Chapter 615 Firefly Empire
AOL is a company established by Steve Case and several partners. Steve Case does not have an absolute controlling stake in AOL. w [www. After Firefly invested in AOL two years ago, it became the largest shareholder of AOL with % of the shares, which is why Steve Case insisted that Eric should not participate in the management of AOL for a period of time.
At this time, it was less than a year before Firefly agreed not to participate in AOL's business for three years, but Steve Case felt that Eric didn't care much about AOL's management rights. The vision has always been on a broader industrial chain layout.
After weighing for a moment, Steve Case tentatively said: "Eric, I personally really hope to join this affiliate program, but I don't think it is necessary for AOL to divest all of its online businesses, right? ?"
In the original time and space, AOL was stimulated by the extremely frothy online business in the late Internet wave, completely deviated from its own development foundation, and put more energy on network business such as portal websites, so that after the Internet bubble burst , suddenly realized that its technological expansion in the broadband field is not even as good as that of traditional network service providers, which also led to the rapid loss of American online network users. , leaving only an empty shell of more than four billion dollars.
When he initially chose to invest in AOL, Eric originally had the idea of letting AOL continue to harm Time Warner.
However, with in-depth thinking about some things, Eric gradually dispelled this slightly wicked thought. Rather than watching an expensive 'fireworks feast' worth hundreds of billions of dollars in the process of the bursting of the Internet bubble, this is not the case. Time to adjust AOL's trajectory and make the company part of its wealth empire.
"Steve, although it is a few years later than AOL, with Yahoo's current huge user advantage, it is not difficult for Yahoo Networks to get involved in the field of Internet service providers and pass AOL, but it is not a last resort. I do not I choose to do this because I want Yahoo to be single-mindedly focused on what it already has, and make the best of it. Likewise, I want AOL to be able to make the best of the network service provider role. I believe in Under the close cooperation of our three-way alliance, and taking advantage of the rise of the Internet industry, it only takes a few years for AOL to surpass traditional service providers such as AT&T and Comcast. At that time, AOL could still use mergers and acquisitions. ┞┝┠.
Steve Case showed a faint wry smile, he could hear that Eric did not give him a second choice. If you can't be an ally, you're probably going to be an enemy. He was also moved by Eric's remarks. If he could become an industry giant with at&t, Comcast, and Time Warner, it would not be such a difficult choice to give up online business.
"Eric, after all, this matter involves the future of AOL. I need to communicate with Bill and the others. In addition..." Steve Case raised the alliance plan in his hand,
Dao: "Although AOL has already generated profits, the existing capital is completely insufficient to support this plan. I hope that AOL can start the plan ahead of schedule."
usually. In mature capital markets, after a company goes public, as more investors join, the equity will become more and more dispersed. The voice of shareholders is gradually weakened, and the corresponding management will also gain more power. Although he was already inclined towards Eric's plan, Steve Case still didn't want AOL to become a pawn in Eric's industrial layout. He hoped to gain more control.
"In order to obtain more funds in the future, I hope that AOL will continue to maintain the original pace of listing," Eric shook his head. Denying Steve Case's suggestion, he doesn't mind Steve Case's desire to gain more control, but at this time AOL's market value is less than $2 billion, even if it is publicly listed The amount of financing will not exceed 200 million US dollars, but if the time can be pushed back one year, the same proportion of shares raised can definitely double the amount of funds raised. Directly killing Steve Case's thoughts, Eric quickly stuffed another handful of sweet dates: "As long as AOL agrees to this alliance plan, Firefly can provide AOL with $200 million in low-interest debt. Financing, and will not ask for any additional terms, as an ally, Yahoo Networks will also use platforms such as portals to actively advertise for AOL, and even become AOL's network services distributor."
Hearing the promise of $200 million in low-interest debt financing, Steve Case had no more resistance in his heart, but Steve Case asked suspiciously: "Eric, Yahoo! What do you mean by an online distributor?"
Eric said: "Yahoo is about to launch an application software, I believe this software is absolutely as popular as the online mail service and browser software, if AOL wants, Yahoo can build the United States into this software. Online network login module, I believe this will greatly promote the promotion of AOL's network access business, and, because the core of the business is not in this area, the share required by Yahoo only needs to be slightly higher than the maintenance cost.╡╡┞ .[".c?o{m"
At present, most operating systems do not have special network connection functions. If you want to access the Internet, in addition to the necessary hardware, you also need to load the login software of the network service provider. This login method can provide service providers with an advertising promotion. platform, earning huge additional profits, so it has not completely disappeared until more than two decades later.
If the application software Eric said can really be as popular as browser software, Steve. Case certainly will not refuse this cooperation. When he pressed on, Eric didn't reveal anything more.
When it comes to this, AOL's joining problem has basically been resolved, and the specific cooperation plan will not be discussed until Steve Case gives a definite answer tomorrow. Eric then couldn't wait to chat with everyone about another plan to promote the construction of adsl broadband network, which is the most urgent thing at present. Eric's requirements are not too high, given the current limitation that the Internet can only provide text, pictures and a small amount of audio content, as long as the average network is increased to a stable 512kbps as soon as possible, and the charging mode is changed. Provide a cheap monthly package, then Yahoo's exhibition in recent years will no longer be restricted by the network environment.
After years of operation, AOL has accumulated enough experience in network deployment and service operation, and Cisco's industry-leading technology can quickly solve the hardware equipment required for the construction of a new broadband network. It can even provide a complete network solution for AOL, and the advertising resources of Firefly and Yahoo on film and television media and network portals will also solve the problem of promoting new network services. Therefore, a few people who are a little excited are chatting and chatting. , I had spent the whole night before I knew it. Even if the five people present are not workaholics, it often happens that they work all night. When the sky outside the window gradually lights up, the five people don’t have any sleepiness. They just go back to their personal rooms to wash up, and then go out together again. Go upstairs for breakfast.
Throughout the night, perhaps because of the more he talked and became more involved, Eric unconsciously revealed many Internet concepts that had not yet appeared, such as big data, cloud computing, e-commerce, antivirus software... All in all, I just remembered Say whatever you want, until now the expressions of the other four looking at him have changed significantly. Eric quickly restrained himself, but even so, Eric knew that his image in the hearts of several people was estimated to be close to aliens.
Steve Case even came up with the idea of opening a chain of Internet cafes directly operated by AOL in major cities in the United States because of Eric's suggestion. It turned out that in 1994 there was no concept of Internet cafes. The Internet cafes in Eric's memory are not very good, but he knows that because of the strict supervision system, the Internet cafes in the West are not flooded, but as a theory says. Everyone can cook at home, but restaurants are still everywhere, as are Internet cafes. In my memory, Internet cafes in the West should be called Internet cafes more. Most of them are a combination of Internet cafes and coffee shops, more similar to a leisure place.
Eric also agrees with the idea that Steve Keith came up with. The Internet cafes that appeared in advance are like the free ones provided by technology giants such as Google more than ten years later. They can allow more ordinary people to access the Internet. If America Online The chain Internet cafe business is really huge enough, and it will also play a role in promoting the popularity of the Internet. but. All of these need to be upgraded after AOL's adsl broadband technology. Moreover, when this simpler and easier-to-use operating system is released, with adsl high broadband, the feasibility of this plan is indeed very high.
Last night, Steve Keith originally planned to use the excuse of discussing with other partners to delay, but this morning, influenced or brainwashed by Eric's description of the broad Internet industry prospects, Steve Keith Instead, he became a fanatical supporter of Eric's information industry alliance plan, and simply had a phone call with other AOL partners and some executives, and the matter was settled, John Chambers' side Of course, there is no obstacle. Compared with AOL, Cisco's current equity is more dispersed. Except for Eric's largest holding of 21%, no other shareholders can be found. Therefore, As John. Chambers can completely decide this matter.
In this case, taking advantage of the opportunity that Eric is still in Boston, several people directly began to discuss the next stage of the cooperation plan.
On the other hand, Bill Gates, who came to Boston again after many years, is also quite beautiful. Speeches, interviews, and banquets from several universities and local media celebrities in Boston followed one after another. The appointment with Eric to visit Yahoo headquarters is also obvious. After being thrown off his head by him, Eric was busy discussing the cooperation of the Information Industry Alliance with John Chambers and Steve Case, and hoped that the gate students would have more 'scenery' for a few days. When Bill Gates finally heard the news of Eric's meeting with John Chambers and Steve Case, and called in person, the alliance plan between Yahoo, America Online and Cisco had basically been drafted.
Eric was too aware of Bill Gates' behavior, so he never had the idea of bringing in the door classmates. This is a master who wants to be involved in every business he sees. Although he has cooperated with ibm in the 1980s, in recent years, because Microsoft wants to get involved in the hardware business that overlaps with ibm, the cooperation between the two parties has been There are deep cracks. If it is not for the difficulty of researching processor chips, Eric believes that Microsoft would never mind adding a foot to Intel's site. In the original time and space, involving all areas of the Internet industry, Microsoft basically held an attitude of seeing the geese flying by, regardless of whether they were eating or not, they had to kill them. Portals, instant messaging, online mailboxes, etc. Did not let go.
Regarding the upcoming cooperation with Microsoft, Eric did not hide it from John Chambers and Steve Keith, and revealed a little bit about his reasons and purposes for doing so, which did not hinder the three parties from reaching The alliance agreement, the cooperation plan has been revised in some details. Ian G. Nier, John. Chambers and Steve. Case signed the agreement on behalf of Yahoo, Cisco and AOL respectively, and then John. . Chambers and Steve. Case then rushed back to the location of their respective companies and began to make preliminary preparations for the implementation of the alliance plan.
At this stage, projects such as instant messaging software and browser literal translation scripting language projects no longer need to be hidden from Steve Case and John Chambers. In order to facilitate the convenience of several people scattered across the United States, the affiliate program can be discussed at any time. To communicate with the implementation plan, Eric deliberately used the instant messaging software that was still in the internal testing state to set up the first official chat tribe in the history of instant messaging, and brought in all the main persons in charge of these companies. This tribe has a very cool name - Firefly Empire.
Until many years later, a legend has been circulating in the world's most widely used instant messaging software circle. In the huge social network world, there is a very mysterious tribe. This tribe does not even have a number, and ordinary people can never find it. It has no qualifications to join at will, even if the user wants to create a fake tribe with the same name, it will be banned by the system. Any member of this tribe has the status of turning the tide in their respective industrial fields. Any news from this tribe may cause economic fluctuations on a global scale. Many people who are fortunate enough to have access to the information of this tribe have said that the one who really has the ability to control the world is not the ridiculous Rothschild, not the Jews, nor the so-called Freemasonry, but the electronic tribe called the Firefly Empire. A group of people who truly hold the lifeblood of the global economy. (To be continued.)
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