The God of Coding, Becoming an IT Conglomerate

100. Shall we meet again?

Shortly after Kronos launched.

IT magazines and newspapers across North America started pouring out articles all at once.

[H&H’s Chronos 2 surprise release. What is different from Chronos 1?]

[What is the evaluation of the users of Chronos 2, which competes head-on with Windows 3.1?]

[Operating system expert John Michael. Kronos 2 has a bad reputation for backward compatibility with Windows 3.1]

And after about three more weeks passed, the contents of the article began to change little by little.

[Chronos 2. Is it a new revolution? Cronus brings a new age.]

[Announcing a joint statement in the Japanese game industry, including Nintendo and Sega – Our game will only be released in Kronos 2.]

[Many new software companies declare software production for Kronos]

[Surging sales of Chronos 2. As a result, sales of Windows 3.1 were sluggish]

[Widows 3.1 Worst security issue occurred. It turns out to be vulnerable to hacking.]

And when two more weeks passed, the contents were completely different from the first.

[Chronos 2 overwhelms sales of Windows 3.1.]

[Unlike Windows 3.1, which is vulnerable to security, Chronos 2 boasts impenetrable security]

[Consumers who bought Windows 3.1 – Hard to feel what is different from Windows 3.0]

[Operating system expert John Michael. I was completely wrong. Chronos 2 is the signal of a new era.]

Hoyoung was in America.

He was drinking tea while leisurely reading articles about Chronos 2 and Windows 3.1 that Smith had compiled.

“The response has been very good. Are sales going along with it?”

“sure. In fact, at the time of Chronos 1, it was just an evaluation that a decent operating system was released in the market. So, we were satisfied with the fact that we imprinted the name of H&H America on users. But Kronos 2 is different. At this level of sales, sales in the first quarter of this year are expected to surpass Microsoft.”

Hoyoung smiled happily.

In its previous life, Windows 3.1 was an operating system that was an all-time hit.

It has been optimized to run smoothly even on low-end PCs, and multitasking, which has developed by leaps and bounds, has raised user convenience to the highest level.

Thanks to this, users could end their worries about whether to buy a Macintosh with good performance and convenience instead of expensive ones, or a cheap but difficult to use IBM-based DOS computer.

This is because computers with Windows 3.1 are cheap but convenient.

However, the current Windows 3.1 is showing a significant fall behind Chronos 2.

This is because Chronos 2 outperformed Windows 3.1 in all aspects, including optimization, multitasking, expandability, and built-in programs.

“I don’t really understand why Bill Gates made this mistake.”

said Smith, tilting his head.

“It is said that Bill Gates has harmed a lot of people through his recent marriage, but he is still the Devil of Silicon Valley in name. Why did they release an operating system so complacently?”

“Are you comfortable?”

“Isn’t there a difference between Windows 3.0 and 3.1 without a big functional difference? I still thought that the great Microsoft would sharpen its sword this time.”

Hoyoung replied with a leisurely smile.

“It deserves it. In fact, when Microsoft released Windows 3.1, it must have been with great confidence. To be honest, if I hadn’t made Kronos 2, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Windows 3.1 is the best technology mankind has today.”

“Wow. Also great confidence. I really want my child to grow up like a boss.”

“haha. Why are you trying to ruin your son’s future?”

“I am serious.”

Smith chuckled.

Other than that, there were two most decisive reasons that brought the current Cronos 2 storm.

The first was a security issue in Windows 3.1.

It all started when a forum introduced a very easy way to disable a Windows 3.1 system connected to communications.

“By the way, we were very lucky that the Windows 3.1 security issue popped up right after Kronos 2 was released.”

“You mean the forum posting a very easy way to attack Windows?”

“you’re right. I wonder how they managed to analyze Windows 3.1 so far in just a month after it was released.”

Hoyoung, who listened to Smith’s words, smiled like a goblin.

When Smith saw Ho-young’s face, he couldn’t believe it. He made a face and spoke.

“no way. Is it the boss who posted how to cause a system error on the forum?”

“Whoops. no.”

“Looking at that expression, I’m sure. this! You don’t even say anything!”

“haha. Is it not me?”

Despite Smith’s continued questioning, Ho-young continued to take off the pretense.

In fact, it was Hoyoung who sent the method to make the Windows 3.0 system into an error on the forum.

The contents sent by Hoyoung are almost 7 years later.

So it was a problem that became known only after Windows 98 was released.

Until Windows 98, computer security was all about preventing viruses from getting infected (even though it didn’t work).

Since the firewall system was not properly established, it was possible to access the system folder through the protocol socket as long as it was connected through communication, and even if important files in the system were deleted or renamed, the phenomenon that Windows crashed occurred. It became.

“Hmm… This time I’m going to trick you. Next time, please discuss with me and proceed with the work.”

“haha. It’s not me this time, but if there is a chance in the future, I’ll be sure to discuss it.”

In fact, there are still not many people who do not have communication connected to all computers, and do not hack to steal information, but just disable other people’s computers.

But everything becomes a problem if you make it a problem.

It’s just an attack method with no practical use, but Hoyoung’s postings aroused people’s anxiety that their computers might be attacked by Windows users, and that anxiety eventually led directly to sales.

However, Hoyoung raised the level of Chronos 2’s firewall to a level that could not be implemented in the current era.

To put it bluntly, it was at the level of a firewall equivalent to Windows me, which Microsoft will release in the future, so it was very difficult for current hackers to break through Chronos 2 no matter what.

Hoyoung spread the information that Chronos 2 is not attacked by that method along with the security issue of Windows 3.1.

“smith. Isn’t there a meeting with representatives of Silicon Valley companies after today?”

“you’re right. There are many representatives of companies that they contacted first, among companies that were not originally interested in contracting with us.”

“Then, roughly how many companies did you send people to?”

“We’ll have to check it out to know exactly, but it will be at least 20 companies.”

“Twenty? I thought at best that ten revisions would come.”

“This is all because sales of Chronos 2 have skyrocketed recently.”

Hoyoung and Smith smiled heartily.

Today’s meeting was to solve the only weakness of Knorth, compatibility.

Although Cronos 2 is now enjoying good sales due to its own performance and killer programs that are installed and provided, it was true that there were few absolutely compatible programs in the long run.

And that compatibility was also one of the biggest reasons why Chronos 1 couldn’t completely dominate the market.

“If things go well today, I am sure that DOS and Windows will never fall behind in terms of compatibility.”

“Yes. The 20 software companies we’ll meet later are just the beginning. If the outcome of this conversation is good, there are innumerable companies that will create software for Kronos in the future.”

“Then shall we prepare soon?”

“All right.”

Hoyeong prepared materials for the meeting and tidied up her clothes.

His proposal to software companies was very simple.

No fees, full support for production tools.

Currently, when Microsoft purchases some software from Microsoft’s market, it deducts a small amount of commission, and even sells development kits for money.

Software companies used to pay Microsoft every year to cry and eat mustard because they were forced to use development kits to develop programs for Windows.

‘But that way doesn’t last very long. The barrier to entry in development is the only thing that lowers the chances of new software being created.’

As Hoyoung thought, it was in 1996 that Microsoft recognized the seriousness of the situation and completely abolished charging fees and development kits.

That was four years from now.

Windows 95 was released and caused another sensation in the market, but not many people gave up DOS and made software for Windows because of the overpriced development kit.

At that time, many people still used DOS, so I had to keep using the development kit for MSDOS, but it was very expensive to purchase both the development kit for MSDOS and the development kit for Windows 95.

“ruler. Then I’ll go out first. Please prepare slowly and come out.”

Smith went first, and Hoyeong slowly prepared herself, thinking about what she would say today.

.

.

.

Microsoft is currently in a frenzy of easy words.

Currently, they were in the middle of an emergency meeting.

“Didn’t I say that the release of Windows 3.1 is still premature? It wouldn’t have been too late to release it after slowly testing all the situations where this or that issue would arise.”

“The timing of the release was no problem! Sales of Chronos 2 are not unusual right now. Why are you ignoring the fact that if we had released it later than they, it would have been totally unresponsive!”

Two executives raised their voices and shared (?) their opinions.

Bill Gates was lost in thought as he sat in the seat of honor and watched the scene.

‘This security issue is actually not that big. If it’s not for the purpose of ruining someone else’s computer in the first place, it’s useless information at all. Normally, it would have been a problem with a free update just because there was a defect.’

As he said, this security issue was not an issue to be publicized this far.

Although the United States is very sensitive to the leakage of personal information, this security issue is not because personal information is leaked, but because it was something that could only be used maliciously or as a joke.

In fact, even when it was revealed that there was such a problem after the release of Windows 98, it was a mere happening.

‘Why the hell? Who made it this far? No, did I have to raise it?’

Bill Gates thought about who would benefit most from this security issue.

And the result was not difficult to derive.

‘Chronos! Yun Ho-young!’

He recalled the image of Yun Ho-young he saw at ECEC two years ago.

He wasn’t the head of H&H, but it was immediately apparent that he was the de facto leader.

The reason why he was able to relax even on the day when the public said ‘Bill Gates’ complete defeat’ was because he thought that Cronos would never be able to catch up with Windows in terms of technology and market promotion.

Nevertheless, I tried to contain H&H using several methods, but it did not come easily.

“For now, we will have to focus on distributing hotfixes for security issues first, and increasing sales of Windows 3.1 with a few promotions.”

“Premature promotions are dangerous. If you offer a discounted price from the beginning, users may consider the normal price after the discount to be expensive, and it may have the opposite effect!”

The voices of the two executives broke Bill Gates’ thoughts.

He looked at the two of them and sighed.

“after. Okay. Now, both of you, stop.”

“All right.”

“sorry. I was so excited.”

The two raised their voices with blood vessels in their necks and immediately bowed their heads when Bill Gates said a word.

It was a situation where Bill Gates even looked like a king.

“For now, this meeting ends here. Also, as I said earlier, make and distribute hotfixes right away, and focus on TV commercials rather than promotions.”

“All right.”

“And Jimmy.”

“Yep.”

Jimmy, who was sitting right next to Bill Gates, answered right away.

“I don’t think we’ll get an answer until the end if we talk to each other.”

“Then what shall we do?”

“Please contact H&H right away.”

“yes?”

“Please contact me to meet. I want to meet you in person.”

“yes. Okay. Then I will contact the representative of H&H America to meet.”

Bill Gates frowned slightly at Jimmy’s answer.

“no? Did I mention that the head of H&H America is… Smith? I am not interested in him.”

“then…?”

“The only thing I am interested in is Yun Ho-young. Tell him you want to meet him.”

“yes. All right.”

Jimmy answered and immediately went out to the conference room to contact H&H America.

‘Whoops. I’ll see you at last.’

Even though Bill Gates was in a bad mood, he laughed, wondering if he was looking forward to meeting Hoyoung.