Back To 1995

   Chapter 146 Backdoor

  When the on-site press conference at the San Jose Convention Center ended, a group of media immediately swarmed around Song Yang and Willis. These media and reporters were the most sensitive to the wind and hot spots.

After just looking at the press conference, Microsoft, Netscape, Yahoo and others left the venue in a hurry, and even Anderson and Jim Clark didn't even bother to say a polite word, so they hurriedly returned to Netscape, understanding these Internet Colleagues, the attitude towards this conference.

   Those young people from San Jose University who entered the scene gave ICQ a full three minutes of applause after the announcement of the end of the press conference, and they understood their attitude towards ICQ!

   In addition, the NFT avatar that Wesley mentioned at the end was more like a weed in the hearts of countless people on the scene, and countless people were restless.

  Many people know little about this stuff, but they clearly feel that at the last moment, ICQ came up with this trick, definitely not for playing. ICQ's implementation of NFT avatars will have any impact, no one knows!

   "ICQ will have a banquet later. Anyone who is interested can participate. ICQ will hold a special media meeting day in a few days. If you have any questions, you can ask them at that time!"

   Facing the crowd of reporters and the people on the scene, Irene announced on behalf of ICQ, and Song Yang and Willis were escorted by Ulf to the hotel where the celebration banquet was held.

   Kevin Kelly, who was standing behind the crowd, made another note in his notepad. He was not as anxious as the fellow reporters. Song Yang had already promised him that he would be interviewed by Wired magazine.

  Today's ICQ conference has left Kevin Kelly still in the mood. He has not experienced the kind of Internet products that amaze him for a long time. ICQ is definitely one of them!

Kevin recorded the main points of today's ICQ conference, but after returning to the hotel, Kevin can publish a real comment about ICQ in Wired Magazine after he has personally experienced ICQ, but Kevin has a hunch , It is estimated that the technology industry will explode because of ICQ tomorrow!

   Sitting in the car, Willis' excited mood gradually calmed down. Looking at Song Yang who was sitting beside him, Willis asked cautiously, "Boss, ICQ user, are you really willing to accept NFT avatars?!"

Song Yang smiled. The so-called NFT was created by the people in the currency circle to cut leeks. Everything can be NFT. A pair of NFT socks sold for 160,000 US dollars, a star's NFT animation was auctioned for 210,000 US dollars, and a virtual The NFT real estate sold for $600,000, and a famous painting composed of NFT sold for $69.34 million…

Although the NFT publicity is very good, what blockchain technology does the NFT use? It is an encrypted picture, which is unique in the world, inseparable and non-replicable. Every NFT picture can be tracked and queried, it is like giving a picture identity, etc.

But no matter what, when NFT pictures, like antiques, calligraphy and paintings, start to circulate and trade, it has the property of hype, and it starts to cut leeks. Someone spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy an NFT picture. People make millions of dollars by making NFT pictures.

When ordinary people see such news, they probably won’t think about it carefully and investigate, who are buying and selling, and only seeing profits, they flood into NFT picture transactions in a rush, and they are finally charged with IQ tax !

It is not ruled out that NFTs may indeed become popular, but except for those with special needs, most people spend tens of millions to buy this stuff, and they are basically cut off. There are even substitutes for antiques. Forget about this stuff.

   However, this does not hinder, ICQ is now taking out this set of gameplay and using it to hype ICQ!

   Of course, ICQ does not have any blockchain, tracking technology, etc., but it is no problem to play NFT on ICQ's platform.

The current Internet culture is trendy and different, and ICQ launched the NFT avatar to make it unique, and even represent identity and status, so that when people see this avatar, they will know who is using it. , use it to break the circle for ICQ!

"I believe that users will accept NFT avatars, but these are not what you need to care about now, Willis, your technical department, the server must be ready to welcome the influx of users, and deal with the technical problems encountered! "

Song Yang said to Willis that NFT avatars are ultimately a means of publicity. It is the users who are placed in front of ICQ. This is the most important thing. No one knows whether ICQ can replicate the miracle of Hotmail's soaring users. But this time, in order to promote ICQ, Song Yang has already smashed it with real money.

At the celebration banquet, Song Yang, Willis and the others didn't stay long. After drinking a few drinks, they returned to the ICQ office building. At this time, ICQ no longer needed to cover up. Outside the office building, it was already hung up. On the ICQ signboard.

  Song Yang went directly to the technical department, and the backstage of the technical department could see the downloads of ICQ, the user's usage time and so on.

   "Now some users have started to download ICQ's client, and the number of page visits is also increasing. The total number of registered users has exceeded 1,250!" Seeing Song Yang who came in, the person staring at the rear tire reported to Song Yanghui.

   Now using ICQ, you can access it through Netscape and IE browsers, and you can also search ICQ web pages on Yahoo. In addition, Hotmail mailboxes now have function keys embedded with ICQ, which can be directly transferred to ICQ's login web page!

Song Yang glanced at the time. After the press conference, ICQ's official website was launched for users to access and download the client. In addition, double-clicking on the company's side also started to promote ICQ. Basically, it will be until tomorrow evening. Only by downloading the amount can we know whether ICQ is accepted by users.

   At this moment, many Internet companies such as Microsoft, Netscape, Yahoo, and AOL are also studying ICQ.

  Myhrvold, who has not returned to Microsoft headquarters in Seattle, is on a conference call with Microsoft headquarters, "Gates, Ballmer, Microsoft must pay attention to ICQ, it will be something that changes the history of the Internet in America, I promise!"

While on the phone with Microsoft headquarters, Myhrvold was operating the computer and experienced the ICQ he had just downloaded. After logging in to ICQ with one click of his Hotmail mailbox, Myhrvold was shocked to see that in the ICQ friend list column, the voice was quiet. There is a "friend address book import" lying still.

Myhrvold clicked on it directly, and then saw a scene that made him stunned, only to see that ICQ directly imported Myhrvold's Hotmail friend account into ICQ, and gave Myhrvold very thoughtful Send me a sentence, reminding him to notify the friends of the Hotmail account to open the ICQ account, and the two sides can communicate. Even if Myhrvold clicks OK again, ICQ can take care of Myhrvold and directly use the Hotmail mailbox to generate an email and notify His friend opened an ICQ account!

   Sitting at Microsoft headquarters, Bill Gates and others, who were studying ICQ software, heard Myhrvold's never-before-seen scolding.

   "Bruno Song that bastard!"

On the phone, Myhrvold's scolding was still echoing. He only saw the "Address Book Friend" function. How could Myhrvold not know that this was Song Yang's Hotmail mailbox, which he left for ICQ. The back door of the house, it's like the house has been sold, and the back door key is still left, and you can come in for a walk at any time, or carry something to leave.

Bill Gates heard this and noticed it, but he didn't scold him. Even if he didn't mention that Song Yang still holds 10% of Hotmail's mailbox, he would say that Song Yang is Microsoft's most staunch ally in the Internet industry. At this point, it is impossible for Bill Gates to turn his face directly because of this.

Bill Gates continued to experience ICQ, experienced most of ICQ's functions, and finally stopped at the "Discovery" page of the ICQ space community, and then said to the people around him, "The products released by our ally have a maturity level. Very high, it seems that preparations have already started!"

"What does Microsoft need to do now, how to deal with ICQ?!" Ballmer touched the top of his head and said with some headache. This matter does not depend on the performance of ICQ, but depends on how Microsoft handles the relationship with Song Yang. Whether to continue to be an ally, or to start to be an opponent.

   "Bruno Song should have no intention of becoming an enemy of Microsoft. Even if ICQ is launched, as long as there is an IE browser, Bruno Song's ICQ will not be able to threaten Microsoft's layout in the Internet industry. On the contrary..."

   Before going to San Jose, Todd, the president of the public relations department who signed an agreement with Song Yang on behalf of Microsoft, did not want Microsoft, who had finally improved its situation, to turn against its allies again.

   "If ICQ can develop, this ally of Microsoft may be more beneficial to Microsoft!"

But for Todd's remarks, someone at Microsoft immediately objected, "When Netscape came out, you guys also said this, if Bruno Song finally turned against Microsoft, what if Bruno Song relied on ICQ to occupy this place? , instant messaging and Internet social networking industry, is Microsoft about to withdraw from the social networking industry forever?!”

Microsoft is not monolithic. Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes, not to mention Microsoft, a giant with hundreds of billions of dollars. Microsoft can enter all walks of life on the Internet like an octopus.

   For the new terms such as "instant messaging" and "social industry" that just appeared today, naturally, I don't want Microsoft to miss it, and I don't want Microsoft to repeat the mistakes it made on Netscape!

   "Now Microsoft's enemy is Netscape!"

   Bill Gates, who was sitting in the first place, looked at the computer screen, and finally said heavily, this is basically a final word, and it will not change the relationship with Song Yang. He still wants to beat Netscape to death.

   "However, we must also keep an eye on our ally. If ICQ and the social industry really develop, Microsoft needs to enter, or Todd needs to go to San Jose again!"

  Bill Gates finally looked at Todd, with a very clear meaning, kill Netscape first, and then see how far ICQ can develop.

  Not only Microsoft, but Netscape, Yahoo, AOL, etc., there was no movement this night. Some people like Microsoft and Netscape are jealous of each other, and some are just waiting to see what ICQ can do.

   But the media is very lively, and ICQ is even more active.

   (end of this chapter)