America Online is a company founded by Steve Case and several partners. Steve Case does not own the absolute controlling interest in America Online. After Firefly invested in AOL two years ago, it became the largest shareholder of AOL with a 3% stake. This is why Steve Case insisted that Eric not participate in the management of AOL for a period of time.
At this time, it was less than a year before Firefly agreed not to participate in the management of AOL for three years, but Steve Case felt that Eric didn't care much about AOL's management rights. The vision has always been on a broader industrial chain layout.
After weighing it for a moment, Steve Case tentatively said: "Eric, I personally hope to join this affiliate program, but I don't think it is necessary for America Online to divest all of its online business, does it? ?”
In the original time and space, AOL was stimulated by the extremely bubbly online business in the late stage of the Internet wave, completely deviated from its own development foundation, and focused more on network businesses such as portal websites, so that after the Internet bubble burst , only to suddenly realize that its technological expansion in the broadband field is not even as good as that of traditional network service providers, which also led to the rapid loss of AOL network users. The expensive "firework feast" of hundreds of billions of dollars is not enough, and it is time to adjust the trajectory of AOL and make this company a part of its own wealth empire.
"Steve, although it is a few years later than AOL, with Yahoo's current huge user advantage, it is not difficult for Yahoo Networks to enter the field of Internet service providers and surpass AOL, but it is not a last resort. I don't I will choose to do this, because I hope that Yahoo can focus on its existing business and make it the best. Similarly, I also hope that America Online can make the role of an Internet service provider to the best. I believe that in With the close cooperation of our tripartite alliance, taking advantage of the rising tide of the Internet industry, it only takes a few years for AOL to surpass traditional service providers such as AT and Comcast. At that time, AOL can still go through mergers and acquisitions. Expanding into the field of cable TV service providers, then Firefly Group can also provide cable TV content support for America Online." At this point, Eric paused slightly, leaving Steve Case a moment of thinking time, and again He said in a solemn tone: "So, now, between becoming an industrial giant and insisting on diversified development, it is best to do nothing in the end, which one do you choose?"
Steve Case showed a faint wry smile, and he could hear that Eric didn't give him a second choice. If not an ally, it is likely to be an enemy. He was also moved by Eric's words. If he can become an industry giant with att, Comcast, and Time Warner, it will not be such a difficult choice to abandon the online business.
"Eric, after all, this matter involves the future of America Online. I need to communicate with Bill and the others. In addition..." Steve Case raised the alliance plan in his hand and said: "Although America Online has already Generate profits, but the existing capital is completely insufficient to support this plan, I hope America Online can start the IPO plan ahead of schedule."
usually. In a mature capital market, after a company goes public, as more investors join in, the equity will become more and more dispersed. The right to speak of shareholders is gradually weakened, and the corresponding management will also gain greater power. Although he has already leaned toward Eric's plan, Steve Case still doesn't want AOL to become a pawn in Eric's industrial layout. He hopes to gain more control.
"In order to obtain more funds after the IPO, I hope that AOL will continue to maintain the original listing pace," Eric shook his head. Negating Steve Case's suggestion, he doesn't mind Steve Case's desire to gain more control, but at this time, the market value of AOL is less than two billion U.S. dollars, even if the public offering 1 % of the shares, the financing amount will not exceed 200 million U.S. dollars, but if the time can be postponed for one year, the same raising ratio will definitely double the funds raised. Immediately snuffing out Steve Case's thoughts, Eric quickly stuffed a handful of sweet dates in the past: "As long as AOL agrees to this alliance plan, Firefly can provide AOL with 200 million US dollars of low-interest debt As an ally, Yahoo! Networks will also use portals and other platforms to actively promote advertising for AOL, and may even become an AOL network service distributor.”
Hearing the promise of 200 million US dollars of low-interest debt financing, Steve Case no longer had much resistance in his heart, but Steve Case asked suspiciously: "Eric, Yahoo! What does online distributor mean?"
Eric said: "Yahoo is about to release an application software. I believe this software is as popular as online email service and browser software. If America Online is willing, Yahoo can build American Online network login module, I believe this will greatly promote the promotion of AOL's network access business, and because the core of the business is not in this area, the share required by Yahoo only needs to be slightly higher than the maintenance cost."
At present, most operating systems do not have a dedicated network connection function. In order to access the Internet, in addition to the necessary hardware, it is also necessary to load the login software of the network service provider. This login method can provide a platform for advertising and promotion for service providers. , making huge extra profits, so it has not completely disappeared until more than two decades later.
If the application software mentioned by Eric can really be as popular as the browser software, Steve Case will certainly not refuse this kind of cooperation. When he pressed on, Eric didn't reveal anything more.
Now that the matter has come to this point, the issue of joining AOL has basically been resolved, and the specific cooperation plan will not be discussed until Steve Case gives a definite answer tomorrow. Eric then couldn't wait to chat with everyone about another plan to promote the construction of ADSL broadband network, which is the most urgent thing at present. Eric's requirements are not too high, as the current Internet can only provide text, pictures and a small amount of audio content, as long as the average network speed is increased to a stable 512kbps as soon as possible, and the charging model is changed. Provide cheap monthly packages, then Yahoo's development in recent years will no longer be restricted by the network environment.
After years of operation, AOL has accumulated enough experience in network deployment and service operation, and Cisco's industry-leading technology can also quickly solve the hardware equipment required for the construction of a new broadband network. It can even provide a complete network solution for America Online, and the advertising resources of Firefly and Yahoo on film and television media and online portals will also solve the problem of promoting new network services. Therefore, the few people who are slightly excited are chatting , Unknowingly, I have spent the whole night. Even if the five people here are not workaholics, they often work all night. When they found that the sky outside the window was gradually brightening, the five people didn't feel any sleepiness. Upstairs for breakfast.
Throughout the night, perhaps because the more he talked and the more he devoted himself to it, Eric unconsciously revealed many Internet concepts that have not yet appeared, such as big data, cloud computing, e-commerce, anti-virus software... In short, what did he think of? Just say something, until you find that the expressions of the other four people looking at you have changed significantly. Eric quickly restrained himself, but even so, Eric knew that his image in the hearts of several people was probably close to that of an alien.
Steve Case even came up with the idea of opening a chain of Internet cafes directly operated by America Online in major cities in the United States because of Eric's reminder. It turned out that there was no concept of Internet cafes in 1994. The impression of Internet cafes in Eric's memory is not very good, but he knows that because of the strict supervision system, there are not many Internet cafes in the West, but as a certain theory says. Everyone can cook at home, but restaurants are still everywhere, and so are Internet cafes. In my memory, more Internet cafes in the West should be called Internet cafes. Most of them are a combination of Internet cafes and coffee shops, more similar to a leisure place.
Eric also agrees with Steve Case's idea very much. The Internet cafes that appear in advance are like the free wifi provided by technology giants such as Google more than ten years later, allowing more ordinary people to access the Internet. If the United States The online chain Internet cafe business is really huge enough, and it will also play a role in promoting the popularization of the Internet. but. All of these needs to be upgraded after AOL's ADSL broadband technology is implemented. Moreover, when the simpler and easier-to-use operating system, Windos95, is released and combined with ADSL high-speed broadband, then the feasibility of this plan is indeed very high.
Last night, Steve Case originally planned to procrastinate by using the excuse of discussing with other partners, but this morning, influenced or brainwashed by the broad prospects of the Internet industry described by Eric, Steve Case Instead, he became an enthusiastic supporter of Eric's information industry alliance plan. He simply talked with other partners and some executives of AOL, and the matter was settled. John Chambers Of course, there is no obstacle. Compared with AOL, Cisco's current equity is more dispersed. Except for the largest 21% stake in Eric's hands, no other shareholders with more than 1% can be found. Therefore, as the CEO, John Chambers can completely decide this matter.
That being the case, taking advantage of Eric's current opportunity in Boston, several people directly started discussions on the next stage of cooperation plans.
On the other hand, Bill Gates, who came to Boston again after many years, was also very popular. Speeches, interviews, and banquets from several universities and local media celebrities in Boston came one after another. The appointment with Eric to visit the Yahoo headquarters was also obvious. After being left behind by him, Eric was busy discussing with John Chambers and Steve Case about the cooperation of the Information Industry Alliance, and he hoped that Damen students could have a few more days of "beautiful" time. When Bill Gates finally heard the news of Eric's meeting with John Chambers and Steve Case and called in person, the alliance plan between Yahoo, America Online and Cisco had basically been drafted.
Eric is too clear about Bill Gates' behavior style, so he has never had the idea of bringing in his classmates from the gate. This is a master who wants to get involved in any business. Although he cooperated with IBM in the 1980s, but because Microsoft wants to get involved in the hardware business that overlaps with IBM in recent years, the cooperation between the two parties has now ceased. A deep crack has appeared. If it weren't for the difficulty in the development of processor chips, Eric believes that Microsoft would definitely not mind getting involved in Intel's territory. In the original time and space, when it comes to all fields of the Internet industry, Microsoft basically has an attitude of seeing wild geese flying by, regardless of whether they eat or not. Portal websites, instant messaging, online mailboxes, etc. Did not let go.
Regarding the upcoming cooperation with Microsoft, Eric did not hide from John Chambers and Steve Case, and revealed some of the reasons and purposes of his doing so. This matter did not hinder the three parties in the slightest. The alliance agreement, the cooperation plan has been revised in some details, Ian Grenier, John Chambers and Steve Case signed the agreement on behalf of Yahoo, Cisco and AOL respectively, and then John Chambers and Steve Case rushed back to their respective company locations non-stop, and began preliminary preparations for the implementation of the alliance plan.
At this stage of the matter, there is no need to hide things such as instant messaging software and browser literal translation script language from Steve Case and John Chambers. Eric deliberately used the ycr instant messaging software, which is still in the internal beta state, to establish the first official chat tribe in the history of instant messaging, and brought in all the principals of these companies, and A very cool name was given to this ycr tribe, Firefly Empire.
Until many years later, there was a legend circulating in YCR circles, the most widely used instant messaging software in the world. In the huge YCR social network world, there existed a very mysterious tribe. After finding it, there is no qualification to join at will. Even if the user wants to create a fake tribe with the same name, he will be banned by the system. Any member of this tribe has an overwhelming status in their respective industries, and any piece of news from this tribe may cause economic fluctuations on a global scale. Many people who are fortunate enough to have access to the information of this tribe said that the one who really has the ability to control the world is not the ridiculous Rothschild, not the Jews, and not the so-called Freemasons, but the electronic tribe called the Firefly Empire Here is a group of people who really hold the lifeblood of the global economy. (To be continued.)