Chapter 141: The Checkers Plan Is a Bit Precarious

Apple proudly predicted that the company is on track to reach $300 million in sales this year. Once the news broke, the industry was in an uproar. Whether it was Big Blue or HP, they immediately became objects of ridicule; reality had taught them a profound lesson.

A laughable toy? This is a market worth over a billion dollars a year; it is certainly no trivial matter. Most terrifying is the potential of this market. Before this, the most optimistic estimate for Apple was $200 million in sales. Now, what have they heard? Three hundred million. You are just a new company; how can you be this outrageous? At this rate, perhaps in two years, it will be a billion.

Wait, what about White Software? Will this beast break $100 million this year as well? Regrettably, it remains a private company with no obligation to disclose information. If you have the ability, check it yourselves.

Big Blue’s PC project has already begun to show its hand, though it is currently in an awkward position. They chose Intel’s 8080, and the software seems to be Microsoft. The 8080 is certainly good—it is a 16-bit processor and definitely better than Motorola’s 6600. The key problem is that it is not leading by much. There is another very important question: when will you actually finish it? Apple’s current move is just a minor refresh; by the time your PC project is implemented, their next-generation computer might have already appeared.

According to current information, there is clearly a 6700 positioned between the 6-series and the 6600. Motorola is a public company, and even if this chip division were spun off, they remain a major shareholder; these details cannot be hidden. Motorola is feeling some regret now; why didn’t they think of playing it this way? William White is simply taking the 60, castrating it in various ways, and selling it for money. It is as simple as that, with no technical depth whatsoever. The 6700 is, of course, aimed directly at the 8080; that was the goal from the beginning.

As for the chaos at Apple, William White doesn’t care. If you don’t adjust your plans, Wang Laboratories might beat you to the punch. Wang Laboratories has already tasted success and certainly won't abandon their PC project; their technical strength is superior to Apple's. Facing this bizarre situation, Big Blue feels incredibly frustrated—is this the rhythm of being crushed as soon as they emerge?

There is no longer a chance to buy into White Software. Since they have already anticipated your moves, there will naturally be no cooperation. As for the valuation of White Software, there is much controversy now, with some even suggesting $500 million. Don't think of it as a joke; the gross margin of this company is truly terrifying, not to mention that pile of adapter cards—these are stacks of dollars. As for R&D costs? They can naturally be passed on to the consumers.

The most delightful part is that they are compatible with almost every system on the market. As long as you have enough sales volume, they will produce the matching software. As everyone knows, the systems of these PC manufacturers are diverse, which gives software companies a huge headache. However, White Software’s office suite is compatible; as long as you use their software, it works on any brand of computer. This is the reason for Lotus Software’s failure—they simply wouldn't let you use their format; if you dared to use it, they would sue you. Other companies have finally realized that this first-mover advantage is too powerful; they just don't know how Big Blue will break the deadlock.

Actually, they are overthinking it. White Software will naturally provide software services; it has no grudge against money, so how could it abandon such a big client?

"Boss, they will provide the corresponding software, but they need to obtain our system in advance."
"Damn it, what do they know?"
"I think so. Bill Gates’ DOS was bought; they are developing on top of someone else’s foundation. In fact, White Software is already developing the next generation."
"I actually admire this kid now. How does he coordinate the relationships between these clients?"
"Boss, in my opinion, he is more like an open software vendor. As long as the price is right, he wouldn't mind who the buyer is."
"I hope so, otherwise we are in big trouble."

Now, not only does the Lisa project have issues, but Big Blue’s Checkers project also has problems. They truly cannot judge the level of the 6700. If it happens to lead the Intel 8080, their position will be awkward. They are actually thinking too much; Apple is too narrow-minded and never thought about integrating the market. Other companies are the same, each playing their own game. It is truly incomprehensible—why can’t you use a unified architecture? Hardware incompatibility and software incompatibility are a huge waste. Not to mention anything else, just learning these systems takes a lot of time.

White Software is much more delightful; there are only subtle differences, and they are almost identical. Of course, if you don’t have many users, don’t count on it; they won’t develop for you, as that costs money too.

*Police Academy 2* has finally announced its filming schedule. The actors' faces haven't changed much, but the director has been replaced. William White is no longer serving as director, only as screenwriter and producer. Whether the audience will buy it remains to be tested by the market; even if it isn't as good as the first one, it probably won't be too far off. In truth, sequels are difficult to film, and William White’s skill level is quite average; there won't be any breakthroughs in the short term. Hopefully, this director is reliable.

People at White Pictures are very clear that the boss won’t film sequels, including *Johnny English*—he won't be filming any sequels for that either. If a film company relies solely on one boss, it would be better to join a major studio and just run a studio. With three series that have grossed over $100 million, who would dare not curry favor with him? Theater owners now treat him like a god of wealth; no matter which major studio you are, if the box office flops, you will be abandoned. Didn’t Warner’s *The Shining* get pulled from theaters? Except for theaters where Warner has a stake, other owners were being polite by supporting it for two weeks; they have no grudge against money.

*Star Wars* is still incredibly powerful, already exceeding $1.5 billion. For a blockbuster of this level, it will run in North America for at least half a year, which means that breaking $200 million is only a matter of time. Its success is not surprising. It’s strange that *Beverly Hills Cop* could break through the siege; based on its performance in the first two weeks, breaking $100 million is also just a matter of time. Even if it isn't as good as *Police Academy*, it can compete with *Home Alone* in terms of box office.

What makes Hollywood grit its teeth is that your projects aren't long, so why are the movies always feature-length? It is funny to say that, including the films currently in production, White Pictures is all about series. This is truly hateful; if there were a few more years of development, these series could make people vomit blood. Series aren't William White's invention; this is what is popular in this era. Unless the box office takes a nosedive, they will keep playing this game. Hollywood in later generations didn't play this way because they were scammed by talent agencies; those bastards don't care if you live or die, they just take their cut based on your box office earnings. This is similar to a milk tea shop in Hong Kong—no matter how good your business is, it’s useless; the landlord decides the rent based on your profits.