The Immortal Warrior: From Reverse Engineering to Forging Swords for the Country

Chapter 243 The So-called Do Not Do Evil [Request for full order and data]

Page nodded and said, "I know the reason. Weibo has taken away too much traffic from portal websites."

"Weibo's information is very timely, interaction is very convenient, and the information content is rich. It has basically taken away most of the traffic from portal websites."

"So I would say that portals are probably behind the times in terms of the internet," Brin said.

Page frowned and said, "I have been studying Baidu search recently, and I found that this search engine has very rich content!"

"It has created Qiandu Knows, Qiandu Library, Qiandu Q&A, Qiandu Homework Helper, Qiandu Tieba, and Qiandu Encyclopedia around its main business of search."

"These contents have greatly improved its search accuracy. The user stickiness is also very high."

"At present, Qiandu Tieba has become the largest Chinese community in China, and Qiandu Library has collected the most applied writing styles and paper samples."

"Although we are also working hard to develop more product content that helps with search, it is probably not easy for us to catch up with Qiandu Search in the Chinese content field in a short period of time."

"So, I am now very pessimistic about our competition with our opponents in China."

Google hasn't even launched in China yet, and Brin's courage is almost gone.

Before entering China, neither Brin nor Page had seriously studied Baidu Search.

They are still a little arrogant.

They think they are number one in the world in terms of search engines.

No competitor can search more accurately than Google.

However, after carefully studying Baidu search, they were shocked.

They never dreamed that Qiandu Search could be so comprehensive and have such rich content.

Compared with its own Google, it is not only not inferior, but even surpasses it in some aspects.

This is a terrible thing.

Page sighed and said, "All the initial investment has been done."

"No matter what, we have to give it a try."

Brin hesitated and asked, "So, how can we promote our search engine in China?"

“Doing a lot of advertising may be the only way to get started,” Page said.

Brin shook his head: "If we fail after investing a huge amount of money, the loss will be too great."

"Yahoo spent hundreds of millions of dollars to promote its portal website in China, but in the end, the results were dismal."

"According to our investigation, there are currently three relatively large Internet companies in China, namely Penguin, Qiandu and Ali. And according to relevant information, these three companies are all invested by Huaxing Group."

"Zhang Zhipeng is the main driving force behind this."

"So, if we want to promote our search engine, we have to avoid these three companies."

Page said, "How about we negotiate with the three major portal websites in China and ask them to put our search engine on their homepage?"

“We can give them some fees.”

Brin nodded and said, "You can give it a try."

"In addition, we can mobilize a large number of Internet users to post on major forums, Baidu Tieba and Weibo to promote the superiority of our Google search and guide and cultivate Chinese Internet users to use our search engine."

Page nodded and said, "We can use the posting robot we developed to quickly and indiscriminately reply and guide based on the keywords in the relevant forums and web pages. This will better guide users."

Just like that, the two discussed and determined Google's development and promotion plan in China.

Google people first went to Xinlang, Shouhu, Wangde and other small and medium-sized portals and professional websites to seek cooperation, hoping that these websites would replace all the search engines on their homepages with Google search engines.

Today, China's three major portals are actually in great difficulty.

All the search engines displayed on their homepage now are from Baidu.

Baidu will give them a certain fee. For example, users who click in through their website will pay those websites according to the number of clicks on the Baidu search ranking ads by the users.

Basically not much.

After all, everyone who wants to search has saved the Baidu search app.

If you want to search for something, just open Baidu.

China's three major portals actually feel that this kind of cooperation is quite useless.

Now, Google is sending people directly to talk to them.

As long as they put Google's search engine in the most prominent position on their homepage, they will be paid a fixed amount of money every month, and the amount of money is much more than what Qiandu Search gives.

The three major portals naturally agreed readily.

Immediately afterwards, the navy was dispatched.

Google's various software are still very powerful. The posting robot has a certain degree of intelligence and can reply to posts or comment on Weibo based on keywords.

Another thing is that Google also used similar hacker methods to add Google search links to the bookmarks bars of major browsers, and added a slogan: Perfect search engine, don't do evil!
That’s right, Google’s main slogan is: Don’t be evil.

In order to make a big splash in China, Google has mobilized a lot of resources.

Although it did not carry out large-scale publicity, Chinese netizens who frequently surf the Internet quickly noticed this search engine.

The number of Internet users trying Google began to increase rapidly.

……

However, the current controller and operator of Qiandu Search is Qiu Bojun.

Qiu Bojun quickly noticed Google's little move.

After studying Google's methods, he immediately contacted Lei Jun and Ma Huateng and held a conference call.

Qiu Bojun said: "This is a bit unethical! They actually used hacking methods to promote their products."

"If we don't deal with it harshly, it will probably think that there are no capable people in China!"

Lei Jun said: "Please, please be straightforward and block Google and its website directly on the platform we control!"

"Prevent it from posting anything, and see how it can cause trouble."

Qiu Bojun said: "It is also possible to do so."

"But I feel like this is a bit unfair."

Hua Teng asked: "Do you have any better way to do it?"

"According to our monitoring, the usage of Google search engine in our country is increasing rapidly."

“It’s increasing very fast and is already taking market share from Baidu Search.”

Qiu Bojun smiled and said, "Most people are curious!"

"Google has made such a big splash, everyone must want to experience it and see what it's like."

"Based on my actual tests, I think there is still a big gap between Google's search accuracy and our Qiandu search."

"After users compare their experience, I believe that most Chinese people will continue to choose to use Qiandu Search."

"Google, don't try to grab too much search market share in our country."

Lei Jun smiled and said: "That is to say, it does not actually threaten our dominant position in the search engine market."

"It can only disgust us at best."

Qiu Bojun said: "Yes, that's exactly what happened."

"We can definitely be more generous!"

"But if we want to fight back, we still have to do it!"

Hua Teng was a little confused: "What do you think? They are confronting us head-on."

"If we ignore them, I think they will only become more rampant."

Qiu Bojun said, "Don't worry! I've been thinking, if it comes to our place to develop, then we don't have to be polite! Just search on Baidu to find Amei to seize their market in North America!"

"This is called counter-stealing!"

Lei Bushi laughed: "Mr. Qiu is awesome!"

"This countermeasure may make the other side even more panicked."

Qiu Bojun said: "There is a difficulty at present: we cannot produce a large amount of English information content in the shortest possible time."

"If you can't figure this out, you can't improve the accuracy of your search."

"We have mobilized a huge amount of manpower to produce the rich content of our Chinese products."

"It would be much easier if there was a software that could accurately translate between various languages."

"Well! I have to talk to my boss to see if he supports such a big move."

To develop powerful and easy-to-use translation software, we must organize a new department specifically to do this.

It would probably take hundreds or even thousands of linguists, combined with top programmers and other professionals, to come up with a powerful translation software after a period of exploration. Hua Teng said: "But it is really infuriating to see Google doing things so recklessly now."

Qiu Bojun smiled and said, "Public opinion is in our hands!"

"Then let's launch a wave of public opinion siege!"

"Google as a company actually has quite a few blemishes."

"I think we should hold a special session on Weibo to criticize them!"

"Well, there are a total of several attack points."

"The first is the technical aspect. By comparing it with Baidu Search, we can expose its shortcomings such as low search accuracy and poor content, and create a public opinion atmosphere that Baidu Search is ahead of them in every aspect!"

"The second point of attack is to label them a rogue company!"

"They used every possible means to spread propaganda, including hacking to disrupt people's online surfing experience and using idiotic posting machines to make many jokes. For example, people were clearly discussing the topic 'The rice harvest is over', but because the topic contained the homophonic word for Google, several discussion replies about Google immediately appeared. Isn't this a joke?"

"Must create a stereotype for the public and make them a joke!"

"The third attack point is that Google, under the banner of 'don't be evil', is actually tolerating pornographic and theft-inducing search content everywhere, leading to a decadent lifestyle..."

Qiu Bojun finished telling his thoughts.

Both Lei Bushi and Hua Teng thought these ideas were genius.

This is about fighting magic with magic.

If you mess around and use all kinds of hacking methods to carry out propaganda, then don't blame me for using tricks.

After the conference call, many big V accounts on Weibo took action.

At the same time, Qiu Bojun also had a phone call with Zhang Zhipeng.

Qiu Bojun reported his ideas to Zhang Zhipeng.

After listening to this, Zhang Zhipeng smiled and said, "Just do it according to your idea."

"It is indeed very important to develop a powerful translation software, which will help us to accurately control public opinion around the world."

"At the same time, it can also help our software go overseas and be promoted all over the world."

"If you want to do this, you have to do it to the extreme."

After receiving support, Qiu Bojun immediately took action and began to work on developing a powerful translation software.

……

However, after Google had used various unconventional methods to promote its products in China for about ten days, Page and Brin sat together to take stock of the situation.

They didn't spend too much money on this promotion, but they feel the effect is quite good.

In just ten days or so, the number of Internet users using Google search has increased dramatically.

They actually account for a little over one-third of the search engine market in China.

This exceeded their expectations.

They feel that if the current situation continues, Google will be able to grab more search engine market share in the future.

Page said: "As long as we continue to improve our product content and enhance our search accuracy, I think we will soon be able to occupy at least 50% of the market share!"

Brin shook his head and said, "I'm a little confused now."

"They must have detected our actions, but they didn't take any sniping measures. This is incredible."

Page laughed and said, "Maybe they don't have the sophisticated posting robots and even more powerful hacking methods like us."

Brin shook his head and said, "No, no! I think we can't underestimate each other."

“They also have very good programmers.”

"Perhaps, they are planning some terrible means. It is also possible."

Paige was a little bit unconvinced.

"Aha! You're kind of scaring yourself here, man."

"I believe that no matter what means they use, they will never be able to defeat us."

Page expressed his optimism.

Just as the two were discussing the issue, Qiao Yunfei, the CEO of China, called them.

Qiao Yunfei told them that now, on China's largest self-media social information platform, there is suddenly a lot of negative content about Google...

After listening to Qiao Yunfei's report, Page and Brin suddenly became a little restless.

Obviously, this is the beginning of a public opinion counterattack by Qiandu Search.

Both of them immediately logged into Weibo to check the situation.

When they saw this, they were all shocked.

On this self-media information platform, there are so many negative news about Google.

There are several related hot searches on Weibo.

"The top ten flaws of Google's search engine!"

"Google is a rogue software!"

“Google is evil!”

When Brin clicked on these three hot searches, they were actually three special topics.

The first topic makes a comprehensive comparison with Qiandu Search and concludes that it has huge gaps with Qiandu Search in at least ten aspects.

The first problem is that its search accuracy is very poor. If you search a few keywords and compare them, you will find that the search results are specious and cannot meet the needs of search users at all...

The second topic exposed that Google used stupid posting machines to promote itself, hired a large number of Internet users, forcibly posted links on other people's websites, forcibly tampered with the browser's homepage, etc.

The third feature is a scathing satire of all of Google’s evil deeds…

Each of the three hot search topics has tens or even millions of people participating, and there are hundreds of big Vs participating.

After seeing the situation on Weibo, Page and Brin were both a little panicked.

This move by the opponent is a killing move!

Without a perfect public relations crisis plan, Google would probably have become infamous.

The two looked at each other. They couldn't think of any good way to solve the current crisis.

Paige sighed uneasily and said, "I guess this is nothing, right?"

"This is just a media attack, but it actually helps us with publicity."

"Perhaps it will attract more netizens who have never paid attention to us to use our search engine."

Brin frowned and said, "But if our reputation is damaged, users will not be loyal to us."

"Maybe, we may only be an auxiliary search tool in the future. Maybe, those who need search will only try Google for verification after searching on Baidu."

"If that happens, we will never be able to defeat Qiandu Search."

“Do what you can to undo the damage,” Page said.

"I think we should first issue an announcement in which we humbly express our acceptance of the opinions given by users, and then sincerely express that we will upgrade the product according to the users' suggestions."

"We don't shift the blame, we don't attack, we keep a low profile."

"Maybe this will win the favor of ordinary people."

"After all, even if we explain and fight back, it will be useless. Instead, it will provoke even greater backlash from public opinion."

Brin sighed and said, "If we really did that, it would mean that our Google is really not as good as Qiandu Search!"

"If that happens, the impact on us will probably not just be within China."

"It's also possible that we'll get the fucking attention of users all over the world, and they might abandon us and switch to Baidu Search."

"Showing weakness can never be the best way to solve a problem!"

Paige was stunned for a moment, and he felt that his consideration was indeed a bit inappropriate.

"So, what should we do?"

“It’s just a matter of hard work,” Brin said.

"It was directly stated in the announcement: A competitor was engaging in unfair competition! After Google entered China, its performance was so eye-catching that it was suppressed by a powerful competitor!"

"Well! Let me make it clear again that we will never succumb to the pressure from our opponents! We will continue to provide the best search engine for the vast majority of Chinese users!"

PS: Here’s today’s update! Please make full reservations, please monthly tickets, please recommend tickets.

(End of this chapter)