Chapter 100: Microsoft's Turnaround

Unlike the tension between Steve Jobs and William White, Bill Gates was having a blast. The contract with Big Blue was like a shot of adrenaline, sending Bill over the moon.

The Intel 8080-based PC was clearly more reliable than the Apple II. If sales met expectations, Microsoft's advantages would be immense.

Were the advantages really that great? Whenever he thought about White Software, Bill Gates felt stuck. They were the real winners on all fronts, and if they also entered the operating system market, he'd be left in the dust.

The negotiations between White Software and Motorola were a big deal. The IT industry was very curious why a successful software company would dabble in an unfamiliar industry.

Motorola's decision was easy to understand. Their primary goal was in the communications field, and their involvement in the semiconductor business was just a misunderstanding.

Since they weren't doing well, they chose collaboration. After all, William White had deep pockets, which was almost common knowledge in the IT world.

When Bill Gates got wind of this sensational news, he began to daydream. If William White wasn't against partnerships, maybe they could join forces in the future.

Although the idea was pleasant and plausible, the biggest problem was his company wasn't big enough. If not handled carefully, it might get absorbed.

Fueled with energy, Bill started working hard; time wasn't on his side.

He didn't know that if the price was right, William White wouldn't refuse.

The guy was here to enjoy life; who cared about running companies? The IT industry was the most competitive place, with a short lifespan.

...

Her beauty pageant title didn't help her acting career at all. People seemed more accustomed to her without clothes.

Hollywood was harsh on actresses. Those with beauty pageant backgrounds were all labeled as trophies. Having two lines of dialogue was a blessing, depending on how well you served. Being cast as a supporting actress was simply unbelievable.

Sharon Stone didn't mind something happening with William White. Talented men were numerous, but ones so young were rare.

After dressing up meticulously, she looked much better than during auditions. She still didn't understand why, as a champion, she struggled so. What was even the point of such contests?

"You look enchanting today," William White wasn't stingy with his compliments.

"Thank you."

The girl was still a bit reserved. In the deliberate care of William White, the conversation quickly became enjoyable. After all, they were of a similar age, with less formality.

A thrilling encounter was inevitable. 

"That little rascal," seeing the empty space beside her, the young lady grew annoyed. The room was still filled with youthful energy, making her blush and her heart pound.

William White was cautious. The dark side of the ice pick was too great. He didn't plan on doing anything; it was just a friendly game. If he were caught, it'd be disastrous.

The new vehicle, given its recent condition, provided a delightful driving experience. William White didn't speed excessively. While the car wasn't his, he expected another opportunity to use it. It was best to take care, as it wasn't easy to repair.

...

Negotiations with Motorola were entering the operational phase. William White's demands weren't excessive. He didn't require full control.

Regarding management rights, he didn't intend to give an inch. He was okay with holding 30% of the shares, but wanted 51% of the voting rights, which left people speechless.

Motorola had a tendency to mess up. How could they hand it over for them to manage? With a bunch of explosives and no one to handle them, it left one speechless.

Having launched mobile phones first, they suffered in the digital mobile phone era. Ericsson and Nokia were born from their carelessness.

They developed smart phones but kept withholding innovations, resulting in Apple overtaking them.

The Android system was decent, too. Relying on their brand's advantage, there was still a chance, but they treated consumers like fools.

With a good hand ruined, Motorola was the prime example. William White would be crazy to let them manage the company.

Ricoh, the Japanese partner, had no grand ideas, just needed to cover their weaknesses. There was no need to fight over the company's control.

The three parties had already signed a preliminary agreement. The rest was the work of the lower-tier staff. At this point, the main framework was established.

...

William White only aimed for maximum profits. All research focused on squeezing the potential of the 6800. For the next phase, he turned his attention to low power consumption.

The future of the PC realm belonged to Intel. Motorola might have had a chance, but it was too late now. Even if Apple used the 6800, the biggest winner would still be IBM.

Motorola agreed to cooperate, primarily due to this consideration. Although the Project Chess was secretive, IT magnates had ways to know. At least in the CPU competition, the 8080 had already won.

Big Blue was wary of this combination. They were unsure if White Software would enter the PC field.

This wasn't like Apple. Their production control was quite good. If they teamed up with the Japanese, it wouldn't be a situation Big Blue hoped to see.

Intel was more troubled. They knew well enough that their 8080 was inferior to the 6800.

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