[Chapter 631: The Bastards Who Robbed the Future]
William White wasn't concerned about what others thought; his main focus was on accelerating the progress of the internet. While those tech giants were still confused, there were plenty of opportunities to seize.
The newly upgraded Netscape browser introduced a search function. While it was still pretty basic and didn't feature any kind of smart matching, it still sent shockwaves through the IT industry.
It's hard to asure just how useful search engines are for the internet. At least the advertising potential was crystal clear. Forget about everyone else; even Tim Berners-Lee, who invented this technology, was at a loss.
The change was completely unexpected for him. He had clearly beco an overnight sensation, swimming in a sea of praise.
The folks over in Fleet Street were shocked to discover they weren't in a high-tech desert after all. A tech genius was practically living in their midst, and they'd had no idea.
Even though those guys had no principles, they weren't about to miss out on sothing that could boost their visibility.
Consequently, British dia began to sing the praises of the internet, and the digital wave started spreading deep into Europe.
Major corporations and organizations quickly responded. The sentint was clear: if your company didn't have a website, you basically belonged in the stone age.
IBM and HP soon realized that their servers were in high demand and that this demand was only increasing. After all the benefits they were reaping, how could they not jump on the bandwagon?
The internet's motto was simple: "Embrace the world without leaving your ho." This motto wasn't coined by Tim Berners-Lee, who was still in a state of confusion.
Later analysis dubbed 1991 as the birth year of the internet, and identified Tim Berners-Lee as its father. So supported this claim, while others opposed it. At least William White was supportive; he believed Berners-Lee's contributions to the world far surpassed those of Edison.
When soone ntioned Edison, the wealthy gentleman responded quite indignantly. Edison was rely a successful businessman whose contributions were negative -- just a thief who stole others' inventions.
This statent ignited a fierce reaction. General Motors fud, as Edison was essentially their ancestral figure.
William White wasn't backing down; he threw a heap of data and evidence their way, leaving them speechless. General Motors was fully aware that denigrating Edison while elevating Tesla was a tactic to promote his Tesla cars. But let's set that aside for now.
Overnight, it seed like all high-tech companies were getting in on the internet ga. If your company didn't have a webpage, you'd be embarrassed to even greet people.
Without a search engine, you really didn't know what to do online. All you could do was argue on forums, or if you were lucky, catch so news -- that was about it.
But once that tool was introduced, everything changed. As the number of websites increased, a vast array of information flooded in. Finding what you needed imdiately required that tool's assistance.
...
"What do you think about the internet, Andy?"
"It's an excellent invention, no doubt about it. The potential for developnt is far greater than with the old BBS systems. Just look at those computer manufacturers; they've gone wild."
The explosion of computer users made Intel happy, but they felt a sense of crisis too. With William White so agile, his company's valuation was bound to shoot up after this latest surge.
IT giants had different takes, but Wall Street offered a different perspective. They saw a new and distinct industry erging.
Sites like NBC Online, often labeled "portal websites," were far more valuable than standard corporate websites. Unlike company webpages, these had news, free email, and links to other sites. Most importantly, they had their own profitable models.
Whether through paid email services or ad placents, there was profit to be made. The best part? As user numbers swelled, so did the potential profits.
They weren't the only ones noticing the trend; the sudden surge in stock prices was telling enough.
Watching the stocks soar, a group of big players couldn't help but complain.
Man, that kid is out of luck for just a couple of days, and now he's back on top! Seriously, we're still stuck in the mud! This is infuriating. How did sothing so trivial get ahead of the tis?
...
"Sir, you might want to consider a stock allocation plan. The circulation of shares in the market is really low now."
"The original plan was for next year, but at this rate, new shares will need to be issued. Filson, do you think it's better to have strategic investors purchase stock, or to trade directly on the market?"
"Half and half might be best; you'll need to give at least 15% of the shares."
"Right now, the stock price reflects the company's situation. Let's go with whoever offers the best underwriting conditions."
Losing absolute control didn't bother William White too much. Even after this sell-off, he and his family fund still held 35% of the shares -- a significant amount. At the right ti, he would still need to scale back. Holding less than 20% would better suit everyone's interests.
"By the way, Filson, what's going on with IBM these days? Haven't heard much about them lately."
"They've been slow to respond, even regarding our sound cards and graphic accelerators."
"Is it Pride and Prejudice? If they keep this up, they'll go down."
"Yes, sir, the three major rating agencies have all issued negative evaluations. They're not doing so well."
...
"Is it confird?"
"Yes, sir, the Netscape company is indeed under the na of William White's daughter."
Bill Gates was flabbergasted. If it's that little girl, didn't she just graduate from diapers?
"It's the younger one?"
"Yeah, there are rumors that Mr. White has rearranged his will. However, the specifics are unclear, as they all involve various so-called trust companies, and we can't find any records."
"This Netscape company ca to our attention because that trust company was nad after his daughter."
"Tsk, Athena, Hebe, does this guy think he's Zeus?"
Bill wanted to vent, but his subordinates didn't dare. If there was ever a sore spot for William White, it was his kids. Normally, he might laugh things off, but if you ssed with his family, well... you'd end up worse than a pig.
"What about the patents? Usually, he sets up many obstacles." Although he knew the answer, Bill Gates still felt he should ask.
"Sir, the patent system is overly complex, and it's very hard for us to maneuver around it."
*****
spatreon/Sayonara816.
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