The depths of winter were warm on Lanai Island, and William White, swinging his golf club, was no longer the novice he used to be.
"Great shot! I can't beat you anymore. Do you think it's just natural talent?"
"Nah, just practice makes perfect, nothing more."
"Wow, you even sound poetic now."
"How about that? Feeling an urge to bow down in awe?"
"Whatever," Jason Garrison scoffed, flipping the bird while William White paid no mind, even taking a moment to appreciate the view beneath his assistant's skirt. His playful antics were getting more pronounced.
"Boss, what's the point of looking? Maybe I should head back, and you can enjoy this 'heavenly' feeling."
William White, in his cheeky demeanor, didn't bother hiding his jest in front of his close buddy and took no offense at the teasing.
"You don't get it. If it's completely bare, where's the fun in that?"
"Man, you've spent too much time in Japan. It's rubbing off on you."
"Well, you might have a point there." With that, he swung the club, sinking the ball in one shot.
"Damn, was that a hole-in-one?"
Hahaha, William White laughed triumphantly and wildly.
"One thousand for everyone! Everybody gets a share! Hahaha!"
At William White's course, there weren't many par-three holes. The most he'd managed before was a birdie, not even an eagle. Now, he achieved a hole-in-one, so it was impossible not to be excited.
"It's just not fair. I've played this long and never even once got a hole-in-one."
"Hehe, don't be hasty. Didn't you bring a girl this time? Try your luck back at the room. Hahaha."
"Don't get too cocky. You haven't won yet. Still nine holes to play."
"Hahaha, forget it. It's about enjoying the moment. What if it ends in a tie? I feel inspired. I'm heading back to write something."
...
At the start of the new year, while William White was still basking in the sun on Lanai Island, Apple kicked off its new product launch.
Since William White initiated such events, it seems the IT world has converged on the idea. It's as if holding an annual launch has become a duty towards the audience.
Of course, that depends on your company's influence. If White Systems organized such an event, it would certainly be lively. As for Apple, they weren't lagging far behind either.
Jobs played a sly hand, and IBM was unfortunately caught in the crossfire, described as Big Brother. Ha, the advertisement ended with everyone being told that Big Brother's plans were foiled because of Macintosh.
Honestly, IBM did seem somewhat innocent. How could you blacken their name like that? It's all about ideology, and it's a matter of principle.
On January 24th 1984, which is today, the Macintosh finally unveiled its mystery.
Watching the teary-eyed Steve Jobs on TV, William White felt deeply moved. Man, the world's first graphical interface computer! This achievement definitely shines through the ages.
William White had seen Apple's iPhone 4 launch and the scene of pulling a laptop out of an envelope. Compared to now, those events were mere child's play.
He's witnessed grand events, but the group of fools below hadn't. The scene was becoming somewhat uncontrollable -- needless to say, it was a sensation.
Watching Jobs on stage, Bill Gates was quietly clenching his jaw. Man, he really was a little late to the game. If only he could have acted sooner.
Alas, after a long sigh, Bill discreetly left the venue. It's easy to foresee that his company's employees were in for trouble if they couldn't pick up the pace. They'd likely be shown the door.
The new product launch was thrilling. People were growing more interested in this gadget called a computer. It seemed easy enough to use now.
Steve Jobs also breathed a sigh of relief as he left the venue. He had luck on his side today; the computer didn't crash. He had already planned that if it crashed, he'd blame it on William White anyway. He'd just say the office suite was unstable.
...
"Sir, I really can't fix this. This system can barely last thirty minutes before it crashes on its own."
"Hehe, Tom, don't worry about it. The configuration of this computer is lacking. Transfer the system to the Lisa computer, and many of the issues can be resolved."
"Sir, are you saying this computer has design flaws?"
"Hehe, significant flaws. With an added hard drive and enhanced cooling, it might just barely pass. Ideally, use a low-power CPU."
"Sir, it's impossible. We can't dismantle the computer without using their special tools, or we have to break it forcefully."
"Is it that bad? Then just test the software with the Lisa computer and leave the rest alone."
Facing Jobs, who was seriously living in a fantasy world, William White could only look skyward speechlessly. Striving for perfection was fine, but the technology just wasn't up to par at the time!
...
"Jobs, congratulations, the launch was a success. But can you tell me how we're supposed to manufacture them?" Markkula, whose temper was rising, couldn't help himself. If it weren't for Jobs' symbolic value, he would've already planned to show this guy the door.
Being an insider, he knew this machine couldn't be sold. The sub-$3,000 price tag was tempting, but then what?
"Can't we use low-power CPUs and speed things up?"
"I checked it out. It's impossible within a year. Let me tell you, Motorola is actively developing this CPU. There's no deliberate delay; they face unsolvable issues, and the cost will certainly be high."
"Markkula, can we sell them first and recall them later?"
Markkula no longer wished to speak with him. Such a bizarre idea, yet he proposed it so confidently. Truthfully, this was indeed the suggestion from their fund manager.
The fund manager could certainly act this way, since that was their position. If your new product couldn't be sold, how would the stock price be speculated up?
But as a company, doing this was downright disrespectful. The hard-earned reputation built over years might crumble in an instant.
Markkula also knew that this issue wasn't going to be solved shortly. He would eventually be forced to accept the fund manager's suggestion. But how could Jobs say such a thing? This wasn't just his company anymore. So much of everyone's hard work was invested here, how could he be so reckless?
In truth, Steve Jobs didn't see any problem. If the production department couldn't solve it, why keep these incompetents around?
Twenty years later, the IT industry really did turn out this way. Designers held the upper hand, no matter what kind of quirky designs they came up with, factories would find a way to make them work.
Regardless of the infighting, Apple's new toy stunned the entire IT industry. As for Steve Jobs, that guy had already become a legend.
Carrying the banner of counter-culture, Jobs was suddenly elevated to an unimaginable status.
...
Meanwhile, William White, who was only seen as money-grubbing, couldn't be put on par with him.
Their computer was a product that changed life and the world, similar to how it was portrayed in the TV advertisement -- breaking the shackles of human thought. As for the newly rich, who had made his fortune swindling kids, comparisons were impossible.
IBM was quite frustrated.
"What? Are you sure? Microsoft is also developing a graphical operating system."
"Sir, absolutely sure. They have already completed the preliminary work, and it won't take long for them to launch a product."
"Hurry up and find out more about it! Don't bother with those compatible machine issues. We've solidified our reputation as monopoly Big Brother."
"Alright, boss, I'll get on it right away."
So, the legendary figures all had their lucky streaks. IBM, being blackened beyond measure, immediately abandoned impractical ideas.
Nowadays, the domestic economy was a total mess, and the Department of Justice was still on about antitrust issues. The latest news was that the phone and telegraph company was definitely getting split up. With that colossus no longer overshadowing them, IBM would be the biggest player around.
*****
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