"Two months, 10 million registered users!" Mark. Anderson slammed the newspaper on his desk and walked around the office irritably, touching the top of his head.

Although the six-eared IM is not a threat to the Netscape browser, the user-first system on the Internet makes it impossible for him to accept Netscape's supremacy being challenged. The value of instant messaging software is gradually revealed, and anyone with a discerning eye can see that it is an indispensable tool for surfing the Internet just like a browser. If Netscape can evaluate the huge user base to covet the instant messaging market, then when the six-ear IM grows up, it can also invade the browser market.

Before he could walk up for a while and consume the fire in his heart, there was a knock on the door of his office from outside.

"Boss, you're looking for me." Derekt pushed open the door and walked in.

Derekt was a short white man of less than 1.7 meters and looked to be in his early twenties. With a pile of tousled hair, thick glasses, a baggy T-shirt and a pair of oversized slippers, he looked like a raunchy nerd.

"How's our IM software development going?" Mark. Anderson stopped and looked at Derrickt with fierce eyes. It was as if he was not in front of his project director, but a competitor in the market.

"Boss, you know, I always deliver reports to your office on time. We have a software development cycle and everything stays on track as planned. Derrickt lifted his glasses and said.

"It's the same as the plan?" Mark. Anderson suddenly said angrily: "The existence value of the plan is used to overthrow!" ”

He threw the newspaper on the table in Derrickett's face. "Let's see, if we can't release NetscapeInstantMessaging right away," he shouted. Then there is nothing for us in this market. As long as the number of users of Six Ears IM doubles again, it may only take another two months. Or sooner than a month, they will be able to achieve their monopoly goals. ”

Mark. Anderson panted and stared at Derrickt with wide eyes. In the newspaper, it is the news that the number of registered users of Liuer IM has exceeded 10 million. The background picture is a skyrocketing statistical line chart, and it can be clearly seen that since the release of "Electronic Love Letters", the user growth rate is almost like the starting point of online novels twenty years later.

He opened the newspaper, quickly browsed it, and said in fear: "But boss, you know, Liuer IM has applied for patents in peer-to-peer communication, user lists, and many designs. To get around these patents, we need time. ”

"Then don't get around them. The patented technique of using the six-eared IM directly is good. "Mark. Anderson said angrily.

"It's not necessary, we have the ability to break through these patent blockades." Derector bitterly persuaded: "Although they have registered a lot of patents, it is impossible for software patents to form barriers. As long as we reconstruct from the bottom up, or change some of the forms of expression and the language of the statement, we can completely avoid or make the technique plausible and ambiguous. ”

"How much time will it take to realize your vision?" Mark. Anderson asked, holding back his anger.

"Within this year, we will be able to come up with the finished product." Derrickt said confidently.

Mark. Anderson slapped the table and roared, "This year? Not to mention the end of the year, there are three more months. The six-eared IM will completely determine the victory. We don't have that much time, to hell with the damn patents! ”

Derrickt frowned and said: "This is a naked infringement, we will definitely be sued in court!" ”

Mark. Anderson loosened his tie and said with red eyes, "Then let them go and sue them." After a year or two of lawsuits, we have already perfected the procedures by then. It's a big deal to lose a sum of money, but if the market is lost, you can't get it back! ”

"Knowingly. The court will award a large amount of punitive damages! Derrickt was shocked when he heard this.

Mark. Anderson frantically shouted at Derrickt: "As long as I can defeat the six-eared IM, I can pay any amount of money." Did you see that? The international license fee for the UK, Germany, and Canada alone. Six Ears Software Company sold for 30 million. If we can get this market, we don't need to share it with other people at all. More than a dozen billions of dollars are no problem! ”

"Okay, you're the boss, you have the final say." Derrickt shrugged his shoulders and reluctantly agreed.

"If you use the patented design of the six-eared IM, how quickly can you come up with a program?" Mark. Anderson calmed down and asked.

"One more month." Derrickt said hesitantly.

"No, it must be taken out this week!" Mark. Anderson flatly refused.

"This is not possible, even with ready-made designs, it needs to be redeveloped and fully tested. At most, the program can be developed within a week, and there is no time to test it. Derrickt couldn't help but say aggrievedly.

"I don't care, there's no reason, there's no difficulty, I'm going to see the program go live this week." Mark. Anderson slammed his chest and threatened, "Don't forget Derrickt, if I can only pay you this way, then anyone can sit in your place." Get the program done for me, or I'll get you done. ”

Derrickt sighed weakly and nodded, "Okay, I'll try." Maybe we can release a version of bate first, just like browsers. Anyway, if you do it now, a lot of programs and designs will change in the future. ”

"That's your problem, I just want my program." Mark. Anderson waved his hand and drove him away.

The number of Six Ears IM users exceeded 10 million, and this news was like a meteorite thrown into the calm water of the lake. Meanwhile, Microsoft, Redmond, northeast of Seattle.

A drizzle had just fallen in the Seattle area, but the air was much fresher. The clear blue sky and white clouds make people's mood unnaturally relaxed.

"James, you're right, this Zhou Shuo is indeed not an easy character to deal with." Bill stood up, shook James' hand, and invited him to sit down.

"Actually, I still wish I had made a mistake once in a while." James shrugged his shoulders and said innocently.

Although James had confidence in Zhou Shuo, he was also taken aback by the speed of the expansion of the six-eared IM. To say that he had seen this scene before, it would be too embarrassing for him.

However, James' previous performance in front of Beal gave him a very good impression score. At least from Bill's point of view, the manager of the ERP project department is just a software seller, but he can grasp the changes in the Internet market so accurately, but he is a strategic talent.

"It's not your problem." Bill shook his head, sat down and said, "The number ID of the six-ear IM has reached eight figures, and I think the number of real users is at least five million. It took two months to achieve such results, and Mark. Anderson is going to go crazy. ”

James smiled softly in agreement, and couldn't help but ask strangely, "I know that we also have an MSN plan, and I'm afraid the pressure won't be less than theirs." ”

"It's different, our home stadium is not on the internet." Bill waved his hand, and it didn't seem like there was much pressure. He said with a smile: "Microsoft is not aiming for MSN, and the Internet market is only a question of how much to gain for us, and there is no danger of losing. Microsoft needs an opportunity to enter the Internet, and in addition to confrontation, it can also choose to cooperate. ”

"Acquisition." James was succinct and to the point.

Bill nodded and said affirmatively: "I hope to entrust you to contact Zhou Shuo, and Microsoft can consider offers within 100 million." Of course, if he has a big appetite, other conditions can also be used. Patent licensing, cross-shareholding, anything can sit down and talk. ”

"Okay, no problem." James simply agreed and said, "From the experience of past contact, I don't think Zhou Shuo is the kind of entrepreneur who is too narrow-minded. ”

The so-called narrow-minded entrepreneur is the kind of person who sees the company as more important than life. Not only are they reluctant to bring in venture capital, but they also don't even have the opportunity to give some equity to the partners who start the business together. Holding 100% of the company's shares, the old stubbornness who doesn't let go.

"I hope so." Bill nodded, sighed, and said, "Netscape is seeking to go public on the NASDAQ, and the information leaked from the inside suggests that they may have a plan to develop an operating system. If we can get a preemptive action from the internet before we do that, we can force them to give up their unrealistic illusions. ”

James raised his eyebrows and said disapprehantly: "With all due respect, if Netscape really has such a plan, I'm afraid it's not an 'unrealistic fantasy'." ”

Bill nodded and said cautiously, "You know, until Windows 95 is successful in the market, we can't give Netscape a chance to enter the operating system market." ”

He shoved a copy of the authorization document in front of James and admonished, "Also, the negotiation must be fast." Six-eared IM is in the limelight, and the longer it drags on, the higher the purchase price will be. If Netscape had the same idea, Microsoft wouldn't have had the advantage. ”

Although Microsoft has a big business, it also has a long front. Before the advent of Windows 95, it was not much of an impregnable fortress. Only after achieving complete hegemony in the operating system market will Microsoft be the giant that makes people smell and change.

James put away the power of attorney that Bill handed over, nodded and said, "I see." ”

Bill stood up, personally opened the door to his office, nodded and said, "Well, I wish you success." ”

"I'll do my best." James strode out. (To be continued......)

PS: I thought my political leanings were obvious in the book, but some people scolded me for this and laughed at me. I'm Wumao, what's wrong, you bite me? Character is character, don't use Taizu and his old man as a shield. Taizu chose to let you go to see piracy? Funny, Taizu can lead a clay-legged party to defeat the Americans, and his ideas of management and struggle are not worth learning?