Rebirth of America, this is my time

On April 18th, Tokyo time, Komodo and Casio held a new product launch conference in Neon Tokyo. They introduced their new product-VIC 1980 to the local people.

This is a personal computer equipped with a Jade Bird eight-bit microprocessor, with 5KB RAM and 20KB ROM, and also has a built-in BASIC 2.0 operating system jointly developed by both parties.

When the president of Komodo showed this parameter at the press conference, all the invited attendees were shocked! Because the configuration of this machine is higher than that of the Apple II!

And what kind of machine is the Apple II?

That is the best personal computer in the global market right now, bar none!

It can make hundreds of millions in the North American market a year!

The net profit can exceed 100 million!

When this exaggerated money-making speed and exaggerated profit ratio appear in front of the world, as long as you are a qualified capitalist, you will be greedy. But now, Komodo and Casio have actually launched a product that is even more luxurious than the Apple II. computer? And it’s still debuting in Neon? this……

Is it a declaration of war?

Bridge beans sack!

This special code is really big news!

While the nosy reporters opened their gossipy eyes and were eager to know too much, the president of Komodo on the stage also fulfilled everyone's wishes and made a close comparison between VIC 1980 and Apple II.

Immediately afterwards, VIC 1980 surpassed the Apple II in multiple dimensions such as hardware, performance, appearance, and feel. In the words of President Komodo -

VIC 1980 is definitely the new generation of machine king!

After introducing the product, the president of Komodo also told the story of the development of VIC 1980.

Although the Apple II has created new history and changed people's lifestyles, the Apple II is not suitable for everyone in the world. Because if you want to use it, you must first learn English, because even though its price is In North America, that can be considered expensive.”

So, over the past few years, Apple has only been able to sell their products in a limited area.

“But everyone knows that technological progress and convenience of life are benefits that all mankind should enjoy. Therefore, when Casio, our old friend of Komodo and a staunch business ally, came to us and said that they also wanted to When developing a product like the Apple II, we had similar ideas, and we hit it off as we wanted to develop a mass product.

“Then we worked together to bring VIC 1980 to the world.”

This machine has been interoperable with Toshiba's Japanese word processor, allowing Neon people to output Japanese smoothly. At the same time, this machine will also be equipped with an external disk in the future, because we are also cooperating with other companies. Create spreadsheets with neon accents.”

It is precisely because this product is full of feelings and dreams that we priced it at a very popular price. 68,888 yen is its final selling price!

Because we want to share the joy of technological progress with everyone in the world!

Because we want to share a better tomorrow with everyone in the world!

And its sale day—

On May 1 this year!

When the price of 68,888 yen appeared...

Regardless of whether it was neon or North America, there was an uproar!

Because no one thought that Komodo's machines could be so cheap!

With even higher configurations than the Apple II, the price is only a quarter of the Apple II?

Oh! My! God!

This special code simply eliminates all the middlemen and makes no difference in price!

Moreover, judging from the current situation, there is no longer any gap between them and Apple!

If Apple has it, they will have it!

What Apple doesn't have, they...

Well……

All right……

Indeed they didn't.

But that’s not important, right?

Because for the general public, the lower price of the same type is always an advantage!

Therefore, when the North American media learned that the company Komodo had released a shocking thunder in Neon, they rushed to Komodo's headquarters with long guns and short cannons held high.

Surround them, trying to grab the latest headlines.

However, before they could obtain interview permission, Rockwell also held a press conference. It was also April 18th, but it was Eastern Time. Rockwell was in New York, introducing his new product, the personal computer, Rockwell 1980, to the media reporters present.

The configuration of this machine is almost the same as the VIC 1980 officially announced by Komodo fourteen hours ago. The only difference is the central microprocessor. Komodo uses the Blue Bird and Rockwell uses the 6502. .

In addition, Rockwell, like Komodo, promised at the new product launch that it would launch two products, external disks and spreadsheets, within a year.

When all this news came out, the reporters at the scene immediately frowned.

Because no one thought that Rockwell would also come up with a product similar to the Apple II.

What shocked them even more was Rockwell’s pricing for the 1980 machine——

To be honest, we have always felt that the machines sold by our friends next door are too expensive.

More than a thousand dollars?

You can buy a new car then.

Since the personal computer is a production tool that promotes human development and changes human lifestyles, it should be as universal as a tool.

So, we priced the Rockwell 1980 at $379.

Available on May 1st.

We acknowledge that we cannot profit from this price, but...

To make friends.

As long as everyone is friends with us at Rockwell, then we can let the world know how evil our business partners are, and whether they are angels who change the world, or devils who are crazy about profit!

Such words made the reporters at the scene put aside their shock and showed excitement!

Because they like this kind of naked declaration of war!

After the new product launch conference, countless news spread across the North American continent through electricity. That night, the three major North American radio and television networks had already announced it all——

Today is a great day because Rockwell 1980 is born!

This product will bring huge changes to the lives of North American people, because they have the same capabilities as the Apple II while also having an extremely low price!

The price of three hundred and seventy-nine dollars will make personal computers truly popular!

Rockwell did something great enough to go down in history!

If these were the only reports related to it, it would be considered normal commercial flattery.

But when Colombia stepped forward, everything changed.

Because they said——

Apple Computer would suffer heavy losses from the launch of the Rockwell 1980.

When the functions of the Rockwell 1980 are exactly the same as those of the Apple II, people who want to embrace change but cannot afford the high cost will actively embrace high-quality and low-priced products.

According to expert estimates, Apple Computer's operating income may fall sharply this year.

Their profits may also be cut in half.

This situation may have a huge impact on Apple's major investors.

After CBS took the lead and openly spread negative news related to Apple, other media no longer concealed it and expressed their views on the matter one after another.

For a time, a series of aggressive headlines such as ‘Apple is doomed’ and ‘Technology upstarts will eventually lose to old-school giants’ appeared on the front pages of major newspapers.

To be honest, no matter who it is, they will get angry when faced with words that badmouth themselves.

But when Ethan got the newspaper, the expression on his face was as expected.

He had already guessed before that the purpose of Rockwell and Commodore's switch to neon was to obtain cheap materials. Now, everything they did was nothing more than confirming his guess.

What really surprised him was the timing of these people's announcements.

Sega's Godzilla just made some waves in North America, and Rockwell and Commodore immediately released their own new products? No matter how you look at it, it feels like a cooperative effort!

But the question is, didn't Warner, Philips and Disney have a fight over the agency rights of Godzilla before? They were obviously fighting! How come they made peace as soon as they turned around?

Ethan couldn't figure it out.

Is it possible...

Sega is also on the same team as them?

But if that's the case...

Then this thing is even more outrageous than being good friends despite being divorced!

And while he was puzzled, the phone on his desk rang.

I picked it up and saw it was a call from classmate Xiao Qiao.

Steve Jobs didn't move forward and said: Ethan, have you watched the news?

I saw it. Ethan said: Comodore and Rockwell both released their own new products. I have already learned about this matter, what? Are you nervous?

If you're nervous, come up and get me the GUI.

In Ethan's opinion, ninety-nine times Steve Jobs's call this time was for the products of his peers. According to past habits, this guy must have sensed the crisis and hoped that Ethan could help him tide over the difficulties. , hurry up and get the chip from Bill Gates.

But this kind of thing...

Ethan hasn’t found a chance to tell him yet!

When Ethan himself didn’t know how to convince classmate Xiao Qiao and told him that open source and closed source must exist at the same time, facing the possible request, he decided to act first and directly think of Steve Jobs. The words he wanted to say were stuffed back into his stomach.

His rhetorical question indeed made the guy on the other end of the phone silent for a moment, but soon Steve Jobs said again: Oh - I have no sense of crisis!

Compared to the graphical user interface, the command line interface is garbage!

? This answer made Ethan a little strange, Then you called me?

Oh, I just want you to pay attention to your surroundings.

Jobs said: I have been paying attention to recent things. It is such a coincidence that they appeared. It seems like someone has designed it.

So, I personally feel that your enemy may be carrying out a special attack on you.

And attacking Apple is just one way to attack you.

This matter has something to do with Apple itself, but it shouldn't have much to do with it.

‘Yo ho! ’ Jobs’ words made Ethan laugh.

He didn't expect this guy to have grown a lot now! It turned out that the real purpose of these people was not to sell products at all, but to kill him, Ethan Jones!

Oh - Steve - Ethan said with emotion: Thank you, I will.

At the same time, he comforted: Don't worry, because I'm used to it.

Get used to it? Jobs didn't respond.

Yes. Ethan nodded: I'm used to it. I'm used to being besieged.

... This answer caused the other end of the phone to fall into silence again.

After a long while, Jobs finally said: Ethan...

If you need my help, you can tell me directly.

Okay, Okay, Okay... Ethan said with a smile: Don't worry Steve, I'm not the kind of person to be timid. If I really need your help, I will definitely tell you...

Ethan didn't lie, he never treated Xiao Qiao as an outsider from the beginning to the end.

Ever since those capital bosses began to encircle and suppress him, he has been using Apple as a powerful counterattack weapon, but Jobs himself may not be aware of it.

As for today's matter...

The best way to fight back is to pull the graphical user interface out of your pants.

Kick other competitors directly into the dust of history.

And when the patent for the graphical user interface was firmly under his control...

If these people want to make a scene, let them make a scene.

There isn't much time left for them anyway.

After chatting briefly for a while, the two parties were ready to hang up the phone.

Before saying goodbye, Ethan remembered one more thing.

Oh, by the way, Steve, please do one thing for me.

What?

Don't respond.

Huh? Oh - I understand...

The reason Ethan asked Steve Jobs not to respond was simply because he wanted to see how the market would react after a cheap computer came on the market.

Will people vote with their feet and embrace mass products that suit them?

Or will you still follow suit and continue to buy Apple computers?

And the answer to this matter...

It soon surfaced.

With the arrival of May 1st, Rockwell 1980 also appeared in the electrical appliance stores in major cities. When brand-new machines appeared on the new shelves, the appearance that was highly similar to Apple but not the same suddenly became apparent. It aroused many inquiries from good people.

Hello, I would like to know when the Rockwell 1980 external disk will be available?

I'm sorry, we don't know about this matter. Please pay attention to the news.

Then can you introduce to me the detailed parameters of the Rockwell 1980 machine?

This is no problem. This is the printer port, this is the fax machine port, this is the display port, this is the application port...and it also has five built-in slots, which can insert 4KB ROM/EPROM chips. Use It’s very convenient to get up…”

Then his language is...

BASIC.

The continuous answers made the guy who came to ask nod his head.

After understanding all the parameter settings of the machine, he asked: Hello, I would like to know, what can the Rockwell 1980 computer allow us to do now?

Perhaps because they received professional training before taking up the job, the sales staff answered quickly.

What the Apple II can do, our Rockwell 1980 can do.

Really? The inquiring brother was a little disbelieving.

Of course. The salesperson nodded repeatedly.

However, before he could list the functions of this machine, the inquiring brother had already raised his fingers and asked, I want to know, can this machine play games?

Uh... This question stunned the salesperson.

The little brother continued to ask: I want to know, is there an instruction manual for this machine?

Is it the programming kind?

Uh... The salesperson doesn't know this question either.

The little brother rolled his eyes and asked again: I also want to know, is this machine equipped with other external devices? It seemed that the other party couldn't answer this question, so the little brother reminded again: It's similar For external devices like the Apple controller.”

... The salesperson was silent.

This fact made the inquiring guy sigh, shake his head and leave.

As he left, everyone around him looked regretful and scattered.

The bustling exhibition stand suddenly became deserted.

Similar things happened elsewhere on the North American continent.

The reason for this situation is also very simple.

Anyone who lives in the 21st century will know that ecology is the basis for the continuous change of hardware products. If you only sell machines without doing ecology, then reality will give you a big blow.

No one will care!

And sell the machines first and then build the ecosystem?

Isn’t that just a bunch of mobile phone manufacturers in the Android camp?

The truth is the same!

Even if you can't start an ecology at the beginning, you still have to get involved in other people's ecology first.

Otherwise, what should users who have no software available pay for it?

But unfortunately, at this point in time, no company can compare with Apple's ecology.

Therefore, it is normal for Rockwell to be popular but not popular in North America.

But on the Komodor side, the situation has changed.

In just one week since Neon was launched, they have already sold 10,000 units.

The income of three million in seven days made them overjoyed, but for Ethan...

These are small things.

Neon in the field of personal computers is a market that he cannot touch for the time being. In this case, how Komodo makes trouble has nothing to do with him.

What's more, Microsoft has IBM, right?

As long as Bill Gates can use my power to get IBM to use his spreadsheet...

That neon sign can't jump.

While every federal agency up and down the country is using their format, what other foreign product?

Do you still want to sell?

Kidnapping the office market of other countries at the federal level is the simplest promotion in the world!

Because when the formats are not unified, the federation will take the initiative to protect local companies. When computer companies in other countries cannot even protect their own ecological environment...

Relying on others to sell goods, that is the future!

But when there was no threat in Komodor and Rockwell looked stupid, Ethan immediately felt that the pressure on himself was much less. He called Steve Ballmer and asked Godzilla sales, when he learned that Ron Miller had burned the monster fire to the center, he asked Steve Ballmer to book a charter flight to Washington.

At this moment, he wants to crush Disney's head with his own hands.

Oh, no, it’s to curb Disney’s explosive momentum. (End of chapter)