling yachts A lot, but it shouldn't be too bad."

"No, he plagiarized to make money, and I did it for equal rights." Tommy corrected Charles' grammatical errors.

"It's best to finish all this before the trial?" Tommy asked Benjamin after being silent for a moment.

Charles rolled his eyes: "Pick up your pants faster, Benjamin's limousine is waiting for us, Tommy Hawk, your affirmative plagiarism method is much more harmful to the American computer industry than the generous plagiarism of Benjamin."

This represents Tommy's own valuation of Actor at 600 million.

IBM originally hoped that its strategic partner, Microsoft, would help itself limit the unscrupulous competition of other computer companies, allowing Microsoft's MS-DOS system to choose exclusive cooperation with IBM, so that those computer companies could only look for other systems.

"I know that if SSD wants to hold some exciting parties, it often needs to pay temporarily to rent an additional venue. You can consider this place. It's a good place. There is an outdoor swimming pool over the garden. Girls should not hate the environment here. "

"I was very surprised by this call. Why do you have my pager number?" Tommy had a smile on his face, and the image of this beautiful teacher and his group of high school students at the summer camp appeared in his mind.

Whether IBM wants to kill Compaq is not sure, but everyone is sure that IBM must want to kill Microsoft, which stabbed itself in the back.

Generally speaking, the lawsuits of eleven computer companies, including IBM and Compaq, are small-scale squabbles. Although IBM is not going to go to the Congress and the Supreme Court, it also hopes to use the uninterrupted lawsuits to make everyone Everyone remembers that at this moment, it is an illegal business practice for computer manufacturers such as Compaq to make money. As long as the law is perfected one day, IBM will have a reasonable excuse to get rid of them sooner or later.

"Benjamin Rosen, a Stanford student in 1955, a member of the SSD fraternity, it seems that you are not satisfied with me, I decided to change Ted to accompany me, just say you..."

"It's an attitude," Charles said to Tommy, folding his arms.

More coincidentally, the investors of Compaq Corporation and Lotus Corporation are Benjamin Rosen and Leon Seven, old friends who jointly established an investment company.

1000 million is a friendly price for himself, but it will definitely not be the price to sell to IBM. The most important thing is that now he believes that the whole thing was designed by Tommy Hawke, because this young man's mind reacts very quickly, Not long after I sat down, I already understood why I wanted to invest in or acquire Actor, and why IBM might also be willing to acquire Actor.

While putting on clothes on his body, he thought about the general development history of Compaq, and suddenly froze, looking at Charles: "Why did he ask us to see him after he donated [-] to SSD, I mean... he Obviously you can call us to see him directly."

As a result, Microsoft became a giant in the software industry, but at the cost of the previous partner IBM's share in the personal computer market was directly cut in half.

Benjamin Rosen, 50, hosted Charles and Tommy in his 430-square-meter penthouse in Silicon Valley, which is pretty much the most upscale neighborhood in Silicon Valley today.

If it weren't for the excellent vision and means of IBM's executives, ten IBMs would have been torn apart by those politicians using the excuse of monopoly.

"Using one case to promote the rules of two industries, to be honest, this is a windfall I didn't expect. It was only when Charles said that you want to see me that I realized that Compaq has only been in a short period of more than a year. Now it ranks third in the computer market, and is qualified to weld the car door." Tommy was silent for a moment, and said to Benjamin:
"IBM, Apple, and Compaq, you three, each choose a few pleasing computer companies to be their followers, get together, introduce several industry standard architectures, bus development standards and other solutions, and then share the market together , In this way, IBM can avoid being held in the name of monopoly, and you don’t have to worry about other small companies like Compaq coming out to grab this market, because if they dare to do that, you can work together to solve it, so go back to the beginning The question is, is IBM willing to see Compaq go from its rival to its partner?"

Benjamin nodded: "I guess you don't think that I, an old guy, called you over to have a party, so to make a long story short, I am very interested in Actor. Although Compaq will not get involved in the software industry, there are us in the software industry." It is a place worthy of reference. I want to invest in it, whether it is financing, or the three of you, Tommy, can transfer some shares to me for cash, and Compaq can directly purchase OSS software as a supporting product and enter those large companies. I know yours The software is selling well, but the main buying group seems to be... strange."

Ottilia said: "I called to your home and got it from your father."

The frustrating thing about these plagiarists from Compaq is that they have no reason to countersuit, because they don’t have the bullshit charitable excuse of Actor. They just copy IBM and make money. After all, OSS also has some practical shortcut functions designed by Tommy. , but there is no innovation in their computer hardware, that is, they produce whatever IBM produces, and then sell it to users at a [-]% discount on the price of IBM computers.

"Yeah, Charles and the others helped me a lot. Without SSD, I couldn't do all of this. Charles is the leader of our pimps." Tommy said to Benjamin.

Benjamin nodded slightly, picked up a cigar from the side and looked at it: "The lawsuit between IBM and eleven of our computer companies has made both of us a little... tired."

"IBM has been chased and bitten by the US government for 20 years and has not fallen. Guess why, it is not the Lotus company that almost killed Leon." Benjamin said.

Tommy went to the phone and dialed the number: "Hello?"

"If you can convince IBM to invest in or acquire Actor's shares, then I personally can consider transferring 15% of the shares to you. The SSD friendship price is 1000 million." Tommy thought for a while, and quoted a price to Benjamin.

Otilia chuckled on the phone and said, "If you always talk to ladies like this, I think the next girlfriend will leave you quickly."

"Tommy is our next party manager in SSD, but I guess he's not in the mood to help us design a party recently because his small company is in some trouble." After listening to Benjamin's greetings, Charles smiled and brought the topic to Tang rice body.

"I work at Compaq headquarters in Harris, Texas most of the year, and I only live here when I fly to Silicon Valley for some business activities, so if you need any party venue, just choose here, I Although I don’t live here, the nannies, housekeepers, gardeners and other servants will clean up every day.” Wearing loose sportswear, Benjamin took the two of them directly to the hanging garden of his home and sat down, speaking casually to them said:

"Wait a minute, someone wants to talk to you..." After Otilia finished speaking, a voice with a bit of vicissitudes changed on the phone: "Tommy Hawk, I'm Robert Miller, SSD Cornell University Chapter member, I saw the magazine, I don't know if I'm the first to contact you, but I wish I were, what are you doing?"

"I'm talking about business to make some money, sir." Tommy had never heard of this name, but since the other party was a member of SSD, he obediently respected him and said truthfully.

According to SSD's rules, you don't need to respect anyone other than your family in this world, and you must always respect SSD's brothers, because they are your family members with different surnames.

"Go to the DFS duty-free store at San Francisco International Airport, there will be a first-class ticket for you." Robert Miller said lightly:
"This is what I want to tell you. From now on, don't talk about it. You are not short of money."

　Second update~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)