Reborn since 1993

Chapter 45 Werewolf Killing

Are the methods used by Li Dongling and Larson clever? In fact, they are not clever at all. They just stir up public opinion and escalate step by step. First, they give an example of the miserable situation of software industry companies when facing Microsoft.

Then he turned his gun around and provoked a dissension between the computer hardware industry and Microsoft, completing the plan to kill someone with a borrowed knife!

If the relationship between Microsoft and a number of hardware manufacturers is good, then this trick will not work at all. The two parties will jointly issue a statement and the storm will be over. But the relationship between Microsoft and computer manufacturers such as HP, Compaq, Dell, and Apple is really Is it good? !

Computer manufacturers have always been more defensive about Microsoft than Sichuan. Microsoft has made some noise in the hardware industry, which has made computer manufacturers nervous. Not to mention that the software industry has been in a miserable state in the past few days. This makes people doubt that once Microsoft If you have your own brand of computers, are there any other computer brands that can survive?

Everyone knows the truth of the cold war, but in the past, the knife did not fall on the hardware company, and everyone thought that Microsoft's ambitions were invisible. But with this report from the Daily News, the computer hardware industry began to have to make some decisions. I responded because the stock price couldn’t hold up any longer!

"There are media reports that Microsoft intends to launch its own brand of hardware computers, from system software to components, all developed and manufactured by Microsoft itself. Affected by the news, IBM's market value fell by more than 4% today, with a market value loss of more than US$ billion!

In addition, the stock prices of Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, Apple, Dell, and major computer suppliers Intel and AMD have all fallen significantly! "

Watching the news on TV, Larson excitedly waved his fist and shouted to Li Dongling, "Li, do you see, we lit this fire, we did it!"

Seeing the news that he and Li Dongling concocted, involving many giant companies, this feeling made Larson feel much more excited than bringing a little star from New York home.

Yao Luoying also looked at the TV station in surprise. Although the 2.4 billion U.S. dollars that evaporated were just numbers and not real U.S. dollars, it still sounded really scary. Counted as domestic currency, this amounted to nearly 20 billion, which is quite a lot. In one day, the market value of all the well-known A-share listed companies such as Changhong, Lujiazui, Maanshan Iron and Steel, Huayi Group, etc. was wiped out!

But all of this really happened in front of her, and it was all concocted by Li Dongling and Larson. If you add in the evaporation of the market value of HP, Dell, Apple, Compaq and other companies, it would probably be even more terrifying. One domino can collapse an empire!

Li Dongling also watched the news on TV, and what HP President Platt said when he was interviewed by the media later made Li Dongling clenched his fists.

"Yes, I saw the news in the media today. HP has always had a pleasant cooperation with Microsoft. I hope this cooperation can continue!"

If necessary, Pratt doesn't want to bombard Microsoft in front of the media. The major computer brands are not monolithic. The most fierce conflict between them is that IBM has always been the one. The biggest rivals of computer companies such as HP, Dell, and Compaq.

For this reason, HP and other companies turned a blind eye to Microsoft's small moves in the hardware industry. They also needed Microsoft to add obstacles to IBM, so they did not restrict Microsoft too much.

But that's not the case now. HP's stock price has plummeted today. In order to avoid risks, many Wall Street institutions have begun to sell the stocks of HP and other companies. HP's board of directors is also a little anxious.

This is already related to the lifeblood of HP. Microsoft has the possibility of becoming HP's opponent. Pratt can only start to bombard Microsoft to show its attitude.

"But if necessary, HP will never sit still and wait for death. HP will not be easily defeated. We also have alternative suppliers of computer systems, software, etc.!"

With this last sentence, Pratt has already shown his fangs. If Microsoft continues to be ignorant and dares to be aggressive, then HP will kick Microsoft away and choose other system software as the factory system settings of HP computers.

On this day, all the major computer manufacturers that used to be smart as hell showed a tacit understanding. After HP announced its stance, Dell, Apple, Compaq, IBM, Intel, AMD and many other large and small computer parts factories , followed by several big brothers who expressed their stance that they would never cooperate with Microsoft!

"After HP, computer manufacturers such as Dell and Compaq issued statements one after another, announcing that they would be cautious or reconsider their cooperative relationship with Microsoft. Some computer company executives even directly expressed that if Microsoft launches its own brand of computers, then it will All cooperation with Microsoft will be severed immediately!

In addition, many companies such as IBM, Lotus, and Sun Systems have announced that they are willing to jointly develop a new generation of computer systems with computer manufacturers such as HP! "

The Washington Post publicly reported in the next day's newspaper that the war between the computer hardware industry and Microsoft could be like Mars hitting the earth at any time.

The attitudes of HP, Dell, and Compaq, the major computer giants, are very clear. If Microsoft dares to go too far, they will completely break with Microsoft. Even if they end up being cheaper than IBM and using IBM systems, they will never use Microsoft systems again!

The tough attitude of major computer manufacturers and the media's fanning of the flames had a direct consequence: Microsoft's stock price dropped from US$17 to US$15.7 as soon as the market opened. The stock price fell by more than 7%. Apparently Wall Street followed the crowd and bought Microsoft stock. People are voting with their feet.

No one knows whether Microsoft will be successful in launching its own brand of computers, and Wall Street dare not bet on it. However, if companies such as HP cut off cooperation with Microsoft, the effect will be immediate. Next quarter, not even the next quarter, next month. Microsoft's performance will collapse. It may take decades to build a city, but it only takes a mushroom bomb to make it disappear.

"Intel will never betray its allies. Computer companies such as HP, Dell, and overseas Sony will all be Intel's allies!"

Intel's current emperor, Grove, who insists on his words at Intel and no one can oppose his decision, was also forced to express his position the next day, whether to support hardware allies such as HP or to maintain Microsoft, which emerged 14 years ago. Intel relationship, Grove made a choice angrily. The butt determines the head. The alliance between Microsoft and Intel has made each other successful. But at this time, Grove can only choose the big sponsor to buy its chips.

"Bill, why can't you notify me in advance of such a big thing? This makes me very passive. Do you understand?!"

Others were afraid of Bill Gates, the emperor of Microsoft, but Grove was still the emperor of Intel. Grove angrily challenged Bill Gates to accuse him.

Although 39-year-old Bill Gates is viewed by outsiders as a humble and easy-going leader in the technology industry, Bill Gates was born in the same year as him. However, Jobs, who is rumored to have a violent and competitive personality, seems to have a completely different personality.

But within Microsoft, people who actually work under Bill Gates are actually very afraid of the Microsoft emperor. When working at Microsoft, Bill Gates was no better than Jobs. He was equally harsh, ruthless and even arrogant. No one dares to contradict the emperor of the empire!

"Groff, if I told you that I also just found out about this, would you believe it?!"

Through the phone, Grove could feel Bill Gates's suppressed anger.

With a slight movement in his eyes, Grove, an old man from Jianghu, quickly smelled the conspiracy. "It seems that Bill, you have trouble to deal with. But I need to remind you that if you want to maintain the alliance between Microsoft and Intel, you must deal with it well." The relationship with HP and those computer manufacturers!”

"Dear gentlemen, what is going on with all this? Who is targeting Microsoft? Can anyone give me an answer?"

After hanging up the phone with Grove, Bill Gates finally couldn't suppress his anger and shouted angrily at the Microsoft executives in the conference room.

Microsoft has been targeted and deliberately provoked disputes with computer manufacturers such as HP. Everyone at Microsoft has seen this, but they can't tell who the opponent is. It is really Microsoft's opponent. There are simply too many. , companies like IBM, Lotus, or even Hewlett-Packard may be directing and acting on their own, just to give Microsoft a kick.

Spencer, who was also in the conference room, had an absurd thought in his heart. Could this be done by Tanglin Hi-tech? Then he felt that it was impossible. This public opinion war against Microsoft was fought with too much tacit understanding. It completely caused a werewolf killing between technology companies such as America. It just lit a fire and used the suspicion between companies such as Microsoft and HP to make them attack each other.

None of the senior executives in the office spoke, which made Bill Gates even more annoyed. At this time, the phone of Grant, the head of the public relations department, rang.

Under the cold gaze of Bill Gates, Grant braced himself and answered the phone. Then his expression changed, and he walked towards Bill Gates and whispered a few words.

“I have noticed the public opinion about Microsoft, and I think the appetite of this behemoth has completely become a bottomless pit. Once Microsoft launches its own computer brand, it will really monopolize the entire technology industry!

It's time to split it up. I think Microsoft should be split into three major businesses, computer systems, office software and hardware businesses. It's the best choice to eliminate the evil dragon before it causes disaster in the world.

I will propose to the California Department of Justice to launch an antitrust investigation against Microsoft..."

Bill Gates' face turned pale when he saw what Green, the head of the Federal Bureau of Justice in California, said in an interview with the media.

"Gentlemen, please end this farce. No matter what method is used, I do not want an antitrust investigation against Microsoft to appear in any state!"

Bill Gates said to Grant, Legal Director Jon and others, with a smile on his face, but his eyes were full of dissatisfaction. It was obvious that if Grant and the others did not handle the matter well, Bill Gates would tell them to get out of Microsoft. .

(End of this chapter)