The process of creating instant messaging with Li Mingshi, from the time he first proposed it to the completion of the first version of the architecture, actually took only ten days.
Cheng Ran looked at the icon on the computer monitor. The properties showed that this was a software of less than 1mb and could be downloaded from any 3.5-inch floppy disk or online forum. It was simple and easy to spread, and could easily fly to every computer in thousands of households.
On the 800*600 resolution screen, the pixels on the icons were even visible. Cheng Ran felt as if he was in another world.
They have tentatively set the release date for November 23rd.
Cheng Ran asked Li Mingshi to give the software a formal name. Li Mingshi said it could be called "Chinese Internet Paging Software". This is Li Mingshi's way of thinking about communication. In this era, so-called instant messaging is like an Internet pager. Even after the user binds the paging number, he can send messages to the telecommunications pager through the Internet. The formal English name of the software, "CQ", can be interpreted as "China".
But as creators, only the two of them understood that the so-called "C" was the beginning of Cheng Ran's last name.
This is very consistent with the geek feeling, the sense of mission of creating this thing with one's own hands and holding its key lifeline.
"Let's start with internal numbers, five digits, and internal employee numbers start from 10001. Your number is 10001... Mine is 10101. It doesn't matter if it's the first one or not. Mine is mainly easy to remember, because it's called 101."
Creation has such magic that what may be considered a monument to future generations may just be a random decision today.
Cheng Ran even had a very naughty idea. Why not just seal up the first one thousand accounts, and then sell them one by one in the future... Looking at the six-digit prices on those account-selling websites in later generations, this is simply a symbol of identity and status.
Of course, this idea is just a thought. Cheng Ran thought that as the creator, he should still adhere to the principle of fairness and justice. 10101 is already very awesome, okay
Cheng Ran asked about the release of the software again. Since this was not a software that made money from sales revenue, there was no need to invest in any publicity or promotion or to launch large-scale sales activities. CQ was just a functional software that only needed to be popularized as quickly as possible and downloaded to every computer.
So Li Mingshi planned to release it for free on various developer forums. Li Mingshi himself also knew some moderators of related forums and various college BBSs. There was no big problem in promoting these. Basically, it cost less than 100,000 yuan to get through the main forums, and communicate with some suppressed operating systems. In terms of installation, CQ software was bound. After all, it was just a small software, and it was impossible to ask for too much. Sometimes, with Li Mingshi's status as a big boss on the Internet at that time, he could get it done by giving some face and some benefits.
As for offline, every once in a while, there will be many underground pirated software factories going to developer forums to search for the latest and best software, making them into floppy disks and CDs for sale, so there is no need to sell them specifically, and the rampant software piracy industry during this period can complete the promotion.
By formulating such a strategy, everything is ready, and we are just waiting for the east wind.
And this small beginning did not become everything for Li Mingshi. After his enthusiasm, he participated in Fulong's project cooperation. As for such a small software led by Cheng Ran, Cheng Feiyang didn't care at all. In his opinion, since Li Mingshi wanted to play with Cheng Ran, it was just to develop a small gadget. Fulong could provide project support for 20% of the shares, but the money would not be too much. The relevant review committee would only underestimate the value of this thing, and 200,000 would probably be the maximum.
Cheng Ran doesn't care about this initial support funding. In the later stage, Fulong will naturally make relevant judgments based on its own value.
In fact, although ICQ was very popular in the United States, not many people in China paid attention to it at that time. Most people still had the same judgment as Cheng Feiyang, which was empirical and believed that it was just a small tool.
Big software companies have no interest in it because there is no way to make a profit. Those who do this in China are all feeling their way forward with their own products. In terms of marketing planning ability, it is not that good at all. They just make a few software programs in a row and then throw them into the market to see the response.
So the cut in November is just right.
One reason why Cheng Feiyang didn't have much energy to take care of Cheng Ran and accepted the existence of Tianxing Dojo, and the other reason why Li Mingshi threw himself into the intensive work after finalizing the preliminary launch plan of CQ with him, was that the sales growth rate of Fulong had been declining in the past two months.
This month's sales volume decreased by about 20% compared to last month. Although Fulun's sales volume is increasing overall, and basically maintains a stable growth rate every month with the investment in sales and production, the unusualness of these two months is very eye-catching. It is the only month in this year where the growth rate has slowed down.
Based on the sales volume, Fulun should have lost nearly 40 million orders.
Needless to say, this part of the order was snatched away by someone.
Since Beituo regarded Fulong as an imminent thorn in his side, the two sides have launched a series of fierce hand-to-hand combats. Beituo is even willing to launch a blocking war against Fulong's expansion at the cost of no profit.
Although this kind of play is somewhat rogue and hurts both sides, with the reform of postal and telecommunications separation this year, the acceleration of infrastructure construction, equipment upgrading, and other demand gaps, the market will only grow bigger and bigger in the future, and orders will only increase. The current temporary losses and the defeat of competitors are actually the strategic heights that both sides are fighting for in the long run. Whoever can stand on it will be suppressed by the other side in the future.
This is a battlefield without the smoke of gunpowder. In the laboratory research and development center, both sides are competing in product capabilities. They analyze their opponent's products one by one, and they will develop better advantages based on the specifications of the opponent's products.
On the front lines, frontline personnel from both sides fought openly and secretly with customers, showing their ingenuity. Sometimes, they even resorted to any means necessary.
Although the situation was serious, Cheng Ran looked at the condition of Cheng Feiyang, Li Mingshi and others from the side. He was not worried, but rather ready to fight with all his heart.
Seeing the brightly lit floors of Fulong, Cheng Ran would go into bed after washing up every day. He was actually not worried at all.
…
Xie Feibai called Cheng Ran. To be honest, since Cheng Ran moved to Chengdu, they had not met except for communicating on the phone, and they didn't know what the other party was doing. Moreover, Xie Feibai was very secretive. This time, he told Cheng Ran on the phone that he had done something, and if it was done after a while, he would invite him to play.
There was something mysterious and profound in the tone, and at the same time, there was a hint of boasting, so Cheng Ran just agreed casually. He wanted to see what tricks Xie Feibai would come up with.
The popularity of Three Kingdoms Kill also spread to No. 10 Middle School. Sometimes during breaks, Cheng Ran could see some students gathering under a banyan tree to play cards. And because Jiang Hongshao's name was the same as a character in the board game, it became a joke within No. 10 Middle School.
Someone deliberately shouted from behind Jiang Hongshao when she passed by, "Choose Jiang Hongshao! Don't compete with me..."
When Jiang Hongshao turned around to look, the group of people immediately pretended, "Her skills in Three Kingdoms Killing are very powerful, an intelligent character, and she is well drawn... There is really a bit of resemblance..."
Cheng Ran originally used cartoons to give Jiang Hongshao a character in the board game, and he captured some of her characteristics very well, such as the arc of her eyes, which was a little more enlarged through cartoons, and the outline was very beautiful, and it also had the charm of the original. Therefore, some middle school students bought the Three Kingdoms Killing, but only took out that card and kept it privately.
So much so that Lao Jiang's deskmate Wei Shu couldn't help it that day. He held the card and said to the people around him, "Really? Do you think the person who made this thing happened to have seen it in our school, or saw Hong Shao's name and photo in the newspaper, and then imitated her to make it?"
Then a group of girls expressed their opinions and said that this was possible.
At this time, Cheng Ran just passed by them. Lao Jiang turned his head to look at him, but Cheng Ran did not look away.
In fact, I was a little uneasy.
There is one more update.