Reborn as a tycoon in Hong Kong

After leaving Beverly Hills, Bill Gates and Paul Allen returned to their hotel.

The two went to Bill Gates' hotel room to talk together.

Paul Allen said aloud: "Bill, look at Allen, he obviously doesn't want to give up 20% of his shares."

"I saw it too."

Bill Gates nodded slightly: "Actually, this is not unexpected. Seeing that the company can develop after cooperating with IBM, the company's valuation has soared, but before that, he gave up two-thirds of the shares and replaced it with me. I won’t agree either.”

"Are we really going to get that far?"

Paul Allen said hesitantly. In fact, they had already speculated and discussed Lin Baicheng's reaction, and had a plan, but he really didn't want to go to that point.

"Paul, are you willing to let Allen just take a ride and make money? You know, if he hadn't purchased our shares, we would have made more."

When Bill Gates said this, he subconsciously forgot about Lin Baicheng's contribution to Microsoft. Lin Baicheng bought shares in Microsoft at a premium, guaranteed loans for Microsoft, and even proposed that Microsoft develop operating systems. Forgot everything.

Most people will only remember things that are beneficial to them clearly, not to mention that what Bill Gates and others did is not glorious, so they will naturally ignore Lin Baicheng's contribution to Microsoft.

"Bill, of course I want to make more, but I'm a little worried."

Of course, Paul Allen is not a saint. When Bill Gates proposed to kick Lin Baicheng out, he still agreed and did not firmly oppose it. Otherwise, if he firmly opposes it, Bill Gates will definitely be unable to do anything alone.

"I don't think you need to worry too much. Unless Allen wants the Microsoft shares in his hands to be worthless, he must accept a compromise. Besides, even if he fights to get rid of the Microsoft shares in his hands, it won't make things easier for us. , we can also open another company.”

Bill Gates is not too worried. First, he feels that Lin Baicheng will not give them a penny and not make things easier for them. Second, they can choose to start a new business and open another company to make operating systems. The operating system is not particularly important anyway. exclusive patent.

However, if you start a new company, it will be a bit troublesome in terms of time, and you have to talk to IBM. Therefore, Bill Gates does not want to do this unless it is absolutely necessary. He prefers to maintain the existence of Microsoft.

Of course, the prerequisite for this is that Lin Baicheng is willing to give up most of his shares so that they can obtain more benefits.

"That's not what I'm worried about."

Paul Allen shook his head: "What I'm worried about is that Allen will become our competitor in the future. If he also sets up a company to make operating systems, he will definitely compete with us in the future. You know, his capital is very strong. At least a few billion dollars worth."

"Like you, I'm a little worried, but I don't think it's a big problem."

Bill Gates said: "It's for sure that Allen is very rich. He can build a company specializing in operating systems just by throwing money. But even if Allen is rich, he will not be able to do anything in the computer industry." There is no way to compare with IBM. As long as we are connected with IBM, we don't have to worry about Allen's problem at all."

Paul Allen couldn't help but nodded slightly after hearing this: "That's true of you."

"We still go as planned."

Bill Gates said: "Our bottom line is that if Allen gives up 15% of his shares, we will not only be able to contact IBM, but our shares will not be reduced, but will be increased a little bit."

"Just do as you say."

When he thought of the benefits contained in this, Paul Allen immediately threw away the worries he still had.

In fact, what Bill Gates and others said to Lin Baicheng was not true. It was not that he was connected to IBM through relationships, but that IBM itself was looking for companies to make operating systems, and then Microsoft entered IBM's sights, so IBM wanted to There are not many shares to buy.

However, seeing that Microsoft was about to take off, Bill Gates did not want Lin Baicheng to make profits without doing anything, and he also wanted to increase his own shares, so he enlisted Paul Allen to attack Lin Baicheng. , asking Lin Baicheng to give up a large number of shares.

The next day, Bill Harveys led people to talk to Bill Gates and Paul Allen, but Lin Baicheng did not participate.

Lin Baicheng himself went to Apple on this day.

Lin Baicheng came to find Steve Jobs.

"Jobs, do you know that IBM is already contacting operating system companies and preparing to enter the personal computer market?"

After the polite exchanges, Lin Baicheng said one thing to Jobs.

"Alan, how did you know about this?"

Jobs was shocked when he heard this: "We have always known that IBM was preparing to enter the personal computer market, but we didn't know when exactly it would enter. Originally, we thought that IBM would not enter until the end of the year or even next year. If you hadn't told us, we wouldn't have known about IBM." Already operating in secret."

Lin Baicheng explained: "It is a coincidence that the operating system company that IBM contacted was the Microsoft company I invested in."

"Alan, if that's the case, can you ask Microsoft to delay cooperation with IBM?"

Jobs did not ask Microsoft to cancel its cooperation with IBM because he felt that was simply impossible. After all, Lin Baicheng was only a shareholder of Microsoft, and Microsoft did not belong to Lin Baicheng. Furthermore, even if Microsoft belongs to Lin Baicheng, it is impossible for Lin Baicheng to agree not to cooperate with IBM for his own benefit. That is IBM.

"Jobs, this is indeed possible, but it's different from what you think, and I'm not sure how long it can be delayed."

Lin Baicheng said with a smile, and then took the initiative to explain without waiting for Jobs to ask: "Microsoft is about to cooperate with IBM, but it is preparing to kick me out. I will not make it easy for them. I have already done it." In order to prepare for the demise of Microsoft. That’s why I said it can be delayed for a while, but I can’t guarantee how long it can be delayed.”

"I didn't expect them to be this kind of people. They want to kick you out of the game. It's so unethical."

Jobs complained about Lin Baicheng, but secretly said that Lin Baicheng was really revengeful. Fortunately, when Apple was financing, he did not think of kicking Lin Baicheng out. Otherwise, Apple's financing would not be so smooth, and it would not develop now. so fast.

In fact, at that time, Jobs and others did not dare to take Lin Baicheng's shares, because Lin Baicheng helped guarantee Apple's loan. Once he decided not to guarantee it, and the bank pressed Apple for the loan, it would definitely have a serious impact on Apple's development. Big impact.

A simple comparison shows that Apple relies heavily on Lin Baicheng, while Microsoft relies very little on Lin Baicheng, not to mention that Microsoft is about to rely on the giant IBM.

"Don't talk about them anymore."

Lin Baicheng waved his hand. He didn't care whether Jobs was acting or not, but said: "Jobs, today happens to be the first day of July. It's still half a year until the end of the year. I think IBM will enter the personal computer market within this year, at the latest." The IBM PC will be launched next year, and Apple's biggest competitor will emerge."

"Alan, I understand what you mean. Our management is also mentally prepared for this and will fight this battle well."

Jobs nodded solemnly. IBM is an industry giant. Now the giants want to enter the personal computer market to compete with Apple. It would be false to say that they are not worried. But they have no other choice but to fight this battle well.

"As long as you are mentally prepared, I am afraid that you will be blinded by Apple's current performance and underestimate the enemy."

Lin Baicheng is still very concerned about Apple. After all, he owns 27% of Apple's shares. If Apple cannot go public like he did in his previous life, his losses will be huge, at least hundreds of millions of dollars.

At least hundreds of millions of dollars, not to mention the current situation, even if it is forty or fifty years after Lin Baicheng's rebirth, it will not be a small amount.

"Alan, don't worry about this. None of us dare to be careless. To put it mildly, if Apple goes bankrupt under the pressure of IBM, Alan, you still have other business assets and you will still be a billionaire. , we people have nothing.”

Jobs was speaking from his heart. These shareholders and managers, who were previously from modest backgrounds, wanted Apple to become bigger and stronger than Lin Baicheng, Goldman Sachs, etc., so that they could also become billionaires.

"Okay, I'm relieved if you say that."

After hearing this, Lin Baicheng put aside his worries. At least Apple's management would not underestimate the enemy. If Apple could not compete with IBM under this situation, then he had no choice but to accept his bad luck.

By that time, Lin Baicheng could only blame himself. It was his butterfly effect that caused Apple to fail to develop. After all, Apple had become a trillion-dollar giant in his previous life.

Jobs said: "Alan, now that IBM is about to enter the personal computer market, I am going to let Apple go public in advance and raise a sum of money, so that it can be more confident when facing IBM."

"I have no opinion."

Lin Baicheng thought for a while and agreed. Although going public too early would result in Apple's market value not being too high, as Jobs said, if Apple can go public and obtain a sum of funds, it will be in a better position to face IBM. Be confident and more competitive.

Lin Baicheng certainly hopes that the market value of Apple when it goes public can be as high as possible, but the prerequisite is that Apple survives and can be listed, otherwise everything is empty talk.

"Thanks for your support, Alan."

Jobs was overjoyed when he heard this. Lin Baicheng held 27% of Apple's shares. With Lin Baicheng's support, he would be more confident in pushing Apple to go public.

"I will persuade other shareholders to support Apple's listing. If necessary, I ask Allen for your support."

"Don't worry, it will be beneficial to everyone to let Apple go public. I don't think anyone will object."

Lin Baicheng smiled. Institutions such as Goldman Sachs did not invest in Apple just to make money. They hoped that Apple would go public soon so that their investment could make money as soon as possible.

Jobs quite agrees with this. The reason why he said this is just to be prepared.

After chatting with Jobs for a while, Lin Baicheng did not stay to visit Apple. There was no need and he went directly back to Los Angeles.

When he returned to Los Angeles, it was already evening. Lin Baicheng thought about it and went to the branch of Xingyue Electronics in the United States.

Peter Malte, the branch manager of Xingyue Electronics in the United States, Lin Baicheng talked to him about the company's operations.

Peter Malte first reported to Lin Baicheng the current sales data of Xingyue consoles and game cartridges in the United States. In fact, Lin Baicheng roughly knew these. He was very concerned about Xingyue Electronic Game Company and would definitely read the sales report every week. .

The Xingyue console went on sale on May 12. The one-month promotional price initially advertised has long passed, and it is now July.

After one month of promotion time, Xingyue Electronic Game Company sold a total of 154,000 units of regular version consoles, a total of 460 units of high-end luxury editions, and 1.18 million game cartridges, with total sales of almost 70 million. Around USD.

It can be said that this is a pretty good result, especially for game cartridges. The sales volume is a bit unexpected, which has increased the sales volume a lot.

It is precisely based on this good result that after the one-month promotional price has passed, the price of the regular version of the Xingyue console has been increased, but it has not been raised to 229 US dollars or even higher, but has only been increased by 10 US dollars. Now The regular version of the console is priced at US$189.

This time it is also under the banner of promotional price, and it is no longer a promotion for one month, but a promotion for half a year. After half a year, it returns to the original price of US$229 per unit.

The reason why I say this is because if we start counting from June 12th, it will be December 12th half a year later, and Christmas is coming soon. At that time, we can continue to do promotions under the banner of Christmas, but the price will increase again. The increase to US$199 per unit is equivalent to an increase of US$10.

Of course, the prerequisite for the Christmas price increase is that the sales of the Xingyue console in the past six months are not bad. Otherwise, if the sales are too bad, Lin Baicheng can only consider restoring the price to US$179, and even a lower price is not unacceptable to him.

There is a reason why Lin Baicheng dares to lower the price of the regular Xingyue console.

Among the three products currently sold by Xingyue Electronic Game Company: the regular version of the Xingyue console, the deluxe version of the Xingyue console, and game cartridges, the regular version of the Xingyue console is sold at a loss, and each unit loses about sixty or seventy dollars.

As for profit, the profit from the deluxe version of the console is almost negligible due to the small sales volume.

Each copy of the game cartridge can make a profit of nearly 20 US dollars, which is calculated based on the profit being a quarter of the loss of the ordinary version of the console.

In the first month of sales, the sales volume of game cartridges was about seven times that of the regular version of the console. In other words, the profit was much higher than the loss. The company was making money. This is how Lin Baicheng dared to continue to let the regular version of the console continue. The confidence to lower prices.

However, Lin Baicheng certainly hopes to make more money if he has the confidence to lower the price, so it is best to increase the price of the regular version of the Xingyue console.

It has been almost three weeks since the price increase of the regular version of the Xingyue console. The price increase still has some impact on sales, but fortunately the impact is not too big, and weekly sales are still about 80% of the previous level.

The key depends on whether the sales of Xingyue consoles will plummet after the summer vacation. The sales volume will definitely decrease. I just hope that it will not fall too badly by then.

Lin Baicheng did not stay with Xingyue Electronics Branch for too long. He only asked Peter Marte to cooperate with Xingguang Company to sell products, and also to do a good job in supervision and publicity, so as to grasp the balance.