Rebirth Tokyo 1986

Chapter 411 Chat Software
After reaching a preliminary agreement on the introduction of PHS phones into China, Masato Takeshita, without bothering to inspect Xinghai Group's projects in Beijing or to see Lin Qingqian and her son, rushed back to Japan.

He suddenly realized that he hadn't yet assigned the task of developing instant messaging software to the company's software department.

If you ask young people what internet software they are most familiar with, instant messaging software, represented by QQ, will definitely be among them.

Masato Takeshita stayed in his office and created a very clear and concise PowerPoint presentation for an instant messaging software project in less than three days.

"This is exactly the effect I wanted from the QQ chat software."

"When you open it, there's just a small long bar. The top line is the account, and the bottom line is the password."

"Next to 'Account' is a 'Create Account' button, and next to 'Password' is a 'Forgot Password' button."

……

Masato Takeshita showed the slides and began explaining the functions of the chat software one by one.

When he gets to the important part, he will deliberately pause for a moment before continuing.

"All data in our chat software is stored on the server. You only need to remember your username and password to log in on any computer."

ICQ, the ancestor of instant messaging, did not have the function of logging in from different locations.

If you switch to a different computer, all your content will be lost.

This is one of the key reasons why ICQ, despite having an initial advantage, lost to Yahoo and Microsoft overseas.

Furthermore, the ICQ account application function is extremely user-unfriendly.

It's completely unnecessary for a chat app to require an email address to apply.

In short, ICQ, as the pioneer of instant messaging software, had a lot of problems, so young people mainly referred to QQ chat software.

"Also, we need to make more cartoon icons so that everyone can choose different patterns to chat with."

"In addition, the image customization function should be developed as soon as possible so that everyone can have their own personalized avatar."

Instant messaging software doesn't need many features right now, so even the most important functions like copy, paste, and cut weren't requested by the young people.

These features can be added in future updates. We should surprise users little by little, not all at once.

Masato Takeshita not only values ​​the functionality of chat software, but also the account registration process.

He turned to the next slide and emphasized the key points to the software company employees.

"Our registration process must be straightforward and easy to follow, so that even users who are new to computers can complete the registration quickly."

"Therefore, after the software was developed, it was immediately tested in the Xinghai Internet Cafe Alliance to simplify the registration process."

While the early days of QQ's success in the Chinese chat software wars were partly due to the lack of attention from major internet companies, it was more about the improvement of its features and the simplification of the registration process.

If the registration process is too complicated, it will become a tragedy for DOTA2 in China.

Many people want to try it, but many are frustrated and give up because of the extremely tedious registration process.

As a die-hard user, he was so frustrated by the several failed downloads that he almost gave up.

This is a typical example of failure caused by cumbersome registration process.

After emphasizing the simplified registration process, the young man then brought up the point he valued most.

He even slammed his hand on the table in response.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Note that all of the above are important, but the chat software framework is even more important."

"Our chat software must have a small memory footprint, ideally a few hundred KB would suffice."

"Only when the size is small enough will users be willing to use it."

Back in the dial-up era, if a chat application was too large, downloading it could take tens of minutes.

Therefore, the size must be reduced to the smallest possible size before people are more willing to download it.

In its past life, with only a handful of users, the QQ software could be shrunk to 200KB.

Masato Takeshita believed that even if Starsea Network, supported by a large number of talented people, could not reach the same level, it could easily reduce the software size to 500KB.

Speaking of which, Xinghai Network is a new company established by Xinghai Group a few days ago.

This includes everything from email software that is about to be developed to heavyweight websites such as Baidu and Google.

This will also allow for better management of Xinghai Group's internet-related industries.

As for Xinghai Software, it still focuses on operating systems, office software, and industrial software-related industries, and no longer engages in business related to APP software.

"Understand?"

"Yes, President!"

The chat software project team members, whom Takeshita Masato had selected through Xinghai Software and who had just joined Xinghai Network, immediately responded loudly in unison.

“Great, that’s exactly how it should be. The day the software is officially launched will also be the day the new company is founded.”

"The company will determine the relevant positions based on your contributions to the chat software."

Only with a generous reward can brave men be found.

Masato Takeshita wants to see the chat software as soon as possible, which inevitably requires employees to take initiative. And the best way to motivate employees is definitely through promotions and raises.

"Yes, understand."

The already highly motivated chat software project team members were even more excited at this moment.

Some people even decided to secretly work hard even when they were at home.

This is the best opportunity for me to get a promotion and a raise; if I miss it, I don't know when it will come again.

No employee in Xinghai Group's internet-related departments didn't envy the initial treatment of employees at Google and Baidu.

As for working at the company, forget about it; the company strongly discourages overtime.

Apart from the necessary staff who stay on duty, overtime work for other employees is actually a negative factor.

By the time the meeting ended, it was lunchtime. After ordering lunch with his best friend, Yuta Nishiyama found a quiet corner.

"That's really impressive, the president explained it so clearly."

Yuta Nishiyama's eyes were filled with adoration; he already regarded his company president as a god-like figure.

The software type that has never appeared in the world before has been designed so stunningly by its own chairman, full of the minimalist and ultimate beauty of the Internet.

Not only is the interface design outstanding, but it also offers many very practical software functions.

If he were to do it, he would never figure it out in ten lifetimes.

"Of course, our president is the world's best product manager."

Yuta Nishiyama's friend, Masahiro Takagi, also admired the young man and responded to his friend in a very natural manner.

If their own president can design the Starry Sea Operating System and then propose a chat software design, it's no simple matter.

"Indeed, the president is really amazing; everything he does is a success."

Within the Xinghai Group, a phenomenon of personality cult has emerged in the eyes of Takeshita Masato.

The youth tried to address the issue several times, but with little effect.

There's no way around it; it's only when your boss can invent physical products like rolling suitcases and USB flash drives, and also design cutting-edge PC operating systems and various internet software.

If you were an employee of this company, you would also develop a sense of admiration.

Steve Jobs, through his innovative innovations in computers and mobile phones, was revered as a god by countless people.

Masato Takeshita, whose performance was even more miraculous than that of Apple's Steve Jobs, naturally received an even more fervent response.

In particular, his calm and considerate nature, which always takes into account the behavior of his employees, makes them respect and love him even more.

“Yeah, if I had even a tenth of what the chairman has. No, a hundredth, I'd probably be a millionaire.” “Yeah, you’re right.”

Yuta Nishiyama and Masahiro Takagi kept marveling at their chairman's omnipotence, their words filled with pride and admiration.

The other employees on the chat software project team, besides the two individuals, shared similar sentiments.

In everyone's eyes, Masato Takeshita is practically a human legend.

Although he did not reach the level of an omniscient being, he was already at the pinnacle of human existence.

As long as Xinghai Group continues to grow, Masato Takeshita's efforts to clean up the company's personality cult will likely never succeed.

While the chat software project team was still developing under the guidance of the young man, good news came from the email project team in the same company.

"President, we've received news from Xinghai Network that Xinghai Mail is preparing for its first round of testing today."

“Great, let’s go take a look.”

Email is also an important part of Xinghai Network's development.

Both Baidu and Google need this powerful tool for early-stage internet promotion.

Of course, this requires Xinghai Network's email division to have a sufficient number of users.

If the number of users is too small, then it can only sit there and burn money to run.

Shortly after, Masato Takeshita arrived by car at the office building that the group had leased for Xinghai Networks.

"Is this our email address?"

"Yes, it was made entirely according to the minimalist style requested by the chairman."

After a long period of collaborative research and development, the email project team has established a tacit management system.

The young man, Shigeru Oshima, who stood respectfully before Masato Takeshita in response, was the team leader chosen by the project team.

Of course, Masato Takeshita dared to implement this flat competition structure because the two project teams had relatively few people.

After several months of development, the email group still has fewer than 20 people.

With fewer people, talented individuals can naturally stand out quickly and gain everyone's trust.

The chat software project team was similar, with fewer than 20 members.

I estimate that they will select a management team soon.

However, the fates of email and chat software will be very different.

Electronic software can only serve as an adjunct to other internet software, and even if the number of users increases, it won't increase by much.

Chat software is one of the core applications of the Internet, and the number of employees required for it will increase day by day.

Companies built around chat software have the potential to employ hundreds of thousands of people in the future.

"It's pretty good, but the page color would be better if it were closer to sky blue, it would look fresher."

"As for features, scheduled sending is a must, and at the same time, we must minimize the possibility of email loss."

Masato Takeshita looked at the email icon on his computer and offered a few simple suggestions.

These are the areas he feels need improvement.

The blue color of the email now looks very cheap, which greatly reduces its appeal to users.

He doesn't know about others, but he himself can't stand software that's too ugly.

Just like watching animation, he won't watch those with rough character designs.

For example, he didn't watch King's Game and Frilian, which were very popular on Bilibili, because he didn't like the art style.

"Yes, understand."

Shigeru Oshima quickly responded, then spoke in a respectful tone.

"President, shall we send the first official email?"

"No, let the one who contributed the most to R&D take over."

This honor is quite significant for the employees of Xinghai Group.

This incident will most likely be recorded in the history of Xinghai Group. Those involved will become key figures for promotion within the group.

But for young people, it is a very small matter.

For Masato Takeshita, one more opportunity to appear in public wouldn't make a difference, and losing it wouldn't matter at all.

Why not give the opportunity to the employees? It might just change someone's destiny.

"Yes, understand!"

Shigeru Oshima bowed respectfully again, then called over the person who contributed the most to the development email.

"Hello, Chairman, I am Shuichi Wada."

"Hello to you too, Mr. Wada."

After a brief greeting, Osamu Wada followed the young man's instructions and sent an email to the company headquarters secretariat.

Both sides had already reached an agreement, so the other side responded immediately after receiving the email.

"Good, it seems everything is working properly. Next, we'll send it overseas."

"Yes, President."

Soon, Shuichi Wada sent the new email to China.

Xinghai Software China also received it intact.

Next, of course, is to repeat the test.

The feedback was very good; there were no problems with dozens of emails in a row.

"Excellent, excellent, we can now conduct larger-scale testing."

While a few dozen emails may not signify much, they can already be considered a success for the project.

Next, we need to conduct more frequent and repeated tests to find as many bugs as possible.

As for software that is completely bug-free, that doesn't exist in this world yet.

As long as the bug is kept within a certain range and does not affect everyone's use, then it can be treated as if nothing happened.

The first round of testing will last for a week, so Masato Takeshita naturally doesn't have that much time to waste here.

He simply informed the company in advance about the first round of bonuses for the project team before leaving.

"Everyone should know the company's development principle, which is to never engage in empty talk."

"So the first reward I want to mention is that the company will award bonuses ranging from 500 million to 5000 million yuan based on everyone's individual contributions."

For company employees, money is the most tangible thing. Therefore, Xinghai Group always includes monetary rewards when rewarding its employees.

They were also very generous with the figures, starting at a minimum of one million yen.

Unlike other Japanese companies that are stingy and only give tens of thousands of yen, treating people like beggars and insulting them.

Furthermore, if your contributions are later proven to far exceed the initial assessment, you will receive additional rewards.

For example, you invented multi-touch screen technology for the company.

This technology was not very useful in the 1990s, but it is the most important patent for ushering in the intelligent era in the 21st century.

So in the 21st century, once the company recognizes the importance of this technology, it will give you a huge bonus.

Masato Takeshita certainly didn't want to create a Nobel Prize-worthy invention only to end up with a mere tens of thousands of yen in prize money—a truly idiotic endeavor.

(End of this chapter)