Back To 1995

  Chapter 1192 Dead friends never die poor

  The news that Microsoft acquired the Skype platform for US$18.2 billion swept the global media almost instantly.

   "This madman!"

Bill Gates, who is testing the new generation of operating system Vista, saw that Ballmer spent 18.2 billion US dollars to buy Skype. Engineers, too, keep their eyes on their noses, their noses, their noses, and their hearts, as if they didn't hear anything.

   Ballmer has completely controlled the Microsoft board of directors. Even if the acquisition of the Skype platform is such a major event, there is no need to discuss it with Bill Gates. Even after the acquisition was completed, Bill Gates received the news.

When Bill Gates was in charge of Microsoft, he made a lot of big acquisitions, and he didn’t know how many lost money, but now he can see clearly that Microsoft’s acquisition of Skype seems to be an extra trump card, but for The direct help from Microsoft is not great, and it is even more difficult to say how much profit it can bring. Bill Gates feels that he is overthinking ICQ directly by relying on the Skype platform and MSN. Based on his understanding of Song Yang, he can sell Skype, It can't be said that Song Yang has other cards in his hand!

But then the news came back, when he saw that the acquisition of Skype could be exchanged for the opportunity to invest in Starlink Communications Group, as well as a stake in Song Yang's next new platform, which may have more than 100 million users worldwide, Bill Gates couldn't help feeling a little bit There was silence.

Even if you know that spending nearly 20 billion US dollars to acquire Skype is not worthwhile, plus the opportunity to invest in Starlink and another company in the hands of Song Yang, it is enough for Microsoft's board of directors to compromise. For Microsoft, it is not short of money at all. , but because they are afraid of being abandoned and overtaken, and even paying such a large price for the acquisition this time, for Microsoft, even if it is in exchange for a promise that Song Yang will not enter the computer operating system, it is absolutely cost-effective, let alone Song Yang. A big discount gift package, buy one get two free!

With a long sigh, regardless of whether the acquisition of the Skype platform is a profit or a loss, Bill Gates knows that Microsoft’s cash flow has been consumed again, and nothing can be done in the short term. As for the revival of the mobile operating system business, it is impossible to talk about it. get up.

Even, looking at the Vista system in his hand, Bill Gates was a little suspicious, whether Ballmer did it on purpose, consuming the cash flow in Microsoft's account, so he couldn't promote the new system with great fanfare, and he couldn't come out again. Already...

   "International news, the two major technology companies in America, Microsoft and ICQ officially announced that they have reached an acquisition agreement. Microsoft has acquired ICQ's Internet phone company Skype at a total price of 145.6 billion yuan. This transaction has set a new record in the Internet industry!"

  Yanjing CCTV also reported the deal between Microsoft and ICQ, and when the domestic audience saw the news on the TV station, the spiritual shock was much greater than that of the domestic Internet industry.

   Just a piece of broken software, a broken company that uses broadband network to make calls, can sell more than 100 billion yuan? !

   You need to know how many big companies have a market value of less than 10 billion yuan in the Yanjing stock market at this moment. A company that you have never heard of in China has actually sold for 100 billion yuan.

Last year, the richest man in China was Lao Zhang from Sohu, but Lao Zhang, who is nominally the number one person on the Internet in China, is worth only tens of billions of yuan. Now a Skype is equivalent to 15 Lao Zhang's worth, making him the top of the domestic Hurun rich list. The top 50 combined can't compare to a Skype. Even after experiencing the baptism of the Internet in China, people in China who read the news can't help but be shocked!

On major domestic portals and Internet forums, Skype-related news emerges endlessly. The topic of "the Internet has recovered" has also become a hot topic. Countless people believe that Microsoft's sky-high acquisition of Skype marks the recovery of the Internet. up.

The Skype deal boosted the morale of Song Yang's Wishing Star Foundation camp in China. Sohu, 8848, 360 and other companies under the Wishing Star Foundation launched a fierce attack on the companies in the Yahoo camp. shock.

America and the world's major media have all reported this acquisition, and it is quite controversial. Some people think that Ballmer's acquisition is a big gamble for Microsoft, which can make Microsoft even better. On the first floor, some people think that Skype will become a big burden and will drag down Microsoft.

Analysts on Wall Street are also holding a wait-and-see attitude towards this acquisition. The ratings given by both buyers and sellers are neutral, that is, it is not as good as expected, but it is not so unbearable. Didn't take much advantage either.

ICQ sold Skype and received a large amount of cash, but Wall Street institutions did not think that ICQ made much money. The potential of Skype lies there. In the future, it will be a platform with hundreds of millions of users, or even hundreds of millions of users. As expected, ICQ sold it, which is equivalent to losing a large number of users at once. How to make up for it? Sometimes the dollar is not guaranteed, and users can be bought. Microsoft is an example...

It is actually hard to say what Microsoft can do with the Skype platform. According to the previous agreement between ICQ and the Federal Telecommunications Operators Association, Skype can only appear on Alcatel mobile phones except for the computer terminal. This basically locks up Skype's short-term entry into the mobile phone market.

In the future, Microsoft and the giant companies of the Federal Telecommunications Operators Association may still have a lot of skins to talk about. As for making money, no Wall Street institutional analyst dares to say that Skype can make money for Microsoft. Just pay less!

  In the San Jose Hotel, after the acquisition agreement was signed, ICQ, as the host, held a grand celebration ceremony for Microsoft.

Celebrities and powerful figures from San Jose, Silicon Valley, San Francisco and other places were invited to the scene. Song Yang, Irene, and various executives from ICQ also arrived at the scene, which gave Ballmer enough face as a big money lord. , After all, he took out 18.2 billion US dollars, of which 8 billion US dollars in cash and 10 billion in Microsoft stocks, no matter what, he had to give face to the big benefactor.

  Other acquirers left, but Brian Roberts did not leave and also attended the banquet.

As soon as he entered, Brian Roberts heard a burst of deafening applause. Seeing Ballmer appearing at the banquet like stars holding the moon, Song Yang applauded Ballmer himself, and countless media reporters photographed this representative The scene where Ballmer ascended to the pinnacle of career power!

  Brian Roberts took a glass of wine from the waiter, sat quietly in the corner, and looked at the faces of all beings in front of him.

   "To Microsoft!"

   "Regard ICQ!"

  Song Yang and Ballmer held a glass of wine each, and after they touched each other, they drank it down in one gulp. The camera on the scene flashed into white flowers to record this scene.

  Ballmer, who was in a good mood, never refused anyone who came to toast. After a while, he became a little bit drunk, and his face was already rosy.

   After drinking a few more gulps, Ballmer strode towards Song Yang, "Song!"

   Ballmer embraced Song Yang. Although he looked a little drunk, Song Yang could see clearly. At this moment, Ballmer's eyes were still very clear.

   "This is the first time Microsoft has cooperated with you..."

  Ballmer slapped his forehead, seemed to be a little troubled and couldn't remember clearly, but suddenly raised his head, stared at Song Yang and asked, "Song, will Microsoft and ICQ always be allies?!"

   It sounds like Ballmer asked while drunk, but Song Yang knew that Ballmer was definitely not drunk at this time.

   "Of course, as long as President Ballmer is still at Microsoft, ICQ and Microsoft will always be allies!"

Song Yang also said directly, listening to Song Yang's words, Ballmer couldn't help laughing, there was something in Song Yang's words, ICQ is an ally with Ballmer's Microsoft, but if Ballmer is not in Microsoft, It's hard to say whether the two sides are still allies. Song Yang supports Ballmer, not Microsoft.

But Ballmer is very satisfied with this answer. He is not really safe at Microsoft. Bill Gates has not really retired yet. Regardless of how much power Bill Gates has left, he only needs to stay at Microsoft for one day. , it always made Ballmer feel uneasy, for fear that one day, Microsoft would stage a change of grabbing the door, the emperor would kick the emperor away, and he would sit on the dragon chair again...

Therefore, Ballmer also hopes that outside of Microsoft, he can have some powerful people as allies to ensure that he can sit more securely in the position of Microsoft's president. Which is more important, your deadly enemy or your own ass? !

  (end of this chapter)