Before 1995, although Microsoft had shown its dominance in the operating system software market, its annual turnover was actually only more than two billion U.S. dollars. The annual turnover of its main competitor, Apple, was also more than one billion U.S. dollars. In comparison, Microsoft does not have an absolute advantage. Windos95 will be released for more than a year. Although Microsoft is very optimistic about this new operating system, but before the release, perhaps no one in the world except Eric can predict how windos95 will be destroyed.
At this time, in this small restaurant near the Harvard Business School library, Bill Gates calmed down and knew that although Yahoo was just a little sheep with little ability to resist compared to Microsoft at this time, this sheep Standing behind him was a "behemoth" that was more ferocious than Microsoft at this time, and Bill Gates' original tough posture quickly restrained, revealing the shrewd look he often has in business negotiations, and said: "Ai Rui Ke, I can consider your suggestion of pre-installing the IE browser in Windos."
"It's going to be Yahoo!, and as I'm sure you know, I've just integrated three companies."
Bill Gates was a little dissatisfied with Eric's sudden interruption, but he still said patiently: "Well, Yahoo browser, if Yahoo browser wants to become the pre-installed software of Windows, it must adopt the form of permanent exclusive of Windows."
Although Eric is aware of the development trend of the operating system market in the next few years, the current market share of Microsoft's Windows system is only 60%. Maos, Linu, Uni and even the original DOS are still being used in large quantities. Of course, he cannot advance Just showing any clues, he shook his head and said: "It's impossible. It is the biggest concession I can make to allow Windos to monopolize the latest Yahoo browser technology in a short period of time to achieve user diversion. If you follow your suggestion, unless Windos can completely monopolize Operating system market, otherwise Yahoo will automatically give up more than 40% of the current operating system platform. This is obviously impossible.”
At this time, if other platforms are completely abandoned, it is tantamount to binding the Yahoo browser software to Microsoft. If Microsoft suddenly turns its face, Yahoo will be very passive. Microsoft's business reputation in this area has never been very good.
windos95 has not yet been issued. Even Bill Gates himself did not have the confidence to absolutely dominate the operating system market. Although he did not agree to Eric's words, he did not continue to refute, saying: "I will consider this matter. However, it is impossible for Microsoft to let a company with A company application that I have nothing to do with lands on the Windows platform. If the Yahoo browser wants to become the pre-installed software of Windows, Microsoft needs to get at least 40% of Yahoo’s shares.”
"Yahoo will choose an IPO next year. If you sell 40% of the shares to Microsoft, you will become the largest shareholder of Yahoo. This is no different from selling Yahoo to Microsoft. Moreover, Microsoft's asking price at this time is far lower than mine. Personal expectations." Eric originally planned to directly refuse to sell the shares, but when he said this, a thought suddenly flashed in his mind, so he decided to throw Bill Gates a good bait: "I can promise Microsoft to buy Yahoo! 30% of the shares, but not now. It is a 30% share option after five years. Five years later, Microsoft can decide whether to acquire 30% of Yahoo’s shares by cash, stock exchange, etc. according to Yahoo’s market value at that time .”
Bill Gates quickly calculated in his mind. He is very optimistic about Yahoo, but he doesn't believe that Yahoo will be able to surpass Microsoft in five years. Microsoft’s internal estimate of the value of Yahoo Internet Corporation is between 8 and 1 billion US dollars. Even with the best estimate, Yahoo’s market value will increase tenfold in five years, and Microsoft will only need about 3 billion US dollars to acquire 30% of the shares. . Based on Microsoft's annual market value growth of more than 30% at this time, Microsoft's market value may rise to 80 billion to 100 billion U.S. dollars in five years' time. At that time, 3 billion US dollars was nothing to Microsoft. If it took 30% of Yahoo's shares, Microsoft could become Yahoo's largest shareholder as long as it operated in the open market. After that, it will be easy to swallow the entire Yahoo by means of a hostile takeover.
Eric has been paying attention to the changes in Bill Gates' expression. Seeing that the other party's expression is gradually relaxing, or even thinking of something good, and showing a smug smile, he knows that the gate student has fallen into the pit.
I feel that there is nothing wrong with my calculation. Bill Gates said: "Eric, I can consider this point. In addition, Yahoo must open part of the browser software patent license to Microsoft."
"If you insist, of course there is no problem," Eric seemed to be very easy to talk, and continued to ask: "Is there anything else?"
"That's all for the time being. If you think of others, we can add them during the formal negotiations."
"Okay," Eric said, "Now that your conditions are finished, let me talk about mine. If we can reach a cooperation, we can ignore details such as exclusive licensing fees. However, Yahoo! It is guaranteed that the Yahoo browser version on the Windows platform will continue to be ahead of other platforms, but Microsoft must also guarantee that it will not launch its own browser software within five years."
Eric originally planned to rely on the windos platform for some of Yahoo's technical software to be the first to develop, so let windos have the latest technology of the Yahoo browser. For Yahoo itself, it does not even need to make any layout adjustments. 'chips' in exchange for some benefits.
Bill Gates suddenly felt that Eric was still too young. As long as Yahoo stepped into the capital market, Yahoo would almost be in Microsoft's pocket five years later. Moreover, five years is enough for Microsoft to understand all the technical details of the Yahoo browser and develop alternative technologies. Even if things change, Microsoft can drive the Yahoo browser out of the Windows platform without any scruples.
But as a shrewd businessman who is naturally cautious, Bill Gates still didn't agree immediately. Although he felt that there was nothing serious in his heart, he still planned to give these terms to Microsoft's special strategic development department to study the pros and cons. So he continued to say ambiguously: "No problem, I can consider it."
Eric doesn't have as many calculations as Bill Gates, and he doesn't mind that Bill Gates' words are full of word games like "can be considered". Anyway, both parties understand that before the final contract is signed in black and white, any Neither promise has any legal effect. Moreover, Eric is very clear. In the new century, browser software will be more of a vassal service of Internet giants. Compared with the 1990s, the role of interfaces has been greatly weakened. not to mention. In the original time and space, even though Microsoft basically dominated the browser market in the early stage and always occupied a large market share, its own network business was still beaten by companies such as Yahoo, Google, and Amazon, and basically did not generate any profits. Originally the best msn online service eventually closed down.
After confirming the general intention of cooperation, the sky outside the window has completely darkened, and the two parties have no intention of staying in this small restaurant any longer.
When saying goodbye, Bill Gates still hopes to visit the Yahoo headquarters next year. Eric will entertain John Chambers and Steve Case tomorrow. Of course, he doesn't want his classmates from the gate to get involved, so he just found a reason to shirk Arrived two days later.
Watching the Gates couple leave in a luxury car, Eric took a few steps towards the quiet lawn next to him, touched his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes, lit it and sat down on the lawn casually, taking advantage of the darkness to casually look at the Pedestrians passing by. He was still a little curious. Both he and Bill Gates had revealed their identities, but they didn't attract any crowds. This was beyond his expectation.
Caroline, who was always reluctant to leave like a little tail, sat down next to Eric. She wanted to remind Eric not to smoke on campus, but seeing that Eric seemed to be thinking about things seriously, she didn't bother . Looking at the sparks dangling in Eric's hand, Caroline was a little worried that Eric would throw the cigarette butts everywhere, but then she felt that if he littered later, she would pick it up for him. The thought of doing something trivial to help Eric. Her mood suddenly became much happier.
Eric recalled the negotiation with Bill Gates just now. Although the two parties have initially reached some cooperation intentions, the specific terms of the contract will definitely be adjusted in the future negotiation process. The biggest risk in this cooperation. Probably the 30% share option clause is counted, which is also the biggest bait that Eric threw to Damen students. Of course, it is impossible for Eric to think of things that Bill Gates can understand. However, having planned for more than two years in advance, and possessing the prophetic advantage of being reborn, if five years later, taking advantage of the east wind of the Internet wave. Yahoo's market value still can't reach the point where Microsoft is discouraged, so he will simply sell Yahoo and go back to Hollywood.
As for the others, Eric didn't care too much. Bill Gates, who made his fortune on software, still cares most about the browser software at this time. The students of Damen can also see that even if the Yahoo browser is completely free, it can still promote the windos It has played a very big role in promoting, so I am eager to come here to take down Yahoo before the release of windos95. However, the facts in the original time and space have proved that having the dominance of browser software does not bring much advantage to Microsoft's Internet business.
Speaking of choosing to cooperate with Microsoft, besides wanting to take advantage of windos95 next year to promote the Yahoo browser, Eric is mainly worried that Microsoft will rely on the market advantages of the Windows system to launch a new browser and create different technical standards, hindering the Internet industry In the past, Microsoft's IE and Netscape browsers used the same mosai kernel, but they still introduced various peripheral technical standards, resulting in a series of website incompatibility incidents. If Microsoft launches a new browser and a completely different web page decoding kernel now, this incompatibility will be even more serious. Eric does not want to have a technical standard war with Microsoft that lasts for many years, which will only hurt both sides.
Caroline's eyes followed the cigarette in Eric's hand, but saw Eric suddenly turned his head, waved the cigarette that was about to burn out in his hand, and asked, "Do you want to try it too?"
Caroline shook her head quickly: "No, I don't want it."
Eric smiled, got up and put out the cigarette butt in his hand, threw it into the trash can on the side of the road, and then said to Caroline: "Which dormitory do you live in, let me take you back?"
Caroline's gaze followed the cigarette butt into the entrance of the trash bin, and she was stunned for a moment. When she heard Eric's words, she turned her face and replied, "I don't live in a dormitory. I live in an apartment on the east side."
Following Caroline's guidance, Eric walked eastward and said, "Why do you live outside? It's not safe for you as a girl?"
"No, I'm not alone. I live with my classmates, and it's very close to the school."
Eric hummed, but said nothing more.
The two walked forward for a while before Caroline found another topic and said, "Eric, why did you agree to sell 30% of Yahoo's shares to Microsoft? Even after five years, it seems risky." Is it too big?"
The market value of Yahoo in the original time and space was once close to 100 billion US dollars. Eric believes that after integrating a series of plans in memory, as long as the Internet wave comes as scheduled, it is absolutely no problem to double the market value of Yahoo in this time and space, even if it is only 200 billion. At that time, 30% of the shares will be 60 billion US dollars, which is equivalent to 10% of the market value of Microsoft at the highest point in the original time and space. The turnover of Diandian is only 19 billion U.S. dollars. Whether Bill Gates will be willing to exchange 10% of the shares for 30% of Yahoo’s shares will be a very difficult thing to determine. After all, 10% of the shares , for Microsoft, which has gradually become a publicly held company, it is equivalent to introducing a major shareholder to Microsoft, which will affect Bill Gates' control over Microsoft. Moreover, even if the transaction is successful, Eric will definitely not lose money. After all, windos is an operating system platform that is about to achieve monopoly. As long as PCs are not eliminated, Microsoft can continue to bring in huge and stable profits. As Bill Gates continues to reduce Holding Microsoft stock, Eric might even be the largest individual shareholder of Microsoft.
Moreover, even if Microsoft does not encounter antitrust investigations in this time and space, according to the crazy degree of the Internet bubble at that time, the bubble will still inevitably encounter the day when it bursts. After the Internet bubble burst, as the stock prices of Internet companies plummeted, Eric could still use the funds cashed out during the bubble to easily complete the second Internet industry layout.
However, these are not things that can be told to the girl beside him. Eric just said casually: "The greater the risk, the greater the reward."
With the information accumulated in her little brain, Caroline only saw the risks, and she didn't think Eric could gain anything from this transaction. However, imagining the series of miracles that Eric has created in just a few years, Caroline has no doubts about any of Eric's views. She thinks that if she can't think of it, she must be too stupid.
Walking all the way, looking at the red brick apartment buildings getting closer and closer in the Soldiers Factory community, Caroline felt more and more uneasy. She knew that if she didn't take the initiative to grab something, Eric would send her back, and she would definitely die again. Disappeared from her own life, thinking that she could only see him in some newspapers again, Caroline felt a little flustered, and walked a few more steps. The girl finally mustered up her courage, grabbed Eric and said: " Eric, you just said in the restaurant that you were going to hire me as your personal assistant." (To be continued.)