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Chapter 308 Internal Divisions at Microsoft

Does Bill Gates really not understand the enormous risks hidden behind this move?

Didn't he consider how much of a crisis this decision would drag Microsoft into?

The answer is obviously no.

This tech giant is perfectly aware of the situation, but he has his own ideas and plans.

In the Seattle afternoon, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Microsoft headquarters into the conference room.

But at this moment, the atmosphere here was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe. All the senior executives of the group were present, and the expressions on everyone's faces were like those of someone who had just swallowed a mouthful of unsweetened black coffee, their brows furrowed in bitterness.

Looking across the entire conference room, the number of people who supported his decision could be counted on one hand, not even counting the thumb.

Malcolm, the vice president in charge of legal affairs, paced back and forth in front of the projector with a look of anxiety on his face. A few strands of his usually meticulously combed hair stood up stubbornly, as if he too was worried about the company's situation.

Holding a laser pointer, I randomly pointed it at the dense legal texts and antitrust case analyses on the screen. The laser dot jumped around on the screen as if I were playing some kind of dodging game.

He took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly. "Bill, we're already in the throes of an antitrust investigation. If we bundle MSN with other products, it's like jumping into a fire and throwing gasoline into it on the side!"

He swallowed hard and continued, "Those people in the Department of Justice are watching us like hawks, hoping we'll slip up. With Google and those other companies filing a joint appeal, they'll definitely seize this opportunity like hungry wolves pouncing on their prey."

"At that time, the legal risks we will face are simply immeasurable. The company might even have to be broken up, and then we will really become a laughing stock in the tech industry."

At this point, Malcolm's hands began to tremble slightly. He quickly adjusted his glasses, trying to hide his nervousness. "My suggestion is to stop this immediately, and then quickly issue a statement denying it, putting all the blame on those computer manufacturers, saying that it was their unilateral decision and had nothing to do with Microsoft."

Just three days after the MSN bundled sales, news came from the Department of Justice that they had officially intervened and said they would launch an in-depth investigation into Microsoft, as if they wanted to dig up all of Microsoft's secrets.

It's important to know that the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust investigation into Microsoft didn't just start recently. Back when Microsoft and Netscape were fighting a browser war, Netscape sued Microsoft, accusing it of using its monopoly position in the operating system market to engage in unfair competition and stifle innovation in the industry.

Then came the Oracle lawsuit, and coupled with the various plagiarism incidents in earlier years, Microsoft had long been a target of public criticism, and many competitors had been harboring resentment towards it.

Although Microsoft has temporarily withstood some pressure in previous clashes thanks to its strong legal team and a variety of complex and confusing legal strategies, the overall situation remains tense, like a fully drawn bowstring. Microsoft is constantly at the forefront of public opinion and legal battles, and the slightest disturbance could trigger a huge uproar.

This time, however, Microsoft is facing a much stronger opponent than before, and it's not the same situation of fighting alone as before.

Putting everything else aside, IBM alone is enough to give Microsoft a run for its money, and now Google has been added to the mix.

Google's growth rate is astonishing, and it is widely regarded as the most likely candidate to dethrone Microsoft from its industry dominance.

The shareholders on Wall Street are all as shrewd as monkeys. At this moment, they certainly won't stand by and watch Google's growth momentum be interrupted. They will definitely stand on Google's side, because in their eyes, profit is the most important thing.

So even Microsoft's once invincible legal team had to bow its head and persuade Bill Gates with kind words to abandon this willful act.

Not only the legal department, but also the head of the marketing department, Tariq, couldn't sit still. "From the perspective of market competition, although this kind of bundled sales can make MSN's user base surge in the short term, it will undoubtedly stir up a hornet's nest and cause stronger resistance from other competitors."

Tariq leaned forward slightly, looking at everyone present with a heavy expression. "We've already offended a lot of people because of various issues. If we do this now, we'll anger Google too, and our reputation in the industry will be completely ruined. Then, even more people will come to sue us for monopoly."

"Moreover, consumers aren't stupid. They will definitely be extremely disgusted by this kind of forced bundling, which would be a disaster for our brand image."

Immediately afterwards, the head of the human resources department stepped forward, looking somewhat tired, and said, "Right now, all the employees in the company are almost crushed by the pressure."

"Many people have begun to doubt whether the company's decision was right or wrong. The atmosphere inside the company is so oppressive that it's hard to breathe. Some employees are even secretly discussing that Microsoft will go downhill because of this decision, and eventually end up being forcibly demolished and declining."

A silence fell over the meeting room, and everyone's face was filled with worry.

In the entire conference room, more than half of the people were urging Bill Gates to abandon the bundled sale of MSN, and even those who didn't speak up didn't stand up to support him.

Everyone looked at Bill Gates with expectant eyes, hoping he would change his mind.

However, Bill Gates seemed oblivious to everyone's expressions, sitting quietly at the head of the conference table with his hands crossed over his chest, his gaze as firm as an unshakable rock, so profound that no one could fathom what he was thinking.

After everyone gradually quieted down, he slowly stood up, walked steadily to the window, and looked at the scenery outside.

The sunlight shone on him, giving him a golden halo, but his expression remained serious.

After a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke, "I understand your concerns. Legal risks and market reactions are indeed important factors that we must consider."

He turned around and glanced at everyone in the conference room. "However, we cannot just focus on the difficulties at hand and ignore the huge opportunities in the future."

"The internet is developing at a dizzying pace. If we don't take decisive action, Microsoft will be eliminated from this field sooner or later, and then we will really have no chance."

Bill Gates's tone was slightly urgent as he walked to the conference table and tapped it lightly with his fingers. "MSN"

For Microsoft, this is of great strategic importance. It acts as a link, integrating various Microsoft resources to provide users with a one-stop internet service experience.

"Only through bundled sales can we defeat Google in the shortest time, allow MSN to reach more users, gain a foothold in the field of integrated online services, and establish our dominant position."

Bill Gates was absolutely certain that the next big thing was in the internet sector, and instant messaging and integrated online services were the future development trends he had identified.

In his view, MSN has enormous potential. If it can defeat Google, Microsoft can further consolidate its dominant position in the Internet field, just like it has in the operating system field, where it is unrivaled.

Microsoft cannot rely on just one operating system to build its empire. Just like with office software, challengers have emerged.

Who can guarantee that Microsoft's operating system will always dominate the market?

He needed to find another platform large enough for Microsoft, and the Internet was the answer he had been looking for.

He scanned everyone in the conference room with a sharp gaze and said firmly, "As for the antitrust investigation, I have my own methods. It doesn't matter if we lose the case. I just hope that our strong legal team can buy Microsoft more time and try to stall for time within the legal framework."

At this point, Bill Gates's eyes became even more determined, and he emphasized, "There's one more thing: Microsoft must never be broken up. That's my bottom line."

His tone carried an undeniable force and threat: "The company has already spent so much money and has been guiding public opinion. If the legal department can't even last a year, then I'll have to seriously consider whether we should replace Microsoft's entire legal department."

Everyone was stunned to hear Bill Gates's words. No one expected him to be so resolute, even prepared to lose the lawsuit.

Malcolm opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but seeing Bill Gates's gaze, he swallowed his words and could only lower his head, revealing a bitter smile.

Delaying for a year?

For him, an experienced vice president of legal affairs, it was not a difficult task at all.

But he was filled with worry. He had no idea what Microsoft's future would be like, and what would happen to the company if it lost the lawsuit. It was not something he could control.

Seeing that everyone had stopped objecting and opinions had temporarily reached a consensus, Bill Gates spoke again, saying, "The marketing department needs to come up with more promotional plans as soon as possible. The bundling of the operating system is only a supplementary means. We cannot let our guard down and stop the promotional efforts because of this."

At this moment, he was the emperor of Microsoft, and every word he spoke carried a hint of domineering: "We must launch a full-scale publicity campaign. No matter how much it costs, I want people all over the United States, and even the world, to see MSN's 'GG' as soon as they open their eyes every day. They should see it while eating, while walking, and even in their dreams, they should dream about MSN."

As everyone knows, Bill Gates is determined to go all the way this time.

Although everyone was filled with worry, they had no choice but to follow his instructions and do their best to carry out this seemingly crazy plan.

At Microsoft, Bill Gates is the backbone.

His decisions often determine the final direction, and even if the path is full of thorns and risks, everyone has no choice but to grit their teeth and move forward.

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