Once Upon a Time In Hollywood

Chapter 385 Two months in a flash

And when Roland was about to hang up the phone, David also threw him a new message.

"Did you know that Microsoft and Yahoo have merged.

Even though they were affected by the Internet bubble, their market value still exceeded 700 billion. "

It sounds like merging is a fluffy word, but it is actually very troublesome to do it.

Take America Online and Time Warner as an example. In fact, in December last year, the Ministry of Commerce of America had already approved their merger application and completed the procedure in January this year. But so far, more than two months have passed. Well, these two companies haven't finished the road to integration yet, and they are still half-dead.

If it is said that the two companies did not have the idea of ​​a complete integration, and it is normal to be exhausted, then in the future, the merger of Disney and Fox actually took half a year.

In the summer of 2018, it was approved by the American Ministry of Commerce, and in November it was approved by the European Commission and Huaxia. After the merger began, it was not until March of the following year that they officially completed the divestiture and reorganization of assets.

In the face of this example, Microsoft can get Yahoo in nine months, which is actually very fast.

But Roland didn't know why David said this to himself.

"What? Regret selling Microsoft stock?

Think if you hold it for a while longer, how many millions can you earn?

Let me tell you, this kind of thinking is really unnecessary.

You are like me, now build a short position for Enron, and at the end of the year, the money will be the same as picking up for nothing! "

Since Roland made a lot of money in the Yahoo case, the current David has actually started not doing business.

Clinging on to the real estate of your old business?

Do not make jokes!

No matter which industry you are in, there is no finance to make money!

Not to mention that the bankers on Wall Street have been controlling the development of America. Just twenty years later, the fact that the 'loan usury' company that is doing financial affairs under the cloak of technology is about to break the historical record of IPO can prove that all questions.

Doing business, working hard, at most becoming the richest man in half an hour like a water seller.

Engaging in finance is equally hard work, but the profits are doubled!

So, since then, David, who can hear the inside information, has been following Roland to buy.

Microsoft, Enron, the Internet, all of which made him a lot of money.

Because of this, Roland felt that when this guy mentioned this matter now, he probably regretted that he left it too early.

However, David didn't mean that at all, "Where are you thinking?

I mention this because after completing the merger, they fulfilled their promise and signed a five-year outsourcing contract with Google!

From March 2001 to March 2006, Microsoft's MSN and Yahoo! Google's search service will be used. For this reason, Google needs to pay Microsoft up to 200 million a year, a total of 1 billion in usage fees.

If one party breaches the contract, the liquidated damages will be ten times the accumulated usage fee, that is, at most 10 billion.

At the same time that the order was signed, John Doerr, a partner of KPCB, another Google investor, suggested that in the case of rapid expansion of the company, a mature helm is needed to control the overall situation, and he recommended that the company hire the former chief technology officer of Sun and CEO Eric Schmidt as chairman and chief executive officer of the company.

But this proposal requires our vote, so what's your opinion? "

"Oh..." Roland understood, "I have no objection."

"You have no objection?" David was a little curious, "Eric Schmidt is a member of the anti-Microsoft alliance!

John Doerr recommended him to join Google at this time, isn't it because Google achieved a market monopoly through Microsoft? "

That's right!

David's meaning is very clear. He thinks that John Doerr is pulling people over now just to pick peaches!

For a long time, the companies that John Doerr invested in were the ones that were beaten to the ground by Microsoft. Like Sun, Netscape, and Intuit, none of them could break through Microsoft's blockade and reach the other side of success.

Therefore, the two formed a beam.

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In order to show the outside world his determination to fight against Microsoft, and to prove to the world that Microsoft, a company that is doing investment banking under the cloak of technology, has no value at all, so he set up a Java fund to provide Java products. Greater help to entrepreneurs as a way to fight the Windows monopoly.

But the idea is beautiful, but the reality is skinny.

Microsoft is like the dragon at the bottom of the game. No matter how the warriors fight, they can't get the key to pass the level.

And after the acquisition of Yahoo, with the integration of computer interfaces and Internet interfaces, Microsoft at this time, in the eyes of peers, is even more invincible to the naked eye. When 90% of the computers in the world use the Windows operating system , 90 percent of computer users rely on Yahoo! When entering the Internet with MSN, it is all in vain for others to develop!

This is not a question of whether there is a corresponding market after the product is produced!

But after the product is produced, the user cannot see your product at all!

I create a website if Yahoo! And MSN does not include it, so netizens know about this website?

I write a software, if Yahoo! If you don't promote with MSN, then you can't spend money to advertise in cable media, right?

So, the current anti-Microsoft alliance is in an extremely embarrassing situation.

The slogan was loud and loud, but it didn't even have the ability to break through Microsoft's moat.

Not to mention going deep behind enemy lines and giving Microsoft a fatal blow.

In this way, Google, which has reached a cooperation with Microsoft and obtained priceless promotion resources, has become the top priority.

Even though David has never communicated with people like John Doerr, he can still imagine that the intention of these guys to push Eric Schmidt into Google is nothing more than to take advantage of Microsoft's monopoly and quickly occupy Google. The entire search engine market, while looking for opportunities to monetize, allows more sub-markets to become its own pocket, thereby breaking through Microsoft's monopoly blockade.

Under such circumstances, how could they, as allies, allow the backstabbing of Microsoft to happen to them?

But Roland didn't agree with David's idea, "David, how can this count as a backstab?

If you think about the problem from the perspective of Microsoft, you will find that letting people from the anti-Microsoft alliance enter Google is what Microsoft wants to see the most, because Microsoft does not think that they have the ability to do a good search engine.

Why would Microsoft happily outsource the search engine business to Google?

Isn't that because they feel that search engine services have no profit at all?

If there is profit, how can they do it for us?

We let the anti-Microsoft alliance people in when they didn't think it was profitable.

For them, we are helping them disgusting people!

Take a step back and say, even if the guys from the anti-Microsoft alliance succeed, it doesn't matter.

Because after they succeed, can’t Microsoft just copy it?

In Yahoo! In the case of MSN and MSN, copy off-the-shelf, that is what Microsoft should do! "

Yes!

Roland is not worried at all, Microsoft will regard his release as a betrayal!

Because in the eyes of Microsoft, Roland is incapable of leading Google forward!

And in this case, Microsoft is still willing to hand over the business to Google, isn't it just to let the enemy work for itself?

If the enemy fails.

Then it will deal a heavy blow to the enemy in the heart.

Microsoft can’t even eat the market it created, it’s just a waste!

And if it works...

So sorry, this will be mine in the next second!

Anyway, there is a portal website, so it can be copied successfully no matter what!

It's a pity that Microsoft will never imagine how hard those enemies who were once bankrupted by him worked.

Not to mention the five-year trial period, even if the time is cut in half, Microsoft can't stand it!

Because when the Google Advertising Alliance appeared, it was the day when Microsoft exploded!

And this is Eric Schmidt's characteristic art ability!

...

After finishing the company affairs that he didn't have to worry about, Roland returned to a quiet rural life.

Stayed with Kate in San Francisco for two weeks, and then went to their own zoo, said hello to the swans who had forgotten themselves, fed Elizabeth’s pony, and shared a giraffe named by the Olsen sisters Ying, by the way, throw the newly acquired baby penguins on their ass...

Although Roland has never cared about the construction here, before the promise of throwing coins, David took care of this zoo close to Las Vegas in an orderly manner. Even in terms of scale, the zoo closest to it The San Diego Wildlife Park can crush it to nothing, but as a private zoo, close contact is the core!

In addition, all the animals have been vaccinated, so when Kate wants to touch them, Roland doesn't have to worry about accidents.

no way.

Who made this kind of problem that can be solved with money not a problem at all?

However, perhaps extreme joy begets sorrow.

While the two were having fun, Kate's relatives also arrived as scheduled.

Due to the previous physical examination, the two of them checked all the items.

So when this happens, it comes down to bad luck.

For this reason, Kate, who also wanted a child, was depressed all day.

And Roland...

It was a lie to say no regrets, but he wasn't angry about it either.

Not only that, he also hugged his sad wife and basked in the sun for a day beside the jungle hut.

"He may have seen that we were too happy and felt that we would not get love after we came, so he hesitated."

"Forget it...you must like him more when they come..." Kate didn't believe her husband's words.

"No, even if he comes, I love you more." Roland rubbed his cheek against his wife's forehead.

"Why?" Kate closed her eyes, expecting an answer.

"Because parents are true love, and children are accidents!"

Roland stared at the golden wilderness and said with a smile: "My child, that is just the continuation of life, and you are my companion!"

Kate blew her nose at those words.

Instinctively opened her eyes and glanced up, when she caught the dimple on her husband's face, all her emotions turned into a turn.

Holding Roland's neck, lying in his arms, whispered: "Take me back to the house, I'm hungry."

Without hesitation, Roland, who still kept exercising after retirement, gave a princess hug, "What do you want to eat tonight?"

"casual."

"Whatever? It's not easy to do."

"Isn't this the best thing to do? I love everything you do..."

...

While the young couple was away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the 73rd Academy Awards were also held on March 25 as scheduled.

The "Gladiator" invested by DreamWorks won the best picture, and Russell Crowe also won the best actor.

Julia Roberts took the top spot with "Never Compromise," and the film's director, Steven Soderbergh, also won the best director statuette for another entry, "The Pine Network." .

In addition, Li An, who had approached Roland before, also got his wish and won the Best Foreign Language Film.

When he took the stage to hold the cup for the second time, he was so excited that tears pooled in his eyes.

After all, he was banned from Hollywood after Ride With the Devil was released.

Now that he can return to the stage, it is the best news for him.

And better news than this came directly the next day.

Perhaps it was because of Li An's business talent. After all, "Sense and Sensibility" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" are both typical of small and big, but it may also be recommended by his subordinate James Shams. In short, the day after the Oscars ended, Universal approached Li An, hoping to cooperate with him more, and was willing to invite him to participate in its own commercial projects.

Although the two sides did not talk about specific projects, this contact has already made Li An ecstatic!

...

Of course, Li An is not the contracted director of Warcraft Film and Television after all.

So everything related to him is to the point.

With the end of the Oscars, Warcraft Film and Television also won the ultimate test.

Because the time for the announcement of "Memory Fragments" has arrived.

On March 28th, a screening of the film was held in Los Angeles.

According to Roland's request, Warcraft Film and Television invited Steven Soderbergh who just won the Oscar for Best Director, suspense masters David Fincher and David Lynch, and director Brian Singer of "The Usual Suspects" , "Twelve Monkeys" director Terry Gilliam, "Blood Labyrinth" director Coen Brothers and many other directors who are loved by fans came to taste this movie on the spot.

After nearly two hours of the screening, these suspenseful celebrities were all impressed by Christopher Nolan's ideas, and they all gave thumbs up and gave full marks.

"Memento is an exciting noir film! The structure of the film is full of creativity! Christopher Nolan uses superb editing techniques to make the story intricate! He has accomplished everything that ordinary people dare not imagine!"

"Memento is packed with more imagination than your typical revenge thriller!"

""Memento" is different from other suspense films, it will not give you a feeling of surprise at a certain point, because from the beginning to the end, your curiosity will be hooked by it!"

"The coolest movie ever! This is the most twisted suspense movie I've ever seen!"

"A captivating moviegoing experience! It deserves multiple viewings!"

"I love this movie!"

When the unanimous praise of the masters spread wildly through the media, the curiosity of the corresponding fans was also aroused.

In just three days, the number of messages under IMDb's "Memory Fragments" section exceeded a thousand!

Don't think this number is small, for a new director, this kind of feedback is already very scary!

And when audiences who like suspense films learned about this movie, small-scale filming was also put on the agenda.

On April 1st, two screens in two urban theaters in Los Angeles undertook the screening work.

On April 2nd, three movie theaters in New York City began screenings, from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm, with nine screenings per day.

On April 3rd, the four movie theaters in Houston played in turn, ten shows a day, no less.

And on April 4th, this kind of screening mode also came to Philadelphia, but the passage of time did not increase the number of films.

This is actually a very understandable thing. In the era of high distribution costs, unless there are famous directors and superstar blessings, it is impossible for low-cost movies to be released on a large scale from the beginning.

If you want to spread the film across the United States, it will cost millions of copies just to meet the needs of various movie theaters. For a film that does not have so much investment, spending more money to make copies, isn't that crazy? ?

Similarly, suspense films also need to pick the audience.

At the film screening, so many directors who are loved by young literary and artistic youths went to the platform, in order to attract these little bourgeois to the theater, and then let these guys who can make up their minds give positive praise, so as to attract more of their kind. field.

As for those laymen who like to be refreshing?

Sorry, you are not welcome here!

And it is under this orderly guidance that the score of "Memento" on IMDb is also constantly improving.

From the rating of 9.4 by more than 100 people in the first three days of the release, to 8.9 by more than 1,000 people in the first week of the release, to 8.7 by more than 3,000 people in the first two weeks of the release, the scores are constantly falling and rising. The number of people is the best recognition!

Although it was released for two weeks and the box office was less than 500,000 yuan, this kind of achievement is indeed hip, but the limited screen and the exaggerated score that has risen steadily have aroused the curiosity of movie fans. Everyone wants to know, what is the truth of this movie? what is it

Why are the audiences who went to watch it full of praise while the master gave praise?

At this moment, everything related to "Memento" is like a cat's claw, scratching the hearts of these people, and when the box office of the whole movie exceeds 500,000, I know that the time has come Evelyn Watson immediately increased the lineup.

On April 20, it will be screened simultaneously in 2,000 theaters in North America!

Three days later and three weekends later, the cumulative box office of "Memento" was reported to be 11 million!

Note: ① The transaction amount between Google and Microsoft is not written indiscriminately in the article. Google’s monopoly has always been bought with money. For example, now, Google has to give Apple 7 billion per year in exchange for Apple's right to set Google as the default search engine for its products, and every year, Google can earn 25 billion from Apple (amount There is no typo, it is really 7 billion not 700 million). It is precisely because the search engine burns money to occupy the market, so in reality, Microsoft and Yahoo did not think about their own research and development, because they outsourced the service when they could not find a profit point, and made money while providing services to users. Search for the company's money, this is the maximization of benefits. ②James Shams is the producer of Ang Lee's films. He joined Universal around two thousand years ago. It is precisely because he joined Universal that Ang Lee's version of "Hulk" came out later. At the same time, he is also Jewish. ③The reality of "Memory Fragments" also followed the path of screening and cultivating word-of-mouth, and the response was also very good. But when one-fifth of the venues in the United States were filming, and they won more than 2 million in the first weekend, they did not continue to film on a large scale, not because they didn't want to, but because they had no money to make copies.