Chapter 432: Windows 3.0

[Chapter 517: The Multimedia Era]

William White's recent moves were so bold that even Bush Sr. couldn't ignore them. It was obvious that this guy had completed his overseas expansion, indicating a plan to return to the mainstream.

"Weren't you all saying he was unwilling to invest in the U.S.?"

"Ha ha, just keep your eyes peeled. One project after another is coming in. Don't even get me started on the so-called elite on Wall Street; they look just as puzzled."

Dynamic RAM, LCD screens, lithium batteries, technology incubation park...

"Weren't you saying this guy didn't have any businesses in the U.S.?"

"If that isn't enough, what about the oil industry? That's a classic traditional sector, right?"

Nobody seemed to care about how much money this guy really had. Whether he would have successors is uncertain, but this achievement was certainly unprecedented.

...

"Tom, did Bill Gates bring this in?"

"Yes, sir. They're officially launching the 3.0 system tomorrow."

"Have we tested it? Any issues?"

"Our software integrates without a hitch, but their system has its usual plethora of bugs."

"Hmm, get a computer set up with the system so I can take a look."

"Sure thing, sir."

Watching the guy swap floppy disks one after another left William White utterly speechless.

"Tom, haven't they thought about replacing this with CD-ROMs?"

"Sir, CD-ROM prices are still sky-high, and they're not market-ready yet."

"Right, right. By the way, have you looked into that sound card for computers?"

"We've checked out Creative's stuff. They definitely have lower costs, but the sound quality is in a whole different league."

"Okay, Tom, you need to go in person. First, a full acquisition would be ideal. Regardless of success or failure, let's get all our sound cards OEM. Keep these things on Taiwan, along with those graphic accelerator cards."

"Got it, sir. What's the plan here?"

"After all these years, our tech needs to make a splash. We need to tone down our specs and face the clone manufacturers."

"Tom, CD-ROMs aren't just some laughable cup coasters anymore. Also, does the 3.0 system have a CD player?"

"No, I've checked it out. It's pretty much the same as their beta version; no significant improvements."

"Tsk, that's just great. Let's consider my player software a bonus and just include it with the office suite for free -- it'll be a freebie with every purchase."

"Sure thing, sir."

Tom left, and when the boss said something, it meant he'd be busy for at least a week. The biggest headache was that the office suite had already shipped. If he didn't move fast, it might cause delays.

What he couldn't fathom was why that player software wasn't being sold. Even charging $9.99 would be something.

Of course, Tom didn't realize that personal PCs were on the brink of a rapid growth era.

Besides, him writing a software was merely a side gig. He knew full well that with Windows 3.1 around the corner, that player would be a standard feature. What he was doing now was mostly just a thorn in Bill Gates' side.

If this guy kept yapping, William White wouldn't hesitate to cut ties with him.

An operating system was an operating system -- it wasn't open for just anyone to add their own content. Without a competitor, it might have fizzled out eventually. But with William White getting a leg up, Bill Gates had to tread carefully.

Of course, the best method was to bring him on board, if he could afford the price. William White would certainly choose to cooperate.

William White could criticize the 3.0 system all he wanted, but the IT industry didn't share his sentiments. In fact, compared to its predecessors, the 3.0 system had essential differences.

Microsoft released its latest operating system, and surprisingly, the biggest beneficiary wasn't IBM.

It was somewhat amusing -- the giant setting the industry rules had fallen behind in the 386 project and continued to lag in the 486 era.

Even if your performance was stable, your prices were still high. And let's be honest, the term "stability" can mean many things. What good is a stable IBM PC if the operating system is poor? No matter how well your hardware runs, it wouldn't make a difference.

Now, for the Big Blue to talk about regrets was nonsense. If you didn't want to team up with a decent company against Microsoft, you had to.

There are no forever friends or forever enemies -- only perpetual interests. Though this phrase had been overused, it fit the current IT market perfectly.

The relationship between IBM and Microsoft started to sour; that was no secret in the industry. With the launch of Windows 3.0, that opposition reached its peak.

Instead of calling it ungratefulness, it was more about jealousy or sheer irritation. Although they had escaped antitrust troubles, IBM was beginning its decline. And let's not even bring up monopoly talks -- if things continued to worsen, even the giant couldn't hold up.

Of course, such a golden opportunity meant NBC had to get in on the action.

"Look at you all stirring the pot. At this rate, the Big Blue might be in hot water. And guess what? The traitor is right in the front rows."

Everyone knew NBC's promotion wasn't on IBM's side. The logic was simple; the White system hadn't had the best relations with IBM either.

So the question became clear: they were just making a point to the Justice Department. Look how stagnant such an internationally competitive company has become; this lack of ambition is the result of your pressures.

Of course, NBC's actions wouldn't earn them any goodwill. Although they seemed to be defending IBM, everyone knew their real motive was worrying about the Justice Department launching another antitrust investigation.

There was also the Justice Department's plight, which didn't need reiteration. You only saw IBM in a tough spot without considering that Compaq had risen. If it weren't for the antitrust issues, there likely wouldn't be any Compaq or Microsoft around.

*****

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