Chapter 40: Material Delivered to the Door

The plane cut through the sky, arriving above the clouds. Li Dongling flipped through the materials in his hands. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. This time, fighting a lawsuit against Microsoft, if they rashly went up to challenge Microsoft, that would be like hitting a southern wall with their heads.

Therefore, what Li Dongling had to do this time was to win over all of Microsoft's opponents and form an anti-Microsoft alliance. They didn't need to sign any agreements; they just needed to let computer hardware giants, software giants, and computer peripheral manufacturers all secretly spread the word, opposing Microsoft would be enough.

They didn't need these companies to truly break with Microsoft; they just needed to stir up a massive voice of opposition against Microsoft, enough to make Microsoft's stock price fall. By then, the Wall Street institutions, American state pension funds, and a host of domestic and foreign investors who had bought Microsoft stock would teach Microsoft a lesson!

It was easy to say, but doing it was not that easy. After all, the gap in strength between the two sides was truly too large. The money in Microsoft's hands was truly too much. Money makes the mare go; in America, that could truly be realized!

Therefore, Li Dongling knew that this matter had to be resolved quickly. While Microsoft was unprepared, they had to give it a fierce punch. Knocking it down was impossible, but as long as they made Microsoft take a step back and wash away the filth of plagiarism from Dongling High-Tech, that would be enough.

Once it dragged on for more than three months, the chance of winning would basically be zero. By the time Microsoft reacted and they fought with real swords and guns, Li Dongling felt that even if the lawsuit went to the U. S. Federal Supreme Court, they probably wouldn't win.

In this matter, Dongling High-Tech definitely had to act as the vanguard. As for whether giants like Logitech, Dell, HP, Apple, Lotus, IBM, and Oracle would intervene, that would have to be left to fate; it was not something Li Dongling could decide.

On the north shore of Lake Geneva, many international organizations such as the International Olympic Committee were located in this Olympic city. Lausanne was also known as the World City of Art; European artists all liked to run here to take refuge. Byron, Rousseau, Hugo, Dickens, Hemingway, and others had all come here to take refuge or vacation.

The vehicle drove over uneven slopes. Lausanne was a mountain city. The urban area was not large, but it had many various buildings, churches, ancient castles, etc. Passing by the Place de la Palud in the city center, the Lausanne Cathedral, and the Olympic Museum that had just opened last year, all appeared before their eyes.

If it were for a vacation, the scenery here could be considered quite good, and one could go to Lake Geneva to enjoy the scenery, but now Li Dongling didn't have that frame of mind.

Unable to care about fatigue, after checking into the hotel, Li Dongling took a shower, changed his clothes, and rushed toward the Logitech headquarters.

"Who wants to see us?!"

Daniel, the founder and CEO of Logitech, upon hearing the secretary's report that an Asian company he had never heard of wanted to see him and Logitech's other two founders, Parkosta and Marini, couldn't help but be surprised.

Originally, Daniel didn't want to pay attention, but a sentence from the secretary made him change his mind: "That person said he came here today because it's related to Microsoft!"

"Let him in!"

Daniel thought for a moment and called Parkosta and Marini over as well.

"What's the matter calling us over?"

"The most important thing now is to launch Logitech's own ergonomic scroll wheel mouse. The new generation of mice launched by Microsoft at the Las Vegas Computer Expo has already received multiple orders. That is the future of the mouse industry!"

Parkosta and Marini both said to Daniel in succession, both with anxious expressions on their faces.

Microsoft was Logitech's biggest rival in the mouse industry, bar none. Logitech also truly couldn't figure it out: Microsoft was such a large company, if they wanted to enter the computer industry, go fight with companies like IBM, HP, and Apple. Why stare at the mouse industry all day? Selling mice for a year earned a few hundred million USD at most, not enough for Microsoft to casually launch a piece of software to harvest leeks. Logitech truly didn't know how the brains of those people in Microsoft's hardware department were wired.

"There's a founder of an Asian company who wants to see us, saying it's related to Microsoft!" Daniel said.

"A Japanese company?" Parkosta said.

"It could also be a Korean company. I heard that Korea has made great progress in semiconductors and electronics in recent years. America is supporting the Korean semiconductor industry, splitting up Japanese semiconductors and moving them to Korea to check the threat posed by Japanese semiconductors!"

Marini spread his hands and said. He paid close attention to industry changes. Currently, the two hottest places in the electronics industry, besides America, were Japan. Japan also had many computer peripheral manufacturers for mice, screens, keyboards, etc., which could be considered Logitech's rivals.

"No matter who it is, we'll know when we see them. Our war with Microsoft won't end immediately, and we aren't short of this bit of time."

Daniel was Logitech's leader and the head brother among the three founders. He saw far. Although he hated Microsoft to the bone, he also knew that if he wanted to fight Microsoft, he had to be prepared for a protracted war. Even if they gained the upper hand for a moment, it was very difficult to defeat Microsoft, whose health bar was shockingly thick.

Li Dongling and Yao Luoying walked into the office under the scrutinizing gazes of the three Daniels.

"It is a great honor to meet the pioneers of the mouse industry. The names of Logitech and its founders will be remembered by people just like Douglas Engelbart!"

Douglas was the father of the mouse. Li Dongling placing Daniel and the three of them in the position of the father of the mouse was definitely flattering them.

Hearing Li Dongling's words, even knowing it was flattery, the corners of Parkosta and Marini's mouths couldn't help but rise slightly.

Daniel was much calmer. "You are from Asia..."

"Li Dongling, Dongling High-Tech Company from Hanxi Province, China!"

Hearing that Li Dongling was from the country, Daniel was truly surprised this time. For Daniel and Logitech, the country was still a tech "desert" zone. There weren't many computer users at all, let alone any tech companies.

"So," hearing that Dongling High-Tech was a domestic company, Daniel was a bit uninterested. "What is this so-called matter related to Microsoft?"

"Dongling High-Tech is going to sue Microsoft!"

As soon as Li Dongling spoke, Daniel, Marini, and the others were stunned for a moment. Li Dongling looked at Yao Luoying, who took out several documents for Daniel and the others to see.

Seeing the Silver Mink mouse and the mouse patent, Daniel, Parkosta, and Marini felt their brains couldn't react for a moment.

Daniel felt absurd and also somewhat incredulous. "You mean to say that the mouse Microsoft just released plagiarized your product?!"

Dongling High-Tech's matter, although noisy in the domestic tech industry, had no sound at all overseas. If it weren't for the involvement of Microsoft today, Daniel might not have met Li Dongling at all.

"Although I don't want to believe it, the facts are indeed so!"

Daniel, Parkosta, and Marini looked at each other, their eyes revealing playful expressions.

"I express sympathy for this matter, but this matter seems to have nothing to do with Logitech, and we can only express helplessness!"

Daniel said. To a certain extent, Logitech and Dongling High-Tech could be considered rivals right now. If Dongling High-Tech really fought with Microsoft, Logitech just watching the show would be enough.

Moreover, if Microsoft really plagiarized Dongling High-Tech's mouse patent, that was also good news for Logitech. The patent wasn't Microsoft's, so Logitech could use it however they wanted. Tomorrow, Logitech could launch a one-to-one copy of the Silver Mink mouse and start selling it!

"It has nothing to do with Logitech now, but if Dongling High-Tech loses the patent lawsuit with Microsoft, then it will have something to do with it!"

Li Dongling didn't find Daniel and the others' attitude strange. "Microsoft has plagiarized how many companies over the years? Xerox, Lotus, Apple, IBM, etc. If they aren't punished this time, who will be next?!"

"If Dongling High-Tech falls, can Logitech's patents still be protected?!"

Seeing Daniel's expression change, Li Dongling added more fuel to the fire. "Dongling High-Tech is still just a small company. Compared to Microsoft and Logitech, we can't support a protracted lawsuit. If we reach the point of exhaustion, we don't rule out selling the ergonomic mouse and scroll wheel mouse patents to Microsoft to tide over the difficulties..."

"Enough!"

Daniel said with an ugly expression. He understood what Li Dongling meant. If Logitech didn't help Dongling High-Tech, then Li Dongling would drag Logitech into the water together. Those patents for the Silver Mink in Dongling High-Tech's hands couldn't exert much power, but in Microsoft's hands, they could play Logitech and a host of computer manufacturers to death. Without paying a large patent fee, don't even think about using those patents.

"Li, is it? What do you want?" Daniel made himself calm down and asked Li Dongling.

"Dongling High-Tech can license the mechanical Silver Mink mouse patent to Logitech for use at a price of 1.5 million USD per year. In addition, the five-year European agency rights for the Silver Mink mouse brand can be handed over to Logitech. Logitech can take 30% of the Silver Mink mouse's revenue in Europe!"

Daniel looked Li Dongling up and down this time. A patent licensing fee of 1.5 million USD was basically a cabbage price, and the European agency rights for the Silver Mink were also sending money to Logitech. Although he knew that Li Dongling was tying Logitech to the same chariot, these conditions were indeed tempting, especially in terms of patents, which Logitech could use for a long time.

Licensing the mouse patent to Logitech was also a last resort for Li Dongling. If you don't give up the child, you can't catch the wolf. If you want Logitech's support, you must bring out chips.

As for the European agency rights for the Silver Mink, in the short term, the Silver Mink couldn't establish sales channels in Europe at all. Through Logitech's channels, they might even be able to earn some money.

"What do you want Logitech to do?" Daniel asked directly.

"Bear the legal litigation costs for Dongling High-Tech in America and help Dongling High-Tech win the lawsuit against Microsoft in Europe!"

Li Dongling said. Logitech was a local snake in Europe. Dongling High-Tech suing Microsoft in Europe might not be taken seriously, but if it were Logitech suing, it would be completely different.

Especially since the EU had just been successfully formed last year and was in high spirits, preparing to show its skills. What could show the EU's presence better than taking Microsoft as a target? Material delivered to the door—Li Dongling didn't believe they wouldn't want it! ===== CHAPTER 41 =====