Rebirth of the Tech Madman

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On this day, Mike Markkula, chairman of the board of directors of Apple Computer, came to Zheru's office and met with Tang Huan.

In fact, the relationship between the two parties is not as distant as Apple Computer and Fangyuan PC. Perhaps it is more appropriate to describe it as hard to describe.

In April 1979, Tang Huan launched the world's first spreadsheet software, making the Apple-II the first personal computer with a wide range of practical uses in the business field, and then the sales of the Apple-II skyrocketed, and Apple Computer's IPO prospect was bright.

It is also because of this that Tang Huan, a fledgling Chinese college student, quickly formed a strategic relationship of cooperation and win-win with Apple Computer.

Next, on the basis of the apple-ii hardware platform, Tang Huan non-stop developed hardware products such as display function enhancement expansion card and printing function enhancement expansion card, perfecting the hardware platform characteristics of apple-ii, making the new version of Spreadsheet software, followed by word processing software and microcomputer database management systems, were able to provide richer functions for business applications.

Tang Huan built the ecosystem centered on the apple-ii, and the price of a complete set of products even surpassed the price of the apple-ii at that time - 1,200 US dollars, which made Apple Computer jealous and fearful. As a result, the relationship between the two parties was further improved-the fully-fledged Apple Computer Company and the fledgling Zheru Company held shares in each other. Tang Huan entered the board of Apple Computer Company and enjoyed the founder-level treatment, that is, he and Steve Jobs , Steve Wozniak, and Mike Markkula, together, with the help of Apple Computer's IPO, they became among the billionaires.

There is no doubt that there was a honeymoon period between Tang Huan and Apple Computer, and the rift in their relationship began with differences in everyone's views on the development of personal computers.

After Tang Huan successfully verified his 8-bit personal computer, the first-generation Fangyuan personal computer, in markets outside the United States, he launched a new generation model in the American market—the second-generation 16-bit Fangyuan personal computer.

Apple Computer Company suffered a disastrous failure on Apple-II's successor, Apple-III, so in order to extend the product life cycle of Apple-II, Steve Jobs and Mike Markkula made a concerted effort to use it in the hands of Apple Computer Company. Zheru shares, eating the apple-ii ecosystem in Tang Huan's hands.

The move had drawn short-sighted criticism within Apple Computer, but Steve Jobs and Mike Markkula helped seal the deal.

After Tang Huan sold all the shares of Apple Computer in order to avoid conflicts of interest, there was no relationship between him and Apple Computer.

However, the three founders of Apple Computer—Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Mike Markkula—still own shares in Zheru and maintain a close personal relationship with Tang Huan .

After that, Tang Huan rose step by step, becoming Tang's richest man, Tang it, and Apple Computer went up and down to today.

This is the deep relationship between Mr. Richest Man and Apple Computer, which the media is fond of talking about. Although there are inevitably intrigues in it, they get together and part ways without breaking each other, which has become a rare story in Silicon Valley.

Among the many unofficially authorized biographies of Tang Huan in recent years, there is a common point of agreement, that is, Tang Huan's early entrepreneurial success and rocket-like becoming a billionaire all benefited a lot from Apple Computer. shallow.

On the other hand, Apple Computer, which once had troubles with Microsoft and Gates because of the graphical user interface, did not have any embarrassing disputes with Tang Huan even during the moody and unpredictable period when Jobs was in power. Dirty.

Now that Apple Computer is really in trouble, it seems that it does have the capital to eat its money,

Get help from Mr. Richest Man.

What is even less known to the outside world is that there are similar voices among the top executives of Apple Computer. Apple's board of directors' use of the long-term personal friendship between its chairman, Mike Markkula, and Tang Huan is the best example. proof.

The chairman of the board of directors of a commercial company, according to the actual situation of each enterprise, can be divided into two types - the virtual head of state, or the real power.

The former is only an honorary position, just like the royal family or spiritual leader under the constitutional monarchy. It has an extremely honorable status, but it is not very important, and never speaks weighty words. It is mainly to maintain the situation through his own morality and prestige when the equity is particularly dispersed, and the relationship between major shareholders and executives is very complicated. , without any real power.

The latter is monopolizing the power, either through the majority of the shares he holds, or relying on the network resources of the business, or relying on the accumulated entrepreneurial prestige, he has the real power of life and death of the company. The board of directors is just its puppet. The president and the general manager must be responsible to him in real terms, not just in name.

There is no doubt that Tang Huan is one of the few powerful chairman of the board of directors in the world, and Mike Markkula, a good old man who pays attention to the quality of leisurely family life, is a nominal representative launched by the shareholders of Apple Computer.

Mike Markkula and Tang Huan had no quarrel, so after chatting a few words, they turned to the main topic: I was entrusted by the board of directors of Apple Computer Company to formally ask whether Tang Huan is still interested in Apple Computer Company. Empathetic and willing to lend a helping hand?

Play the emotional card as soon as you come up! After this thought flashed in his mind, Mr. the richest man smiled gently: It's not like you don't know, I am a very nostalgic person-but this help is based on the specific content. Say, at what level?

Mike Markkula, who secretly breathed a sigh of relief, said frankly: Apple Computer is willing to accept Don's acquisition.

Tang Huan picked up the teacup, took a sip, and was speechless for a while, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

Seeing this situation, Mike Markkula tentatively said: Of course I know that after Don has the Fangyuan personal computer created by himself and has become the mainstream standard in the industry, he will not look down on other personal computers. But Apple The computer still has a very good value, for example, as a friendly supplement to Fangyuan PC in the market - as long as this situation can be maintained, then Fangyuan PC will not be ganged up by peers like Zheru software Attack them together.

Tang Huan laughed and said, Since you've said that, how can I buy Apple Computer?

Mike Markkula laughed awkwardly: But you won't deny the value and significance of Apple Computer.

Tang Huan pondered and asked back: I think Apple Computer must have never given up on saving itself?

Indeed. Mike Markkula nodded, Launching a new product that is attractive enough to users has almost become the only option for self-help, but time is running out. Such a vital life-saving However, the project has stagnated at the level of the operating system—the supporting operating system has continuously introduced new features during the development process, and as a result, the internal test version is extremely unstable, to the point where it cannot be given up.”

Seeing that Tang Huan was holding a teacup and waiting for him to speak, Mike Markkula had no choice but to continue to expose his family ugliness and explained in detail: In order to catch up with the progress of the project, CEO Jill Amelio tried to introduce an ideal from outside Apple Computer. operating system.

For example, Jean-Louis Garcy, the former product development director of Apple Computer, led some Apple Computer employees who followed him, and founded the be company in 1991, which developed a brand new operating system called beos.

Mike Markkula showed a look of resentment on his face, But the problem is that this guy, Jiaxi, is very familiar with the situation of Apple Computer, and he thinks that this is the golden opportunity for Apple Computer at this stage. The Lion asked for 400 million US dollars, and Apple Computer’s assessment of Be’s total value will not exceed 80 million US dollars, so the counter-offer is 120 million US dollars-but Garcia still refuses to give in, and everyone is still deadlocked.”

Apple Computer won't really have nowhere to hang on the tree of beos, right? Tang Huan joked, Just like Michael Spindler, the former CEO of Apple Computer, once tried to push Apple Is it the merger and acquisition of computer companies with ibm, sun, and philips?

Mike Markkula hesitated imperceptibly, and then replied: You're right - there is another contact person, which is the operating system of the next company created by Steve - nextstep.

Tang Huan asked playfully, And then?

Mike Markkula sighed, I admit that when Steve left Apple Computer Company, everyone had a very unpleasant quarrel—for so many years, he and I, who used to be like father and son, were in Silicon Valley, But never met face to face.

At Apple Computer, John Sculley, who used to be in direct conflict, and Jean-Louis Gacy, who was secretly informing, have all left, leaving only me who refused to support him at the beginning.

But to be honest, I don't have any resistance to Apple's possible cooperation with Steve's next company.

The real problem is that the board members of Apple Computer are skeptical of Steve. After all, he was too immature at the beginning-maybe, it is much better now, but the performance of next company since its establishment is not to say. How great it is.

Tang Huan was noncommittal about these entanglements, but pointed to the core of the problem: What about the quality of Nextstep, the next company's operating system, and the conditions offered by Steve?

Steve's conditions are indeed more reasonable than Garcia's, and the quality of nextstep is also good. Mike Markkula replied realistically: But the board of directors feels that nextstep, the operating system of next company, uses a lot of technology from philosophers and scholars. ——In this case, why don't we go further and get a better operating system solution directly from Zheru?

Extending from this, why doesn't Apple Computer seek cooperation beyond Jobs, who still has a knot in his heart, and Tang, who has a deeper relationship?

The reason why the previous CEO Michael Spindler was dismissed and was replaced by Jill Amelio, in addition to the unsatisfactory business performance of the company, he also advocated Apple Computer and IBM, Sun , Philips' merger and acquisition, really let the board of directors down.

Tang Huan personally refilled Mike Markkula's teacup, and reminded him earnestly: Old friend, have you ever thought that when Apple Computer asks me for help, there will inevitably be changes in the power structure, and your The position of chairman of the board of directors may also be lost.”

Mike Markkula expressed his heartfelt attitude: Don, I have always agreed with you, and I believe you must understand me-as for me, I really don't have any ambitions now. In my life, I made three of the most correct investments by chance. , successively got the stocks of Intel, Apple, and Zheru, and earned enough wealth to enjoy life, I am content! As for the chairman of the board of Apple Computer, it is just that everyone thinks that I am suitable for this idle position.”

Tang Huan nodded, waved his hand and said: Although everyone is in Cupertino, it can be said that we are close at hand, but I really don't know the specific situation inside Apple Computer Company - if conditions permit, you can arrange for me Shall we take a tour?

Mike Markkula, who couldn't hide his joy on his face, cheered up and said, I'm so happy! I'm so honored!

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Just when people were happily enjoying the benefits brought by the large-scale price cuts and promotions of PCs, the media broke out an unusually heavy news-Apple Computer Company, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, had just welcomed Tang's richest man to visit.

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Could it be that the rumors of Tang IT's acquisition of Apple Computer are not just empty rumors?

It seems that in the field of personal computers, there will be another brand with Tang's seal.

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Amidst the discussions, the spokesperson of Tang Huan's office officially announced a piece of news--Tang purchased 200 million US dollars of non-voting shares in Apple Computer in his own name.

Seeing this situation, industry observers were suddenly confused—not to mention buying Apple Computer, it seems that they didn't even control Apple Computer. Could it be that Tang's richest man really threw out 200 million yuan to Apple in nostalgia? Computer company help?

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No one knew what Tang Huan was thinking.

In fact, it’s easy to say—in Mr. Richest Man’s place, the sudden emergence of Google and the reborn Apple after a few years of time and space... Wait, there is really no need to appear again, but the current Apple Computer Company, It is a good spare tire to disperse risks, and these actions on the surface are just to deceive people.