Rebirth of America, this is my time

Chapter 204 Bill Mensch

Phoenix, Arizona is located on the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert. Although the climate is hot, the natural scenery is quite good. Ethan has been here several times before, but he never appreciated the beautiful scenery here, because those trips were all accompanied by the sales of Snake. When he and classmate Xiao Qiao hurriedly delivered goods to the merchants who had ordered arcade machines, the green and beautiful knife was the most beautiful scenery in the world, at least that was what they thought at the time.

And now...

When powerful enemies surrounded the giant to take action, no matter how beautiful the scenery here was, he had no intention of admiring it. After landing, he and his sister went straight to the city to find a place for 6502 R\u0026D personnel to settle.

The developer, Bill Mensch, who lives in Phoenix, attended Temple University for an associate's degree and then the University of Arizona for a bachelor's degree in electrical science.

At first, this guy worked for Philco, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, as an integrated circuit designer. Later, he moved to Motorola and joined Chuck Paido's R\u0026D team, contributing to Motorola's chip engineering. Finally, he It was the trip to MOS that allowed human civilization to officially enter the computer age.

To be honest, in the past few years, Ethan's relationship with him was not very deep. After all, Chuck Paido was the first inventor of MOS 6502. After Chuck Paido said that after members of his team left one after another, in order to maintain the relationship between himself and Chuck Paido, Ethan just made a phone call to express his regrets to them, and then he was like a passerby. Normally, contact is cut off.

Therefore, when Ethan came here according to the address obtained during the last contact, he was actually nervous because he didn't know whether Bill Mensch still lived here after a year.

But when Ballmer's big bald head followed his instructions and knocked on the door, as the buzzer buzzed, the lights in the wooden three-story building also turned on. There was a crash, a window on the right side of the second floor was pushed open by an arm, and a slightly resentful voice came out.

Who?

This question made Ethan speak quickly, William?

The next second he announced his home address again, It's me! Ethan! Ethan Jones——

These words made the body leaning out of the window pause for a moment, as if he was recalling who Ethan was, but it was more like confirming Ethan's identity in the dark night. After a moment, the thick upper limb retracted, and there was a rush. The sound of footsteps suddenly sounded, and after about ten seconds, the closed door on the first floor was pushed open.

When a figure with a beard, a slightly bald forehead, and glasses appeared, Ethan immediately breathed a sigh of relief. The guy who appeared first looked around to confirm the number of people coming, and then focused his attention on Ethan outside the fence. The eagerness to visit in the middle of the night made the man laugh out loud, and the daughter accompanying Ethan made the man unexpectedly say, Evelin? Are you here too?

Yes, William, I'm here too. Evelin raised her right hand and waved at him.

Initially, after helping the 6502 R\u0026D team resolve the infringement issue, these people personally visited California to thank Master Barbara Babcock, and Evelyn also met them at that time.

Although they didn’t have a close relationship, they knew each other, and Evelin’s wave made Bill Mensch step forward quickly and open the fence gate, “You guys came earlier than I thought.”

This sentence did not surprise Ethan and Evelin. Because as long as they pay attention to outside news, they, as smart people, will naturally be able to deduce the best way to break the situation.

So you fell asleep? Ethan asked familiarly.

Of course. Bill Mensch smiled and nodded, I originally thought about going to bed early tonight and getting up early tomorrow, because you might come over tomorrow morning.

But I didn't expect that not even twelve hours after Mokodor announced the acquisition of MOS, you would already be here. This speed... really surprised me.

He stretched out his right hand and shook it with Ethan, and then Bill Mensch stepped aside.

Since you're here, let's go in and talk. But I have to declare in advance that you guys came too fast. I haven't prepared anything to entertain you. There is nothing at home.

Oh~ William, you are too polite. Evelin smiled and shook her head to show that she didn't care.

Ethan turned his head and looked at Ballmer, Buy some?

Such a clear statement made Ballmer nodded quickly and left with his bodyguard.

This move made Bill Mensch smile. He nodded happily towards Ethan and took the remaining two people home. After they sat down in the living room on the first floor, Bill Mensch also left. I took out a fruit plate and three bottles of water from the refrigerator in the kitchen.

Since you can come here at this time, let's be direct.

You can ask me anything you want to know.

I dare not say that I know everything, but I dare say that I know more than you.

The confident words made Ethan and his sister look at each other.

Both of them saw surprise in each other's eyes.

Because before they came, they wanted to ask Bill Mensch to come out and continue to provide them with cheap chips, but now... Bill Mensch not only guessed their purpose of coming, but also seemed to have something they didn't understand. intelligence? This special code...

That’s interesting!

Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Ethan looked at the other party with a smile, So you're not surprised?

Are you talking about Rockwell's acquisition of Allen Bradley? Or Commodore's acquisition of MOS? Or...both? Bill Mensch asked.

Both, Ethan said.

Then I'm still a little surprised. Bill Mensch opened the mineral water, took a sip, and said: Because I didn't know that Rockwell had the intention to acquire Allen Bradley, or that I I only know that Komodo has been in contact with MOS since 1976 and expressed its intention to acquire it.

What the fuck? ? ?

Ethan was shocked!

Komodo had contact with MOS as early as 1976?

How come he doesn't know about this?

William...are you kidding? Ethan didn't believe it.

Bill Mensch shrugged calmly and asked: Why should I joke about this kind of thing? Seeing that Ethan didn't reply, he added: Furthermore, after the MOS 6502 fire, the company that communicated with MOS didn't do anything at all. It’s not just Komodo. In addition to them, companies like Tandy have also contacted us, ah no… they have contacted MOS.”

Intelligence is the least important factor in success. In other words, there can be no truly stupid people who can make a career in the business field.

Ethan knows that by seizing the MOS 6502 chip, he is seizing the future of the computer industry and the electronic game industry. Even if others have no memory of the future, they also know how much reality a cheap and easy-to-use chip can bring to them. Benefit.

Therefore, when Ethan used the MOS 6502 chip to create one amazing game after another, and Apple created infinite possibilities with the MOS 6502, companies that wanted to enter the electronic game field and the personal computer industry focused on this patent. They want to acquire MOS Company to achieve once and for all.

But in the face of the influx of contacts, MOS Technology rejected almost all of them.

This is not because they are loyal to Ethan Jones, but because their big boss Allen Bradley feels that MOS Technology still has room to grow.

Allen Bradley, the major shareholder of MOS Technology, feels that cooperating with you will continue to expand the value of MOS Technology. The success you achieve with MOS 6502 is the best advertisement for MOS 6502, because the more you sell MOS 6502, If more, the value of MOS Technology will be higher, and when this value expands to a certain level, it will be the wisest decision to sell the company, because that will maximize the benefits.

Bill Mensch said with a smile: So, in the past few years, MOS has been developing quietly. This development is not only waiting for the continuous expansion of the computer industry and the electronic game industry, but also showing itself to other companies. value, forcing them to quote a higher price.”

And they have the right idea, right?

If I remember correctly, when Komodo came to MOS in 1976, MOS's market value was only 12 million U.S. dollars. Today, they have increased to more than 20 million U.S. dollars.

More than a year!

Nearly a fifty percent increase!

“This has already outperformed 99% of the financial products on the market!”

And what did Alan Bradley do?

They didn't do anything.

They just gave you 20 percent of the chip manufacturing company.

Bill Mensch spread his hands.

And his words made Ethan breathless.

Before coming, he was still very fond of MOS Technology, because the low-priced chips they provided helped him gain unparalleled competitiveness in the computer field and electronic game market.

So now...

He really wanted to punch these guys to death!

Special code!

Did this group of people treat his use of 6502 as external advertising from the beginning?

From the beginning, this group of people wanted to use his influence to sell the company?

This is crazy!

Although today's achievements of Destiny Games, Apple Computer and MOS Technology are all due to mutual help, this help is only the result of equal cooperation, right?

If they were up to no good from the start...

Then isn’t Ethan Jones just being taken advantage of?

As for the shares of Chuck Padore Chip Company?

Special code!

He didn’t get this thing for free, right?

In order to get this thing, he owed the archmage Barbara Babcock a huge favor! At the same time, Motorola has been staring at me!

'Grass! ’

Two villains already appeared in Ethan's mind.

One of the guys, who was burning all over, was beating another guy.

wrong.

He grabbed that person's ankle and kept picking him up and throwing him!

William...you mean, Alan Bradley never wanted to make chips from the beginning?

Ethan asked.

As soon as his words appeared, Evelin reached out and grabbed his arm, brought his hand to her arms, then held his palm and interlocked her fingers with his.

because……

Ethan’s voice was a little hoarse.

It felt like a traveler in the desert, thirsty and smoking.

Yes. Bill Mensch could understand Ethan's current mood.

He nodded and said: Because the chip industry does not make money.

The purpose of Alan Bradley's investment in MOS was to intervene in the calculator war. They needed a reliable company to produce their own semiconductor chips for them. After the calculator war ended, the significance of MOS's existence was very important to Alan Bradley. It’s not big enough for Radley.”

After the end of the Calculator War and before the advent of the computer age, Alan Bradley already had the idea of ​​selling the company, but he could never find a buyer. When we joined MOS, we developed the company based on Motorola's 6800 After 6501, the fact of infringement made them even more angry.

To be honest, Ethan, if it weren't for your appearance to help us solve the legal problems of 6502, then Allen Bradley would probably kill us. Similarly, it is precisely because of your appearance that you let Allen ·Bradley saw greater possibilities...

The possibility of making a lot of money.

Bill Mensch looked at Ethan with a smile.

Those simple words made Ethan very sad.

And just when he opened his mouth to continue asking, he found that he could not speak.

This situation also made Evelin squeeze his palm and said: William, if everything is like what you said, then I can't figure it out.

Since Allen Bradley never wanted to make chips from the beginning, and just wanted to sell the company through the chip gimmick, then why didn't they consider us?

This question made Ethan nod.

This was what he wanted to ask about.

Bill Mensch tilted his head and said, It's very simple.

Because it's more profitable to sell it to Komodo.

“When I was still at MOS, Komodo’s offer to Alan Bradley was a share-for-share merger. Alan Bradley could directly own close to 7% of the shares of Komodo Commercial Company. .”

Although I haven't asked you, everyone knows that this price is not what you can give, right? It is impossible for you to exchange shares for Apple or Destiny Games with Allen Bradley, and in Of all the acquisitions, cash acquisitions are worthless to big companies.

I sell the company to you and get the shares of the new company. By doing so, I can not only enjoy the premium brought by the acquisition, but also capture future market share.

This win-twice deal is much better than taking cash directly.

When this fact appeared, Ethan immediately laughed out loud.

That's anger, but also admiration.

It is indeed a capitalist society!

All operations are based on money!

Although Ethan was very unhappy at the moment, he admitted that Alan Bradley did nothing wrong.

we can even say……

They are very good at it!

And if Bill Mensch hadn't lied, then...

So Chuck Perdor knows about this too, right? Evelyn asked.

I know about this, how could he not know about it?

Is this the reason why he is avoiding us? Evelin told what happened today.

When Bill Mensch learned that Chuck Perdor actually disappeared after the takeover case broke out, he was stunned. It took four or five seconds before he started laughing.

Hahaha--

Chuck is avoiding you? This guy is really funny——

As for the reason why you want to know him hiding... I haven't contacted him for a long time, and I don't know the real reason, but one thing I can tell you is that when Komodo asked Alan... When Bradley made a secret offer, there was a special requirement on their offer sheet, that is, after the acquisition is completed, Chuck Paido must serve the new company for at least three years.

This treaty is the prerequisite for Komodo's share-for-share acquisition.

As for why they ask for it...

I think you should know better than me?

Bill Mensch looked at the two of them with a smile.

The corners of Ethan's lips curled up into a smile.

But the look from his eyes was completely cold.

When there are a bunch of giants standing behind Komodo...

Of course Ethan knows what these people want to do!

When there are only a few chip sellers on the market...

If you firmly grasp the cheapest chip 6502, firmly grasp the inventor and patent owner of the chip, you will be able to strangle the throats of all peers!

Although this kind of thinking will be a bit outrageous if you look at it a few decades later, after all, people can no longer accept a B-board for a computer worth 50,000 yuan. But in the early stages of an industry’s development, lowering prices is the most important thing! As for performance? We have to wait until it becomes popular before we can talk about it!

So...Chuck accepted it? Evelin asked coldly.

If Evelin could understand what Bill Mensch said before, then she was really a little angry now, because the previous things were all done by Allen Bradley. When a company When the major shareholder has a special will, the workers can only accept it.

But if Chuck had decided to go to Commodore since '76...

Then this is Chi Guoguo's betrayal, right?

Her question made Bill Mensch sigh.

Ethan, I know you are angry now, but I hope you can stay calm next time.

Chuck is a good guy.

He wanted to tell you about this at first, but before I left, he decided not to tell you. The reason is simple because your products are too expensive.

“WTF???”

Ethan, who had been silent for a long time, cursed.

He shouted at the top of his lungs: What a bullshit reason!!!

At this moment, he was like an enraged lion. If Evelin hadn't pulled him, he would have rushed up and grabbed Bill Mensch by the collar, trying to make him speak clearly.

Okay, Okay, Okay...

Calm down, calm down, calm down...

Bill Mensch pressed his hands down and said: The thing is very simple...

Because you raised the prices of arcade machines!

Do you still remember what was the first game you made with 6502?

It's Pac-Man!

What is their external selling price?

It's two thousand dollars!

And how much did your first game, Snake, cost?

“That’s just over a thousand dollars!”

The emergence of 6502 has caused the hardware cost of games to drop sharply, but instead of lowering the price of the game, you have actually increased it a lot. This makes Chuck very sad!

Then, the pricing of Apple computers shocked him even more!

When the Altair 8800 only sold for a few hundred dollars using Intel chips, Apple using the 6502 sold for more than them?

Chuck just can't understand it!

To be honest, if you hadn't helped us solve the chip infringement problem, Chuck would have cut off the supply of chips to you! Although he communicated with you cheerfully every time, he was actually very sad. Yes! Because you haven’t brought anything cheap to the world at all!”

... Bill Mensch's roar confused Ethan!

At this moment, he only felt that this matter was outrageous. It was outrageous that his mother had opened the door for him!

Is Chuck Padre avoiding him because Destiny arcade machines and Apple Computers are too expensive? Isn’t it at all in line with their cheap concept when promoting 6502?

This is ridiculous...

Oh Sxxt! What's the reason!

Ethan can’t figure it out!

And when there was an obvious conflict between the Chuck Paido in Bill Mensch's words and the Chuck Paido in Ethan's cognition, a question suddenly popped up in Ethan's mind.

Of these two identities, which one is the Chuck Paido that is closest to life?

Thinking of this, Ethan took a deep breath. He looked at Bill Mensch with a serious expression and said in a cautious tone: William, I want to ask you something. Please answer me truthfully.

You tell me. Bill Mensch smiled and said, As long as it's not a major secret, I can tell you.

Why did you leave MOS? Ethan clenched his hands when asking.

It seems that this is the only way to feel the power.

His inquiry made Bill Mensch blink his eyes and said: So this is the problem? I thought it was something! He smiled, and then asked: The reason why I left MOS, Chuck didn't What are you telling me? Because I wanted to continue developing 16-bit chips but MOS wouldn’t let me. I felt that 6502 had greater potential and could be used in more fields, but they didn’t support me, so I left.”

boom! ! !

When this explanation appeared, Ethan's pupils shrank instantly!

He turned his head with difficulty and cast a shocked look at his sister!

And Evelin, who also looked back, held his hand tightly!

Because both of them discovered that this answer was different from the reasons they heard before!

You know, Chuck Paddo told them before -

Bill Mensch left because of money!

Note: ① Bill Mensch and Chuck Paido are both regarded as pioneers in the personal computer industry. In other words, 6800 and 6502 would not have been made without him, because he made the basic circuits of those chips by hand. Drawn. In a book titled Edge: The Rise and Fall of Komodo published in 2006, it was written that Mensch should be the most powerful chip layout engineer in the world. When making chips in the 1970s, he worked in a rectangular The circuit diagrams of those chips were drawn on the dining table and then the transistors were soldered. In this case, they used a microscope to shrink it after the test was successful. An exaggerated comparison. ②The reasons why Mensch and Paido parted ways in reality are very contradictory. Paido said that Menshi wanted money, but Menshi said that he just wanted to make a 16-bit chip but MOS didn't allow it. No one knows the truth of the matter, because Paido has passed away, but one thing can be confirmed. Mensch did not brag. In reality, he created the subsequent sixteen-bit version of 6502, and the chip was WDC 65C816. . ③Alan Bradley only took a stake in MOS because of the calculator war. After it was beaten up, he wanted to sell the company. In reality, they also sold MOS to Komodo for this reason, and Komodo The capitalists behind Modor indeed locked up Paido for three years.