Windows’ Chinese-style growth
Piracy.
Windows is undoubtedly a huge victim of piracy. But, at the same time, Windows is also a huge beneficiary of piracy.
Looking back at the development of China's IT industry, Windows piracy can be said to be a serious problem.
At that time, many Chinese people used computers for the first time, went to Internet cafes for the first time, and owned their own computers for the first time, all using pirated versions of Windows.
At that time, pirated versions of Windows were almost standard equipment for computers. After using computers for many years, many people didn’t even know that Windows was supposed to be paid software.
As a product, it is undoubtedly the goal of every product to occupy the vast majority of users and become a product that most users must use every day and cannot be discarded.
Windows did it. So, how is it done?
It does nothing. If you have to say yes, it can only be that it condones piracy.
The following analysis, I hope it will be helpful to friends who are doing growth.
The first is, why Windows is pirated.
There are three points here, all of which are indispensable.
1. Technical barriers and strong demand
Operating systems are something most people can’t do. Not to mention ordinary people, even ordinary technology cannot do it. But the operating system is an indispensable thing for PC.
2. User experience
It is indispensable but not something that everyone can do, so it is destined that there will only be a few operating systems, and everyone will use them.
At that time, the only types of PC operating systems on the market were Windows, Apple systems, and other Unix-like operating systems (such as redhat, etc.). Needless to say, the Apple system can only be used on Apple's own hardware. Most other Unix-like operating systems are not accessible to ordinary users.
Only Windows is targeted at individual users, so it is more suitable for individual users than other operating systems in all aspects (excluding Apple systems). In addition, there are relatively many application software based on Windows.
3. Price factor
In my impression, the price of Windows at that time was more than 1,000 yuan.
This was definitely not something that most Chinese people at that time could afford. Even now, most Chinese people will not spend so much money to buy a piece of software.
The above eventually led to the emergence of huge piracy benefits in this market.
As a result, some people (pirate makers) have made pirated versions of Windows and provided them to consumers at extremely low prices or even for free, or directly to consumer computer assembly businesses and individuals.
Some people (pirated retailers) copy pirated Windows made by others and resell them to computer assembly merchants and individuals at extremely low prices or even for free.
Computer assembly merchants also need these pirated versions of Windows. After all, they can directly reduce the cost of assembled computers, allowing them to ship more.
As a result, such a piracy synergy and interest relationship emerged.
In this synergy and interest relationship, pirate manufacturers have gained huge benefits, pirate retailers have also gained a lot of benefits, computer assembly merchants have also sold more computers, and the final consumers have also saved a lot of money. money.
The above are only direct collaborative relationships and interest relationships. Under this direct synergy and benefit relationship, there are other related synergy and benefit relationships.
For example: Windows software developers cooperate with pirated Windows and cooperate with computer assembly merchants to promote their own software by pre-installing it in pirated Windows. This has also allowed pirate manufacturers and computer assembly merchants to gain great benefits, further increasing the power of piracy.
These various interests and the resulting synergistic and interest relationships have made Windows piracy popular in China.
Eventually, Windows and Microsoft became almost household names in China. Windows has become a product that almost every Chinese netizen must use or has used in the past.
The Chinese-style growth of Windows is a typical case of spreading through collaborative relationships and interest relationships, leading to rapid growth.
Regarding this point, you can read: "Communication Power Yangma", which contains the "synergistic relationship" law and the "interest relationship" law.
In addition, this case also illustrates another thing.
The value of a product determines its spread and growth.
When a certain product becomes popular, everyone will copy it, especially those aspects of its popularity. However, after many people copied it, they found that it was not as effective as the already popular product.
The reason lies in the value of the product itself, how big it is, and whether it is suitable for the communication method of the popular product.
The first is the value of the product itself. There is no point in talking about spread and growth for products without value.
I've encountered this a lot over the years. When making products, we only consider how to attract users, and then let them attract others. Never consider the value of this product to users. What I said may be too straightforward, but many people think of various methods, and the summary is nothing more than this.
When making products, communication and growth must be taken into consideration. But the most basic thing is the value of the product to users. On this basis, dissemination and growth are meaningful.
