Video Game Empire

Apple certainly knows best how much a great piece of software can drive computer sales. In later generations, because the iPhone was selling well all over the world, Apple was once again the darling of the world. Various articles have taken the trouble to analyze Apple's past and present and development process, and can't be more detailed.

Although Li Xuan is not a fruit fan, he has also learned a lot of interesting things about Apple. It is said that Apple's Apple computer was able to dominate and dominate the microcomputer field in the four or five years from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. There are two most important reasons. The first important factor was the floppy disk drive that Wozniak developed for Apple computers.

As for another important factor, sitting in front of Li Xuan at the moment, this is a man with black eyes, a hooked nose, and a typical Jewish face.

"Xuan Li, from Hong Kong, you can just call me Vincent, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Li Xuan very politely shook hands with the man who was called "the father of spreadsheets" by later generations.

"Dan Bricklin, my friends call me Dan, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Bricklin was not very good at words, and there was a bit of shyness in his words.

Bricklin is a typical high-IQ creature. After graduating from high school, he was successfully admitted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study mathematics, but after studying for a year and a half, he found that he was more interested in computers, so he switched to computer science. After graduating from college, he joined DEC and developed the world's first word processing software, WPS-8.

Later, Bricklin resigned from DEC and planned to continue his studies. After a year of preparation, he was successfully admitted to Harvard Business School to study for an MBA. Because he needed to use the school's small computer to write a financial analysis program when he took the financial analysis course, he came up with the idea of ​​writing a general-purpose financial spreadsheet software.

This is the origin of the financial spreadsheet software "Visual Calculation". The "Visual Computing" software went on sale in September last year and has quickly won over many financial managers in just a few months. Although it sells for as much as $150 per copy, it still sells nearly 1,000 copies a month.

"Visual Computing" is only compatible with Apple's Apple computers, because when Bricklin originally wrote this software, he borrowed an Apple computer from a classmate and wrote it in Apple's BASIC language.

The popularity of "visual computing" has also boosted sales of Apple's personal computers. Apple Inc.'s monthly sales of Apple computers this year are double last year's, with a big chunk of the contribution going to "visual computing" software.

Li Xuan has carefully analyzed this "visual computing" software before. It already has the basic characteristics of a spreadsheet, turning the entire computer screen into a part of a large virtual table. It is already a relatively good one in this era. software.

But in Li Xuan's view, "visual computing" is still only a very basic form software with very limited functions. Li Xuan set a detailed and strict outline of programming technical specifications for the software development team of Dongfang Electronics Company. Based on this, the development team wrote East-Table, the first version of its own financial software, which has far superior performance than "visual computing".

"Dan, I've used the 'visual computing' software you wrote before, and it's really good!" Li Xuan said a polite remark of appreciation, which opened the conversation between the two sides.

"Thank you for your compliment! In fact, the entire software is not completed by me. I am only responsible for the overall design of the software framework and functions, and the specific programming is completed by my classmate Bob!" Bricklin is reluctant to take credit All on their own heads, telling the truth.

"I asked you out this time to represent my company, Dongfang Electronic Technology Company from Hong Kong, which wants to formally acquire your 'visual computing' software!" Li Xuan smiled and explained his intentions bluntly.

Bricklin was already mentally prepared for this, but he didn't know anything about this company in the Far East, so he asked inexplicably: "May I ask what your Eastern company does, and is it also engaged in software development? "

"It wasn't in the past, but it will be in the future!" Li Xuan replied ambiguous, "Have you ever played arcade games? "Hong Kong Cube" and "Tank Wars" are our company's products!"

"Tank wars? That's a cool game!" Brecklin snapped his fingers, "I remembered, they all have the word 'East' prominently on the frame, which is the 'East' Meaning!"

As long as the arcade machine made by using the arcade board of Dongfang Electronics, it must be marked with the English word "East", which is uniformly designed by Dongfang Electronics, in a conspicuous position of the machine frame. This is also part of Dongfang Electronics' establishment of its own brand.

Li Xuan hopes that players will be immersed in their own eyes and ears, and when they see the word "East" in the future, they will naturally think of classic games. When you think of playing games, the first company "East" pops into your mind.

Brecklin's reaction now fully proves that Li Xuan's method is very effective. At least in Bricklin's mind, he has firmly remembered the word "East" in the artistic font on the arcade frame.

"Does your company develop computer software in addition to video games?" Bricklin asked in confusion. In his opinion, there is no connection between his "visual computing" software and arcade games.

"We, Dongfang Electronics, are preparing to enter the personal computer industry and will launch our first personal computer product in a few months. We hope to buy out the copyright of 'Visual Computing' and make this excellent software only available on our computers. Release!" Li Xuan explained with a smile.

"Oh!" Brecklin nodded, indicating that he understood what the other party meant. Then he stared at Li Xuan with his black eyes, and asked the most crucial question, "How much are you going to offer?"

"$700,000, I think it's a reasonable price!" Li Xuan said tentatively.

"NO!" Bricklin shook his head immediately, "You don't have much sincerity at this price! Mr. Mackula from Apple asked me for $800,000, but I have already rejected it!"

"Then how much do you think the 'visual computing' software is worth?" Li Xuan asked rhetorically with a smile.

"One million dollars, not less than a cent!" Bricklin said decisively with the shrewdness unique to Jews.

Li Xuan sighed in his heart. It was exactly as the story said. Bricklin offered $1 million, but Mark Kula thought it was too expensive, so he gave up the idea of ​​acquiring "Visual Computing".

Li Xuan did not directly agree to the other party's offer, but raised his own offer little by little. 750,000! 800 000! 900,000! 950,000! Bricklin never let up.

"Okay, you're a shrewd businessman. For $1 million, we, Dongfang Electronics, accept this offer!" Li Xuan spread his hands, showing a very helpless expression.

"This price is not expensive!" Brecklin said with a smile~www.readwn.com~Visual Computing" The software can sell 1,000 copies per month, each priced at $150, and the monthly sales is 15 Ten thousand US dollars, 1 million is equivalent to about half a year of sales, which is really not expensive in Brecklin's view.

"Okay, I hope it's worth the money!" Li Xuan and Bricklin shook hands. Li Xuan is going back to prepare a copyright buyout contract. The two will bring their respective lawyers in the afternoon before signing a formal transfer contract.

Watching Brecklin leave, Li Xuan showed a smile. "Visual computing" is actually not very useful to Dongfang Electronics. The company has developed East-Table software that runs faster and has better functions.

Then why did Li Xuan buy "Visual Computing"? Is it because the money is burning too much?

What you can't use, may not be used by others! Mark Kula didn't feel it was worth giving up the offer because Brecklin offered $200,000 more than his bottom line. Li Xuan wants to make him feel like he often regrets it!

A few months later, when "visual computing" was locked in the drawer by Li Xuan, and there was no suitable form software on Apple's Apple computer, Dongfang Electronics' ABC personal computer (puter) happened to rely on East-DOS to operate. System, East-Table, East-Word, Hong Kong Box and some other rich office and game software are coming.

At that time, will the boss of Jobs Joe be able to turn the tide and continue the glory of Apple?

Spending 1 million US dollars to hurt others and not oneself, Li Xuan said that there is no pressure. Rich is so capricious!