Rebirth of the Tech Madman

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In fact, it is not the only IT company that Wall Street has pinned down on. For example, there are Lotus Software and Apple Computer.

The former relied on the electronic form software lotus1-2-3, which was regarded as the best in the personal computer platform for more than half of the 1980s. However, the working method developed in assembly language has brought the leading execution efficiency to the product, but also increased the difficulty of program code maintenance and upgrade, and finally caused a serious lag in the progress of the platform upgrade from the disk operating system to the graphical user interface operating system. , Helplessly lost the market.

Fortunately, Lotus Software did not hang on the tree of office software on the highly competitive personal computer platform. It entered the enterprise software market in the late 1980s and successfully created another flagship product-lotus_domino/ notes.

This is an it product solution that belongs to a typical server/client architecture and uses the concept of "collaboration software" as a selling point, that is, multiple people collaborate with each other through the network to improve productivity in an overall form.

The server side is lotus_domino, and the client side is lotus_notes. The specific functions include email, calendar, contact management, task tracking, instant messaging, file sharing, and so on.

"Collaboration software" is certainly a beautiful concept, but it is not so easy to implement-just imagine that several people edit a document at the same time, how to ensure that the results are correct in the end?

Therefore, after the success of lotus_domino/notes, it has controlled this corporate market together with similar products of Zheru Software, which can be described as stable and generous.

But because of the rout of office software on the personal computer platform, Lotus Software was "beaten" by Wall Street, so that ibm took the opportunity to take advantage of the loopholes and used about 3 billion US dollars of funds to force a successful acquisition.

Originally, the Blue Giant planned to take Lotus Software in a gentle way, but the negotiation process between the two parties was repeated, and the employees of Lotus Software, who did not recognize the actual situation, opposed it on the grounds that the corporate culture of the two parties was too different. .

Seeing this rare opportunity, ibm was about to slip away from hand, so he immediately adopted drastic measures.

The reason why Blue Giant is so disregarded is that although the performance of Lotus software has attracted dissatisfaction on Wall Street, its value is still there, especially enterprise application solutions like lotus_domino/notes, which are extremely complementary to ibm's product line. Strong.

lotus_domino/notes has a strong point in its architectural design, that is, it is open enough to attract a large number of third-party applications like browser "plug-ins" and form a large-scale ecosystem.

Even the server lotus_domino can easily assume the role of a website server.

After the successful acquisition of Lotus Software, ibm in the Internet ecosystem, in addition to the original hardware server and software database, quickly occupied a site server node-with such an important strategic significance, where is the giant blue? What kind of gentleman?

Originally, Microsoft watched Lotus, a rival that once pushed itself into defeat in the field of office software, ended up like this, very gloating.

But what I didn't expect was that Wall Street drew the whip of lesson to itself so quickly.

The tears on the faces of the laid-off employees of Lotus Software have not yet dried-how can Microsoft and Gates not be scared?

Compared with the forced acquisition of Lotus Software, Apple Computer actively seeks to be acquired-its CEO Michael Spindler is actively promoting the company to ibm, HP, and even Sun Microsystems, so as to get rid of the bad Business status.

It’s just a pity that Apple, which has been spurned by Wall Street and whose stock price has fallen below $10, does not, like Lotus Software, has a bargaining chip with almost irreplaceable value such as lotus_domino/notes. It is really difficult to arouse buyers’ interest .

After all, the current personal computer market pattern is very clear-Fangyuan personal computers have become the mainstream; while ibm-pc compatible computers and Apple computers have become niche.

It has to be said that the future parents of Apple Computers Michael Spindler fancy—ibm, HP, and Sun Microsystems—everyone can be described as "beautiful", enough to be "entrusted for life."

But the problem is that the computer hardware product lines of IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Sun Microsystems all focus on servers and workstations, and put personal computers in a complementary position.

Among them, HP has long embraced the Fangyuan personal computer standard; after ibm entered the 1990s, under the pressure of reality, it had to switch to the Fangyuan personal computer camp; Sun Microsystems has always been less interested in personal computers.

As for nc, as a conceptual hype and a bargaining chip layout, it is all right, but whether it is worthwhile to spend a lot of real money and buy Apple Computer as a processing factory, then we must carefully weigh it.

Under this circumstance, Apple is like a daughter who is in trouble, whose heart is higher than the sky and life is thinner than paper. She wants to find a wealthy and handsome man to marry-it is not so difficult!

Of course, the value and charm of Apple Computer still have special meanings that cannot be replaced by certain types of people-for example, the founder Jobs who was swept away by the board of directors ten years ago.

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In the San Francisco Bay Area, Redwood City, Oracle’s headquarters, and the luxurious CEO’s office, Larry Ellison said cautiously: "Steve, I can raise $3 billion in financing, directly in one fell swoop. Take Apple Computer-maybe after a while, when its stock price drops further, it will be more certain and the cost will be more cost-effective."

Glancing at the expensive golf club that was broken in two at the corner, Jobs shook his head slightly and said: "I don't want to hostilely acquire Apple Computer."

Larry Ellison raised his brows and asked unceremoniously: "If you don't take this approach, can you still hope that Apple Computer will invite you back?"

These two unique Silicon Valley figures have a very personal relationship. For example, Larry Ellison often invites the Jobs family to go out on a private luxury yacht, so that they are called "our big friends" by Jobs' son. .

Of course, the circle also emphasizes "right to the door."

At this stage, Jobs has three main achievements in his career-the boss of the next computer company and the star director of Pixar, and a well-known successful investor in the Zheru Group.

Next is a painstaking effort to retaliate after Steve Jobs was kicked out of Apple; Pixar is a substitute for Jobs who ran to the richest man from time to time to inject capital for next, but was dismissed impatiently by the other party.

Therefore, compared to this period in the original time and space, Jobs' personal financial situation is quite excellent. At least there is no huge pressure on Pixar to burn him 50 million US dollars. His main investment loss comes from the next who has given up the hardware business. , And this scam is supported by many investors including Canon.

If only the wealth and status are matched, or the so-called similar tempers, Jobs may not be able to hand over Larry Ellison, who is in a period of strong career growth-although both of them have star auras, it is obvious. The "style" displayed by Jobs is obviously more popular and more sought after, but Larry Ellison, who lacks this "trait", needs to learn and master this.

Now, one of Jobs’s uses is manifested-compared to other IT companies of the same level that have been favored by Wall Street, the stock price has continued to rise, while Apple Computer has been left out and the stock price has continued to decline, which has led Larry Ellison to move the acquisition. Steve Jobs, whose influence is still huge, should be a good collaborator.

However, Larry Ellison was puzzled by the attitude that Jobs "does not want to maliciously acquire Apple Computer". He didn’t say something very annoying. Now Apple Computer is still picky and self-righteous. It’s not like ibm, Hewlett-Packard, and Sun Microsystems. oracle.

Jobs certainly knows what Larry Ellison’s acquisition of Apple Computer and the so-called help to return to him are based on considerations-the nc promoted by Oracle, it is not so easy to challenge the already full-fledged PC. Take the "authentic" nc product built by Oracle itself that uses an arm microprocessor. The cost control is indeed satisfying, but the experience is a bit horrible.

In this case, Larry Ellison won Apple Computer, which can be used to further enrich his nc camp.

But Jobs could not really be a **** for Larry Ellison. He also had his own ideas, so he directly replied: "You have to understand, I am married now, have a stable and happy family, and have a second child. It's about to be born-some of the previous concepts will naturally change accordingly."

"Do I want to take charge of Apple again? To be honest, think! I really want to!"

"But the way I want to return to Apple must first occupy the moral commanding heights."

"Are you trying to show off how stupid Apple Computer’s board of directors made the decision to drive you away 10 years ago?" Larry Ellison asked irritably, "Then, Sty. Husband, teach me how to win Apple without forcing a purchase?"

Jobs shrugged, "To be honest, I don't think about what to do now."

Upon hearing this, Larry Ellison immediately held his forehead with his hand. He felt that his plan might be ruined.

Jobs still feels disappointed here-of course he wants to return to his own creation as a savior to turn the tide. It was once brilliant, but is currently falling fast, but the solution provided by Larry Ellison Too "low", not ruthless enough to slap in the face of the guy who drove him away!

But by the way, Jobs didn't lie—how to slap his face harder, he has no clear idea now.

Seeing that Larry Ellison had lost the excitement that he used to spit and talk about acquiring Apple, Jobs got up and said: "In the closing session of the Spring Developer Conference of Philosophers, one of them was a preview of Pixar production. The industry’s first full-length computer-animated feature-length film, I’m going to attend related events in the past. Would you like to also learn about the latest developments in this field?"

Larry Ellison waved his hand sullenly, "That's Tang's place, I won't go!"

Jobs thought for a while, and then said earnestly: "I have never really had a head-on conflict with Tang, I advise you not to do that? Tang is a very good at protecting himself, like a nail wrapped in cotton. The harder he punches, the more serious he suffers."

Larry Ellison sneered disapprovingly: "Why should I use my fist? Isn't there a hammer?"

Jobs was not a patient person at all~www.wuxiaspot.com~ Seeing Larry Ellison didn’t listen to his advice, he said nothing and said goodbye-as a friend, he had done it all. Duty to remind.

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It is still necessary to compare with the original time and space to clearly explain the "difference" issue-now Pixar, unlike Steve Jobs, has a three-line loss of hardware, software, and animation, and has to expand vigorously. Lay off employees ruthlessly.

As a technical application test field for the powerful Down’s it kingdom, Pixar does not need to waste unnecessary resources for too many low-level details of the system. It only needs to focus on how to make the most exciting computer animations and polish all the used ones. The software tool will do it.

In terms of the specific results of these years, Pixar has a system of computer animation production tools including a rendering engine. In addition to undertaking commercials, Pixar has been trying to make a breakthrough in computer animation movies. From the initial short film "Little Lamp" with a total length of 150 seconds, to "Little Tin Soldier" which won the 1988 Oscar for Best Animated Short Film Award, to the real computer animation feature film "Toy Story" launched this year.

"Mickey Mouse" gives the animation sound; "Snow White" gives the animation color; "Toy Story" brings the production of animation into the computer digital age, describing it as the third leap in the history of animation. It's not an exaggeration to show off the powerful technology of Tang's it kingdom, and it couldn't be more appropriate.

In this way, at the closing session of the Zheru Spring Developer Conference, the trial screening of "Toy Story" became a unique scenery.