"Thank you for your good interest in EA, and it's not too late for us to discuss it after a full financial calendar year." Tang Huan smiled and waved his hand, "And for now, let's continue to talk about Apple computers." ”

Tang Huan confidently glanced at the crowd in the audience, this move was different from Jobs's provocation just now, but with a kind of confusion, "Even if I say more, it is not as good as you, who often deal with money and numbers, buy an Apple computer and use the spreadsheet software CGrid." If you are reluctant to make this investment, you are in danger of being overtaken by your peers, because they can make it easier to make statements and win the favor of customers. ”

Speaking of this, Tang Huan snapped his fingers, "The reason why everyone needs Apple computers is so simple, just think about how cars can be popularized to middle-class families." ”

Looking at Tang Huan, who is good at dancing with long sleeves, flickering around on the stage with a hammer and a pickaxe in the west, the people below can actually listen to it with relish, and Jobs is about to turn his nose crooked.

"Look how Don pleases these bankers!" Makula glared at Jobs in annoyance, "At the beginning, you obviously gave a good speech, but why do you have to take a sharp turn and offend these powerful people on Wall Street." ”

"I'm also thinking about the company's interests, the subscription price is undervalued, isn't there less financing?" Jobs was somewhat unconvinced.

"Then discuss with Morgan Stanley in private, what are you doing to put pressure on these people in public." A black line appeared on Makula's forehead.

After the meeting was perfectly dismissed, Tang Huan said to Macoola, "Mike, maybe we can make a small change. By way of reverse auction. to price Apple stock. At that time, the price may be raised a bit and the amount of financing will be higher. ”

"Then let's discuss it with Humber and Quest first, and if it is feasible, then bring Morgan Stanley to discuss it together." Macoola gladly accepted the suggestion.

As soon as they boarded the plane back to San Francisco from New York, they began to exchange ideas about the change, but Tang Huan did not intend to get too involved in it, and Apple founders such as Marcula and Steve Jobs were obviously more motivated, and it was enough to come up with an idea on their own. Don't worry about it that much.

What's more, since IBM has released rumors that it is developing the next generation of personal computers, Tang Huan has to pay more attention to the 386 plan.

……

Sunnyvale, the headquarters of Atari in the same Silicon Valley area as Cupertino.

Gates and the CEO here Ray? Casa, the contract to develop BASIC for the Atari personal computer has been completed.

As he walked out, he recalled the scene of receiving a few visitors from IBM at Microsoft's headquarters a few days ago, and the two sides spent more than three hours without discussing anything substantive, the other party only consulted about Microsoft's operations and discussed the development trend of computers. Then the expedition ended.

This made Gates, Ballmer, and Allen very depressed, and they could clearly guess that the other party must have something to do with the personal computer. But it was just scratching the itch in the boots, and there was not even the slightest opportunity for cooperation.

Seeing that Apple is in full swing preparing to go public, the founders of Marcola, Jobs, and Woz are definitely going to make a fortune, and it would be too self-deceptive for Gates to say that he is not envious.

Let's take a trip to the headquarters of Apple and Zheru in Cupertino to see if there is any business, Gates sighed secretly.

As soon as he walked to the door of the building, Gates suddenly heard someone calling him from behind, "Sir, your company's phone has been called here, please come and answer it." ”

"What's going on, it's so urgent." Gates wondered in his heart.

"Bill, IBM is going to send someone to investigate again, I feel that there is an article here, come back quickly, let's prepare." Ballmer on the other side of the microphone was almost shouting.

"Okay, I'll be back to Seattle right away." Gates was in good spirits.

……

Sure enough, this time Gates was not disappointed, and Sams, the chief representative of IBM, first took out a legal text and solemnly asked them to sign it, because only in this way can the following topic be continued.

Gates and Ballmer looked at the document and saw that it was a non-disclosure contract that was clearly beneficial to IBM, with the general requirement that Microsoft agree to keep everything that IBM's people say confidential, and that IBM has the right to use any information provided by the signatories.

In a word, typical overlord clauses.

Seeing that IBM guys are so serious, Gates and they are even more curious, not to mention that Microsoft is now a small company, far worse than Apple and Zheru, barefoot is not afraid to wear shoes, just sign it, maybe there is a big opportunity here.

After reading the signatures, the representatives of IBM put away the documents with satisfaction, and Samus finally poured out his intention - the chess project that was being developed needed a programming language, and Microsoft's BASIC was chosen.

It's really a big opportunity, and it is naturally hard to cooperate with a giant enterprise like IBM, Gates and Ballmer glanced at each other, and it was difficult to hide the joy between their eyebrows.

So, when the representative of IBM asked for the delivery time, Gates patted his chest and assured that there was no problem.

SEEING THAT MICROSOFT'S YOUNG PEOPLE WERE SO PROFICIENT, IBM'S REPRESENTATIVES WERE VERY SATISFIED, SO SAMUS ASKED MICROSOFT IF IT COULD PROVIDE SOFTWARE IN THREE HIGH-LEVEL LANGUAGES AT THE SAME TIME: FORTRAN, PASCAL, AND COBOL.

Gates nodded and muttered: "Microsoft's BASIC can run independently of the operating system, and it can be loaded directly through read-only memory when it is booted, but the software of the three high-level languages of FORTRAN, PASCAL, and COBOL requires the cooperation of the operating system, that is, the CP/M of the digital research company." ”

"Then there's no problem." Samus waved his hand and smiled, "Our next stop is going to the Digital Research Company." ”

"Although CP/M has a monopoly in the operating system market, it currently only runs on Intel's 8-bit CPUs." Gates' eyes flickered, and he reminded him as if he had a good intention, "But." I have a friend. A similar 16-bit operating system was also made. ”

That's why he did it. It's because Microsoft is at odds with digital research companies.

Originally, Gates and Kildare, both Seattle-natives, had a strong relationship, and the two used to drive sports cars together on the highway, and Gates even got a speeding ticket.

Therefore, they naturally reached a tacit understanding that Microsoft's programming tools and digital research's operating system would not cross borders and cooperate with each other.

At first, everyone was fine, but just last year, a digital research company added language tools to the directory of operating systems. So Microsoft retaliated by buying a Unix license from AT&T and creating an operating system called Xenix to fight it.

"I'm sure digital research companies will be willing to modify their software." Samus, with the arrogance characteristic of IBM, replied unquestioningly.

……

IBM representatives did have the courage to speak like this, but when they came to the headquarters of the digital research company in Pacific Jungle Town, Monterey County, they did not meet the boss Kildare, who was on a business trip.

Samus was a little upset about this, didn't we already contact us in advance? The chess plan is most afraid of unnecessary delays.

Fortunately, Dolucy, the vice president of Digital Research and Kildare's wife, can call the shots. So the two sides began negotiations.

As usual, the representatives of IBM solemnly revealed their overlord secrecy clauses, which immediately frightened Dorothy.

After consulting with the company's lawyer, she decided to refuse to sign the document.

With that, the two sides obviously had nothing to talk about, and Samus got up and left in a huff.

However, Dorothy also knew how good IBM was, so she quickly said some good things and mentioned that Kildare would be back soon.

Because CP/M is the most popular and mature operating system on the Intel 8080 platform, Samus could only endure it and decided to wait for Kildare.

However, when the two sides met again, Kildare did not sign a non-disclosure agreement immediately, but first chatted casually.

Although IBM representatives could not divulge the contents of the chess project without authorization, Kildare had already guessed the intentions of the other party, after all, the news that IBM was working on the next generation of personal computers was spreading more and more.

In fact, IBM was completely frightened by the anti-monopoly lawsuit, so it used the legal provisions to protect itself in advance, but the side effects are also very obvious, and it is constrained and lacks flexibility.

Fortunately, Kildare is not your average smart, knowing that these people should want a 16-bit version of CP/M that can run on the Intel 8086, and digital research companies are working on such an operating system.

So Kildare introduced his company, much to Samsus' surprise.

Look, there's no damn overlord secrecy clause, and the two sides have achieved the goal of smooth communication.

However, when Sams proposed the delivery time that IBM wanted. Kildare hesitated.

There are many reasons for this, but to sum it up, it is nothing more than the following.

First of all, the development of Intel8086 version of CP/M is not technically difficult, and it is not a simple code porting that can solve the problem.

Secondly, relying on the market monopoly position of CP/M, Kildare has already lived the life of a wealthy man, with toys such as small private jets, and he is also happy to enjoy the current comfort, and it is difficult to make him work overtime day and night.

In the end, Kildare is too real, his company is already busy, many computer manufacturers are waiting in line for their own computer platform CP/M, IBM's delivery time seems to be a bit difficult, even if you cut the queue, you may not be able to complete it on time, in case you annoy the blue giant, go to court, then there will be hardship.

In this way, Kildare told the truth that the delivery time was too strict and it was a bit difficult for him.

In contrast to Microsoft's impression of young people who are aggressive, Samus is dissatisfied with Kildare's nonchalance, but he can't do anything about it.

Before getting on the plane, Samus remembered that Gates had said that he had a way to get an operating system, so he got a phone call and asked.

At this time, Gates was excitedly discussing cooperation with IBM with Ballmer and Allen, when he understood what Sams meant. Gates suppressed his excitement. Said slowly: "Sir." If IBM had agreed to make Microsoft an operating system vendor, I would have been willing to do it. ”

Samus barely gave it much thought before agreeing.

I have to say that the world is sometimes so wonderful, and the greedy chess planning team, for the sake of the progress of the project, will give full play to the doctrine of use, and dare to take risks and speculate on the little Microsoft. saw the opportunity, took advantage of this loophole, hugged his thigh, and his fate began to change.

"It's incredible, guys, that we came to work with IBM so easily." Gates, who put down the phone, yelled loudly.

"It's a bit unimaginable." Ballmer muttered to himself.

"Then contact Seattle Computer Products and get that QDOS." Alan suggested.

The SeattleComputerProduct he mentioned is also a small company, very close to Microsoft. It's only about 20 minutes away by car, and there's a guy called Tim Paterson, who is Tim? Patterson's computer whiz works there.

When Intel launched the Intel8086. Tim? Patterson developed the Intel8086 CPU interface card for MITS's Altair, the S100 bus of the Cowherd Star Computer, and in order to test whether it could work properly, he found the BASIC copyright lawsuit and moved Microsoft's headquarters back to Gates in his hometown of Seattle, trying to find a set of BASIC that could run on Intel8086 to test.

At that time, Microsoft had just used the Intel8086 emulator on the DEC minicomputer PDP-II to develop BASIC for Intel8086, but there was no actual device to verify the quality of this version of BASIC.

Tim? Patterson's visit was tantamount to someone bringing a pillow when he was sleepy, and the two sides immediately hit it off, cooperated according to their needs, and completed the verification work after a series of adjustments to their respective products.

In the process of contact, the two sides left a deep impression on each other, and benefited a lot. Patterson began to consider developing an operating system for Intel 8086, and CP/M, which was in a monopoly position in the market and could be called the de facto standard of the industry, naturally became a target for reference.

When Tim? After completing this rudimentary operating system, Patterson named it QuickandDirtyOperatingSystem - QDOS, which roughly means "fast and evil operating system", but after the official commercial release, it was called 86-DOS.

Gates was not stunned by the pie falling from the sky, and after listening to Allen's proposal, he thought it was so and decided to take immediate action and contact Seattle Computer Products.

……

Boca Raton, Florida, inside the Chess Project R&D Center, Bill? After listening to the message Samus brought back, Lowo nodded with satisfaction, "Very good, I'm about to report the progress of the project to the management committee." ”

Speaking of which, Bill? Lovo sighed, "I'm going to be transferred, and although I can't share the honor of the successful chess plan, I still have to try to arrange things as well as possible before leaving." ”

It turned out that the general manager of an IBM factory in Rochester, which employed 7,000 people, died of a heart attack. Lovo went to take over the position, which was a big promotion compared to the current head of the chess program, Bill? There was simply no way for Lovo to refuse.

But, Bill? Luovo's words made various members of the Xiangqi project team think differently, such as Liu, the chief designer of the system? Someone like Ogbrecht in the inner circle feels like he's entitled to succeed Bill? The vacant seat left by Lovo.

Bill? Lovo didn't know that his feelings had caused some undercurrents to the project team, and he hurriedly took the sorted out information and reported to the management committee.

In fact, the position of the chess project is still not very secure, so Bill? Once again, Lovo was bombarded with all sorts of problems.

When it became clear that the project team had given the software development of the operating system and high-level languages to a small company like Microsoft, they questioned it.

"Microsoft may not be large, but it already has a lot of successful software applications. The operation of the company is very mature. "Bill, who is very eloquent? Lovo, replied unhurriedly.

At this time, and Bill? Gates' mother, Mary? Gates, a member of the national board of directors of UnitedWay, the United Way organization, will soon succeed Frank? Cary, John as President? Oppel said, "Isn't Bill Mary's son?" ”

As a result, the voices of doubt on this issue disappeared all at once.

This is "Heaven and earth are all working together, and heroes are not free", Gates may not be able to play with his own plans, but he also needs Kildare's inadequacy, Tim? Patterson's QDOS, and John? Oppel, the nobleman, interjected by chance.

I have to say that just by virtue of the multiple coincidences in the dark that can be put together, Gates is a guy with a number of gases.

At the end of the meeting, it was natural to talk about Bill? After Lovo was promoted and left, the head of the chess project team had the question of who would take over.

"Undoubtedly, Don? Ethridge is the most suitable successor. "Bill? Lovo firmly gave his recommendation.

Obviously, as the current project leader, Bill? Lovo's opinion was decisive, and the chess scheme that was allowed to circumvent the company's rules was an alternative, so the appointment was easily approved. (To be continued......)