Seeing Tang Huan's different face, Alain Shugart immediately understood that people were a little surprised by this price, and hurriedly remedied: "ST-506 has only been out for a short time, and with the maturity and optimization of the process, the cost will definitely be reduced, and it is not impossible to seek a compromise transaction plan now." ”

This is the appearance of sincerity, Tang Huan nodded secretly, but he knew that the other party did not have much choice at present, and the customers who trusted ST-506 and were willing to use this product were really God, and the reason could be attributed to the competitive pressure from the blue giant.

It's no exaggeration to say that without IBM, there would be no hard drives.

As early as 1956, the first hard disk storage, RandomAccessMethodofAccountingandControl, or RAMAC, was introduced, using 50 platters with a diameter of 24 inches. With a capacity of 5MB and about the size of two refrigerators, it can be described as very basic.

But this is not a problem, the point is that it marks the dawn of the era of random access, and the input and output of computers are no longer limited by sequential access punches and paper tapes, which is a technological advancement from 0 to 1, which is extremely significant.

By the 1960s, floppy disk storage was also born at IBM.

In 1973, the IBM3340, nicknamed "Winchester", was introduced, and the basic architecture of the hard drive was established.

Alain Shugart was a first-hand witness in this process, and he can be described as very qualified, but now he has run out to start a company to produce hard disks, and he has no intention of competing with IBM. Naturally, I don't dare to sit back and relax.

The year 1983 in the original time and space. The IBM-PCXT with hard disk is launched. Seagate was selected as the OEM supplier and it entered the fast lane of development.

Before this, Tang Huan could naturally pretend to be an angel, send charcoal in the snow on the surface, and secretly exploit loopholes.

As for the clamor of Don Estlic just now, which was priced at $2,000, Tang Huan dismissed it, first put the product out and then talked about how to compete, playing this kind of game that swayed the psychology of customers. Instead, it fell inferiorly.

In the mainframe era, before IBM successfully developed System/360, it used this smoke bomb trick to trap competitors in misery, which led to antitrust lawsuits.

But let's not forget that in the mainframe era, the range of customers who could afford computers was limited, but now in the era of microcomputers, the user base is diverse, and the rules of the game in the market have changed. You still play this set, aren't you smiling and generous? What's more, will someone Tang sit still and wait to die?

……

In fact, the reaction on COMDEX slapped Don Estlic hard, and the basic model of the second-generation Fangyuan computer started at $4,000, but it did not resist the enthusiasm of the visitors, and the order fell like snowflakes in front of the Zheru market staff.

Seeing this, Jobs left in a hurry, and he wanted to supervise the progress of the MAC project team.

Gates also did not linger, since the second-generation Fangyuan computer will be the first to appear on the market, there is no reason not to speed up the progress of software development on this platform.

You know, on the third day after the IBM prototype was sent to Seattle, Zheru also provided the prototype.

Now there is a consensus within Microsoft that compared with the second-generation Fangyuan computer, IBM's chess plan works, except for the cost advantage, are a scum in other aspects.

Although Gates agrees with this view and supports the active development of software on the second-generation Fangyuan computer platform, he does not want to see his subordinates completely ignore IBM, after all, it is really difficult to realize his dream of operating system.

Don Estlic didn't care that his face was swollen, and he looked closely at the Zheru booth, trying to figure out the reason for the popularity of the second-generation Fangyuan computer.

In fact, Don Estlic was not simple, and in the original time and space, due to the success of IBM-PC, he was called the "father of the personal computer".

Before Jobs poached Scully from Coca-Cola, he was fond of Don Estlic. Unfortunately, Don Estlic didn't take a fancy to Apple and refused.

If it weren't for the plane crash, Don Estlic's untimely death, it's hard to say what would have been the end of the PC industry.

Through the experience of the scene, Don Estlic finally faintly found the reason why the second-generation Fangyuan computer was sought after, and the software support of Zheru was too comprehensive and powerful.

In the live demonstration, some people simply saw that CGrid, the spreadsheet software running on the second-generation Fangyuan computer, could process larger tables, and the data calculation speed was still quite fast, so they directly placed orders in a hurry.

Zheru's word processing software WordEasy is also very attractive, when the printer outputs the content on the screen, so that the audience can feel the powerful typesetting function of WYSIWYG, some people holding the paper in their hands actually worship and say, "I really didn't expect even the sound of the printer to be so beautiful".

How brain-dead is this, Don Estlic can't help but look at the black lines in his head.

As for Zheru's database EBase and various information management systems, there are many fewer onlookers, but when you look at the clothes and demeanor of these people, you can guess that they belong to professionals.

Through the patient guidance of the service staff, they can go down the entire business process smoothly on the ERP system provided by the second-generation Fangyuan computer, from document entry, to the generation of flow, to the printing of reports.

It can be seen from the frequent nodding that there are orders delivered to the door again.

In addition to these three major commercial software, the second-generation Fangyuan computer also provides a lot of interesting applications, such as "Tetris" and other mini-games ported from the video game console platform.

Don Estlic even saw that a person in front of the second-generation Fangyuan computer output music by tapping the keyboard, achieving an effect similar to that of an electronic keyboard.

Deeply shocked, Don Estlic finally figured out what kind of psychology people favored the second-generation Fangyuan computer.

Computer manufacturers always boast about their products. How to perform well. Powerful. But the mystical image of computers has long been ingrained, even among high-quality groups such as university professors.

The example of a calculator illustrates this phenomenon well. Its functions are included in the computer, and the early price is not cheap, and the users are also professionals, but people are still willing to choose the calculator, which only has a single function of calculating the value, because of the fear of facing the computer.

No matter how sensational the PC ad is. But people for its role, or in the fog, and the second generation of Fangyuan computer is different, through the software system applicable to different fields, so that users understand the value of this product, and the operation is simple, and there is no mystery and difficulty in the traditional sense.

It turns out that software is the biggest driver of PC consumption, Don Estlic muttered to himself.

Ding, ding, ding......

Zheru's unique voice logo. Pull Don Estlic back to reality from his contemplation.

He walked under the eye-catching Zheru and Fangyuan signs and came to the EA booth next door.

Compared to the solemnity next to it. The atmosphere here is even more lively, it's like a casino, with lots of people waiting in line to try out the latest games.

"Sir, EA has arranged a special stage performance, so you might as well go and enjoy it when the time comes, with Michael Jackson appearing. A playful chick in a ribbon put a promotional advertisement in Don Estlic's hand, which made him smile wryly, he was more than forty years old, and he was okay with this.

Don Estlic didn't know much about video games, but he could see that EA's products were not as popular as even the Fangyuan Computer, which belonged to the same boss next to him.

Don Estlic noticed that there was a portable game console with the slogan "One Person, One World", which was so popular on the spot that the service staff were busy and sweaty.

Curious, he spent less than $100 to buy this product called Xiaobawang's palm treasure, as well as limited products such as attached posters, it is estimated that these so-called giveaways are also wool from sheep, so although he is not interested, he also accepted them.

The Pocket Treasure uses dry batteries as the power supply, and the black and white LCD screen contains a "Tetris" game, which is easy to play and easy to play.

Don Estlic reluctantly found that this little overlord was very funny, and it was very good to use it for a change of brain, or to pass the leisure time such as waiting for a car.

These booming companies, which belong to the same boss, must be handy when they support each other, and their own chess plan is only an insignificant department in IBM, and they may not receive more resources than each other before the management committee realizes the real value.

Thinking of this, Don Estlic couldn't help but feel awe-inspiring in his heart, in the next confrontation, he may not have an advantage, not to mention that the opponent has already taken the lead.

……

Tang Huan was in the office area behind the platform, looked at the statistics and scratched his head.

The game console is indeed very popular, and the gang even arrogantly plans to get every COMDEX participant to buy a Xiaobawang Palm Treasure, which is really arrogant.

In this regard, Tang Huan was too lazy to comment, but the second-generation Fangyuan computer was popular, which made him feel a little embarrassed.

Even decades later, when Microsoft or Intel releases a new product, it does not necessarily mean that it will enter the retail market immediately, and it will often be delivered to enterprise users first.

Tang Huan also adopted this model, in order to wait for the production process, and even the operation of the entire supply chain to further mature in this time gap, but this situation cannot be said directly, only suitable for prevarication with the excuse that "the production capacity problem will not be improved until next month's Christmas", but individual users are still willing to pay the advance payment on the spot and wait.

Could it be that the threshold of $4,000 can't stop your impulse to buy, Tang Huan couldn't help but shake his head.

However, if you think about this price range carefully, it seems to make sense, the products that IBM sales staff are interested in are basically priced at more than $20,000, and the various minicomputers of DEC and HP have not put down their bodies, and they have really been exploited by themselves, and the research results of the marketing department are still more credible.

Tang Huan thought about it as he walked to the front of the booth. I happened to see Don Estlic, who was fiddling with the treasure in the palm of the little overlord. Turning away from the back.

For this "father of the personal computer" in the original time and space. Because of his untimely death, there are not too many deeds left behind, Tang Huan will inevitably have an interest in face-to-face conversation after meeting a real person at close range, which can be regarded as knowing himself and knowing his opponent, and he will not be defeated in a hundred battles.

As for the challenge issued by the other party not long ago, his own boss is qualified to laugh at it.

"Estlic, since you're here. Why don't you sit down and talk about it? Tang Huan said hello.

"It's you. Seeing that it was Tang Huan, Don Estlic's face was a little more wrinkled, and he raised the treasure in the palm of the little overlord and shook it, "Man, I took care of your business just now." ”

It is undeniable that Don Estlic has a charismatic personality, and he was appointed as his successor by Bill Lowo, who left the Chess Project team because of his high promotion, and is completely parachuted in, but can make the whole project team. Obey your own commands, no two brushes. How?

Don Estlic is a contradictory person, he is loyal to IBM, but he hates IBM's bureaucracy so much that he can only be trapped in it and cannot escape, which is really intriguing.

"Thanks to your patronage, I would appreciate it even more if you could buy a second-generation Fangyuan computer. Tang Huan laughed.

"Don't you notice that your salespeople have been trying their best not to let individuals take the lead in getting the second-generation Fangyuan computer, the meaning of which is self-evident. Don Estlic said very frankly what he was thinking, "If you agree, I would like a second-generation Fangyuan computer now, and then take it back and take it apart and study it carefully." ”

"Estlic, you're so direct that I'm speechless. Tang Huan shook his head with a smile and sent out an invitation, "Let's go to the back work area and chat while drinking coffee." ”

Don Estlic's style of action is somewhat similar to that of Steve Jobs, who acted recklessly, without so many worries, and agreed in one go.

After they were seated and finished brewing coffee, Tang Huan looked at Don Estlic and said lightly: "The $2,000 personal computer you promised can be described as murderous. ”

"Aren't you the first person in the third generation of personal computers, so you naturally have to be mentally prepared to deal with challenges. Don Estlic unhurriedly took out the instructions for the treasure in the palm of the little overlord and read it at a glance.

That's what you're talking about. Tang Huan nodded, "$2,000 is also the price range of the product I want, but unfortunately it can't be touched for the time being, but it's not far away." ”

"It is estimated that at that time, IBM's personal computers had already occupied half of the market. Don Estlic replied casually.

"You're optimistic about your product. Tang Huan had an intriguing look on his face, "But the question is, has your hardware been done to the extent that there are no obvious defects, and is the supporting software ready?"

"You don't have to go to great lengths to get information from me. Don Estlic shook his head disdainfully, "Whether you're ready or not, we'll find out until the beginning of next year." ”

"You're obviously talking big. Tang Huan smiled, "I bet that by the end of the first quarter of next year, IBM computers will be seen on the market, and the progress will already be very good, because your software is outsourced to other companies, although it can reduce costs, but it may not be able to improve efficiency, because they are not under your control." ”

Don Estlic snorted and took his coffee to taste it carefully, in fact, to hide his surprise: how could the young man opposite him calculate the progress of the chess plan so accurately? At the end of the first quarter of next year, it is the time point when the entire system will be delivered.

However, Tang Huan's words also reminded himself that the significance of software to personal computers was realized just now, so strengthening control over this peripheral company is also the proper meaning of the question.

Seeing that Don Estlic was silent, Tang Huan secretly laughed in his heart.

Because of its own influence, Apple went public three months ahead of schedule, so it is reasonable that IBM's chess plan was completed three months to half a year ahead of schedule.

What's more, Microsoft has just taken away the prototype of the second-generation Fangyuan computer from itself, and there is a more important system programming interface specification.

The deeper meaning of this matter is that the prototype of IBM was only handed over to Microsoft, which in itself is a link after a link.

And Don? What Estlic didn't know was that the QDOS that Gates bought with all his heart was a complete pitfall, with at least hundreds of bugs in it, coupled with the cooperation of the imperfect IBM prototype, all kinds of strange problems emerged one after another, in the original time and space, but the two sides were tortured to the bitterness, but each of them had been bound to each other's chariots, especially the chess planning team, there was no time to regret it, so they could only pinch their noses and admit it, and they had to teach Microsoft for free how to become a regular army in this group of field armies on project management。

Tang Huan leisurely picked up the coffee and shook it for a moment, "Whether it is or not, we will inevitably have a big battle in the personal computer market, so we will greet our opponents in advance." ”

"No matter how much you say, you can't disturb the morale of our military. Don Estlic picked up the cup and slammed it against Tang Huan's cup to show his determination to fight, and at the same time sneered, "You entered the personal computer market, I don't know how your close partner Apple feels?"

"Aren't you going to launch a personal computer under $2,000, Apple is naturally thinking about how to fight back, and we will also adjust the base price of 4,000 down appropriately to create a situation of encirclement. Tang Huan had a wicked smile on his face and patiently explained.

Hearing this, Don Estlic could no longer sit still, and said angrily, "Then wait and see," and got up to take his leave. (To be continued......)