Li Zetian deliberately sent Wozniak to participate in the development of Mos6502, so that Apple also has experience in microprocessor development. You can build your own processor design department in the future!
Apple won't stop collaborating with other processor companies, but it would be better if it could design its own chips. Chip overlords such as Intel are often accommodated by other computer companies, compatible with it, and controlled by others, resulting in the inability to fully express the characteristics of their own products.
1974 passed quickly, and since 1975, there have been many kinds of personal computers on the market, which is simply a chaos of demons.
Apple-l also suffered a huge impact.
Li Zetian decided to cut the price. The price of Apple-l started at $2,000, and gradually decreased, first to $1,900, then to $1,800, and then to $1,500, and there was no further reduction.
These are nothing, competition is inevitable.
However, some computer companies blatantly copied Microsoft's BASIC language compiler, modified it slightly, and installed it on their own personal computers.
This kind of piracy has caused huge losses to Microsoft!
No, as soon as Li Zetian went to Microsoft, Bill Gates reported it to him.
"Chronos, these companies are ignoring Microsoft, ignoring the law, and they must be brought to court, or they will cause more and more damage to Microsoft!" Bill Gates said.
In fact, Microsoft's BASIC copyright licensing fee is very low, and it is taking a strategy of small profits but quick turnover to occupy the market as soon as possible. However, there are always some companies that are unwilling to spend even a small amount of money.
Li Zetian supported Bill Gates' suggestion very much, "Sue it! Resolutely crack down on piracy! All computer companies that copied Microsoft's BASIC language compiler have taken to court, and would rather spend money to fight a lawsuit than let the villain succeed! Kill the chicken and warn the monkeys, I see who would dare to pirate our software in the future!!!"
Of course, Li Zetian's remarks are only aimed at companies that are bound by national laws. Even if they are companies in mainland China, the state doesn't care, and Li Zetian still manages them
Piracy is frozen three feet, not a day's cold.
But if you look at it from another angle, piracy will help Microsoft's operating system to quickly occupy the market and form a monopoly!
"Well, okay! Then I'll ask my father for help, and the lawyer's fee can be less!" Bill Gates nodded and said.
"Yeah! That could not be better!" Li Zetian laughed.
"By the way, in addition to computer manufacturers pirating our software, the group of computer enthusiasts is also spreading "pirated" BASIC compilers like crazy, and even passing it on, they don't know which BASIC compiler this is. Developed by the company!"
At that time, hard disks were too large and expensive, and floppy disks were too expensive. The main storage tool was magnetic tapes, to be precise, cassette-type "computer tapes", which had the advantages of large capacity and low price, and were the main storage devices for computers at that time. As long as computer hobbyists have a "computer belt", it is easy to copy a BASIC compiler, thus causing Microsoft to suffer losses!
To deal with enterprises, you can also take legal procedures to sue them; but to deal with computer enthusiasts, the law is powerless, after all, the law at that time is not perfect and the binding is extremely poor.
Li Zetian frowned and said: "Well, this is indeed a big problem. Computer enthusiasts are a very large group, if they all use genuine BASIC, Microsoft will get a huge income! Bill, what do you think of to prevent them from spreading Pirated BASIC?"
Bill Gates shook his head and sighed: "There is no good way, the law is not binding, we can only rely on ourselves! I plan to write a few articles for computer enthusiasts newspapers, condemning this kind of piracy with disgust, I hope it can be Arouse people's conscience!"
Li Zetian nodded, that was all he could do for now.
At this stage, authorized copies of BASIC are the only income of Microsoft. If everyone engages in piracy, Microsoft will have no income, and employees will not be able to pay their salaries, rent, electricity, water, etc. This is a very serious problem. question!
A few days later, Bill Gates' article was published in several computer magazines.
"To all computer enthusiasts who are using and distributing pirated copies of Microsoft BASIC, your piracy deeply damages the interests of a company, and I hereby express my strong condemnation! For software developers, they It takes a lot of time and money to develop a good software. If everyone uses and spreads pirated software, software developers will not get the respect and rewards they deserve. Let me ask, who will bother to develop a software in the future. Excellent software? At that time, no developers are willing to develop software, and the market will be full of junk software, which will seriously hinder the normal development of computer software... "
He not only wrote letters to major newspapers, but also often gave speeches to computer enthusiasts clubs.
For a time, Bill Gates became Microsoft's anti-piracy fighter, and even attracted the attention of the US legal department. Some officials proposed to formulate perfect laws for the software, computer and other industries, especially the piracy issue.
Li Zetian didn't feel astonished, and it really made Bill Gates make a scene...
At the same time, Microsoft has greatly increased its exposure in this anti-piracy campaign. Most computer enthusiasts know that the most popular BASIC compiler on the market is developed by Microsoft. With the strengthening of people's awareness of genuine products, Microsoft's revenue has begun to rise. In January, it hit a revenue of more than 200,000 US dollars for the first time! ! !
Of course, $200,000 isn't much. But as the number of personal computers increases, Microsoft's revenue will skyrocket like a rocket! And once the Excel spreadsheet office software is developed, Microsoft's revenue will explode. Even if a copy sells for $100, people will come. Excel alone could make Microsoft a billion-dollar company!
Li Zetian couldn't help but often think that Microsoft wanted to hug Apple's thigh at first, and then IBM's thigh. During this period, there were countless powerful opponents. Before he was not strong, he was really a bit pitiful! It's really not easy for Bill Gates to develop Microsoft into a huge software empire! ! !
With Bill Gates in charge of Microsoft, Li Zetian is still very relieved. Under the leadership of Tian Shuai, Apple has also developed rapidly.
What Li Zetian has to do is to rely on the memory in his mind to control the overall situation and come up with ideas by the way.
"Tian Shuai, please help me contact the Hollywood director George Lucas and ask him to meet. I heard that he plans to shoot a sci-fi film called "Star Wars", the theme of this film is the same as that of our Apple -ll personal computer is a good match. So, I'm going to get Apple to invest in this movie and put Apple-ll ads in this movie!"
"Advertising in the movie?" Tian Shuai was surprised, it was the first time he heard someone say that.
Li Zetian explained in detail: "There are many scenes of using Apple-ll personal computers in the movie, and with some close-up shots, if the movie is popular, then more people will see our company's products. Naturally Great publicity!"
Tian Shuai nodded frequently, full of praise for Li Zetian's idea, "However, Mr.li, if no one watched this movie, wouldn't our investment be a loss?"
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