Back to 1995

487 Chapter 579
A senator from the Federal Department of Justice, who participated in the hearing, asked Bill Gates a question. It was just the beginning, and he didn't expect Bill Gates to admit defeat.

But it is estimated that no one thought that Bill Gates not only did not admit defeat, but taught a lesson to the old men on Capitol Hill.

Bill Gates cited Microsoft's achievements over the years, threatening that Microsoft is the best technology company in America, and suppressing Microsoft is suppressing the technology industry in America!

This hat is on, I know it, I understand that this is an inquiry meeting for Bill Gates, and those who don’t know think that Bill Gates is holding a meeting for these members of Congress!

In the professional field, Bill Gates, of course, slammed Orrin Hatch and other congressmen. On the TV, only Bill Gates can only hear Bill Gates eloquently talking about Microsoft's role in the technology industry, as well as those epic inventions In a word, America's technology industry cannot turn around without Microsoft...

When I saw Bill Gates say these things, I don’t know how Orin Hatch felt. Anyway, Song Yang was dumbfounded. At the beginning, Song Yang insisted on the trade committee, but at most it was just a few secret arrangements. In other words, Song Yang didn't scold the boss of the trade committee face to face. Bill Gates just pointed at Orin Hatch's nose and scolded. A layman who doesn't understand anything, why should he guide the experts?
Orrin Hatch stopped Bill Gates and glanced at Bill Gates, "Mr. Bill Gates, have you made a proposal to carve up the browser market?"

As soon as this question came out, Bill Gates' face obviously changed slightly. He didn't know what he thought of, and the lawyer on the side immediately said, "Mr. Bill Gates, you have the right to refuse to answer these speculations!"

"But we have received some evidence that Mr. Bill Gates, or Microsoft authorized by Bill Gates, once proposed to carve up the browser and even the Internet market!"

Orrin Hatch held up a few documents that looked like conference documents, and all of a sudden the hearing flashed, and everyone was taking pictures of those documents, which Mao couldn't even read clearly.

There was a sound of "coaxing" at the scene. Obviously, I didn't expect that the hearing would be so explosive at the beginning. Bill Gates acted first, and the Federal Department of Justice was relentless. It proves that Bill Gates or Microsoft have proposed to carve up the browser market, so Microsoft is in the crotch of yellow mud.

When the camera shot on Bill Gates' face, Bill Gates became expressionless, just looking at the documents in Orrin Hatch's hands, and he didn't seem to panic.

You don't need to think about it, Microsoft has spent so much money, it is estimated that it has simulated an unknown number of hearings, and it is estimated that it is psychologically prepared for the evidence that appears today.

"We have enough evidence to prove that Microsoft is abusing its market power. In August last year, when Microsoft was looking for an acquisition from Netscape, it made such a proposal to Netscape!"

At the hearing, the barrister of the Federal Department of Justice, who is also part of the same gang as Ella Cherry, stood up and handed over a series of documents, including video tapes and emails, to the members of the hearing. series of evidence.

The broadcast TV station also gave a close-up. It was an email sent by Bill Gates to several executives who went to Netscape to negotiate. The email showed that Bill Gates asked the executives who went to negotiate with Netscape to communicate with Netscape Jing Tancheng jointly carve up the browser market.

Before Netscape went public, Microsoft did initiate an acquisition of Netscape. Obviously, this email happened at that time.

There were apparently quite a few people who came to the hearing today. After Boyce sat down, one person was regarded as a witness and began to enter the hearing.

When seeing the person who came in, the atmosphere of the scene suddenly stagnated again, and then it became noisy. A man with a beard came in. Compared with the high-spirited man who appeared in Time Magazine when Netscape went public, there are more Mark Andersons now. A bit of a sense of vicissitudes.

Seeing Mark Anderson who came out to testify, he could smell the smell of gunpowder across the TV screen, and the look of Mark Anderson and Bill Gates when they met their eyes was frantically photographed by the media present.

"Microsoft didn't directly say that they want to carve up the market, but they hinted at Netscape from every possible angle to carve up the browser market with Microsoft!"

Mark Anderson said, "Moreover, Microsoft has bundled the IE browser with the Microsoft system. This is Microsoft's use of the system to occupy the browser market."

Orrin Hatch and other congressmen on Capitol Hill nodded after hearing Mark Anderson's words. They obviously agreed with Anderson's words. After all, this is something normal people can understand.

But unexpectedly, just after Mark Anderson finished speaking, John Warden whispered a few words to Brad Smith, and suddenly said, "Mr. Orrin Hatch, we have another With this piece of evidence, maybe we can look at this matter from another angle!"

In front of the members of the House of Representatives at the hearing and dozens of media at the scene, John Warden took out a printed document and placed it in front of the live broadcast camera.

"This is a call from the founder of Netscape, Mr. Jim Clark, to several directors of Microsoft and the contents of the document. In the early days of Netscape, Mr. Jim Clark invited Microsoft to invest in Netscape!"

"boom"

The news was so explosive that Mark Anderson was obviously stunned. These documents were dated very early, when Netscape was just established, and seeking investment from Microsoft seemed not impossible, which made Mark Anderson also Dare to directly deny these contents.

"Microsoft can consider investing in Netscape and gradually occupy more equity!"

This is part of the content of the document. In the early days of Netscape, Jim Clark was seeking investment. Does this document have any meaning.

But at this juncture, it is a bit intriguing to be exposed. At least when people who eat melons read this document, they will unconsciously have an idea in their minds. What is the relationship between Netscape and Microsoft? , Netscape keeps saying that Microsoft monopolizes the browser market, but it has no connection with Microsoft!

Orrin Hatch obviously didn't expect that Microsoft would still hold such a thing in his hands, and the entire hearing scene became chaotic for a while.

He glanced at Mark Anderson dissatisfied. Today, he originally wanted to give Bill Gates a "trial of the century", but now it is obviously impossible to continue.

Since Microsoft presented Jim Clark's evidence, today's hearing has changed a bit. Although Microsoft is still suppressed, many witnesses have been invited, including Compaq President and Sun President McNealy.

This hearing also allowed Microsoft to "admit" that it had put pressure on Compaq and other computer companies to prevent them from selling Netscape browsers, but it did not kill Microsoft directly.

The entire hearing was very long, and Bill Gates' attitude was consistent, unprecedentedly tough, and even a bit "arrogant". Anyway, he would not admit that Microsoft monopolized even if the evidence was on his face, Microsoft It's all a set of denials, I don't have it, it's not me, it's impossible.

Watching the hearing on TV, Song Yang already knew the outcome of the day. There was a lot of quarreling today, and Bill Gates was really embarrassed by the crowd of Capitol Hill gentlemen. He was a little embarrassed in front of the entire American people. lost face.

But what is certain is that Netscape and the Federal Department of Justice wanted to beat Microsoft to death with a hearing, which was basically shattered.

Microsoft has a tough, unyielding posture, just like a cooked duck, his whole body is tough!
"I believe in federal laws. Microsoft has not used monopoly before, will not now, and will not use monopoly in the future. Microsoft has always been promoting technological progress and never thought of monopolizing the entire technology industry!"

Bill Gates, who walked out of the Capitol Hill, told the reporter in front of the media who had been squatting for a long time, and returned to his previous look. It seemed that the arrogant and rebellious person at the hearing today was not him at all.

"President Bill Gates, will Microsoft be split into two companies, one for computer systems and one for software and the Internet?"

This is also the wind blown by the Federal Department of Justice before the hearing today, to split Microsoft into two. If Bill Gates and Microsoft take the initiative to accept the penalty, then the punishment will be lighter and one will be divided into two. Otherwise, Just give Microsoft a bad score.

But today Bill Gates went the other way, he didn't give in at all, and he became tougher.

"I have already expressed my attitude today. It is impossible for Microsoft to lack any business. Just like people, it cannot lack any part. It is incomplete, and the same is true for Microsoft!"

Tough to the extreme, this is the point of view expressed by Bill Gates to the outside world today. Soft head iron.

"What the hell is Bill Gates up to, it's not like him!"

Looking at Bill Gates who got into the car and drove away with a large group of people, Irene asked a little puzzled. After today's hearing, it feels like Bill Gates has a head iron, Not a single word was spoken throughout.

Bill Gates is middle-aged now, and he is no longer the boy he used to be. As a result, today, Irene glanced at Song Yang beside her, and she felt that Bill Gates was even tougher than Song Yang today. Song Yang also wanted to show some face to the boss of the trade committee. Today, Bill Gates slammed Orin Hatch hard throughout the whole process.

Song Yang watched the TV, and experts from all walks of life were arguing endlessly about this hearing. When he got up and was about to go upstairs, he turned his head and said to Irene, "This may be the best result for Microsoft today! "

Bill Gates' performance today has made many people who eat melons who have seen it start to speculate whether Microsoft has really been wronged, or how could he be so tough.

Public opinion has begun to undergo some changes, and the most important point, Song Yang feels that Microsoft is going to retreat with advance!

(End of this chapter)