In Oracle, a joke is circulated, a question and answer, the content is as follows:
Q: What is the difference between God and Rari Ellison?
A: God does not think he is Larry Ellison.
Ellison is the richest effort in Silicon Valley, and the Oracle he owns is the world's largest database software company. Oracle may not know the public, but when you take money from the ATM, or schedule flights, or in the home TV, you just have traded with Oracle. Most Oracle customers are famous, ranking 500 large companies in "Wealth".
"I have always doubt the so-called 'traditional wisdom', especially those who have clouds. For me, things must be reasonable. This kind of thinking is very valuable in business operations, because you will become the first one. People who do different things, while occupying the market. So, how to avoid your mistakes? It is very simple, it is diligent thinking, constantly trying, and a large group of smart people discussing together "
"After reading three universities, I didn't get a degree diploma."
Ellison is a US Jewish descendant from Russia immigrant, born in Manhattan in 1944. Ellison raised from the small son, in the middle and lower layers of the Jewish area of Chicago, the difference in the rich and the poor is not so big. The Ellison in the student era did not show excellent quality and achievements, and he was alone in school, like alone.
In 1962, Ellison High School graduated, entered the University of Illinois, leaving the school in the second grade. Later, "Commercial Week" has reported the reasons why he left, and it is because the average score does not make a difference, Ellison is not scheduled. After a summer, he entered the University of Chicago and studied at Northwestern University. Through three universities, the eventually Ellison did not get any university diploma.
In 1966, Ellison left his hometown and came to California's Berclai, ready to study graduate students and started working. He studied computer programming, mainly developing large computers for IBM. He does not want to participate in high-tech, but I want to earn some living expenses. He gave some big company to develop applications, the software development means: hangs on tape, backup data, work monotony, no challenging, far can't compare with current programmers.
About the degree Ellison believes: "The university degree is useful, I think everyone should get one or more, but unfortunately I didn't get a degree in the university. I have never going to have a computer class, although I still become Programmer, I am completely programmed from books. "
"I changed more than a dozen companies, or nothing"
In the past few years, Ellison launched a lot of companies, 1973 Ellison works in Amdahl, amdahl is a company that produces large-sized computers in IBM, and 45% of Japan's Fujitsu, so Ellison has a chance to go to Japan. In Japan, he was fascinated by a typical exotic sentiment in Kyoto. Japan's Zen and culture gave Ellison with a deep impact, he became a lifelong enthusiast of Japanese cultural art.
After leaving AMDAHL, Ellison joined Ampex, which is a company that produces image equipment in Silicon Valley, where he knows the most important people in his life: Bob Miner and Edward Oates. At that time, they studied how to effectively store digital information that read the massive amount, and Ellison turned to market sales. The two of them eventually failed, Ellison blamed this in the company's management, "I know the technology than the heads of the company, and I can understand the market than they can run the company." Just like this The idea of his own office. Create Oracle
Just when they intend to set up a company, the other two legendary companies were born, one is Apple, one is Microsoft. Although these three companies 'products, ideas, cultures are completely different, but there are the same model: founders' components are a technological entrepreneur with dream spirit, add a technology genius: Bill Gates has Paul Allen, Steve Jobs has Steve Wozniak, Larry Ellison has Bob Miner.
In June 1977, Ellison had funded $ 2,000 in $ 2,000 to establish a software development research company, and Ellison has 60% of shares. The reason why Ellison accounted for so many shares is because the company is fully established by Ellison, and he has a $ 400,000 project contract. He is 32 years old this year.
"When I created Oracle, I would like to build a working environment that makes me love. This is the most important purpose. Of course, I have to support my family through the company, but I didn't expect it to be so rich now. Money is not the most important, I really want to work with people I like or admire. Oracle Recruitment has a principle: If this person doesn't like three times a week, don't let him join. "
"Billion billion dollar error" In 1976, IBM researchers published a midbutical papers "R System: Database Relationship theory", introducing relational database theory and query language SQL. Ellison read this article very carefully and deeply vibrated, which is the first time someone manages data information with a comprehensive program. Author TED CODD issued a relational database theory decade, and developed prototypes in IBM research institutions, this project is the R system, and the language of accessing data tables is SQL. The article describes the decade of research results and how to achieve the method. After Ellison read, he is keenly aware of this research on this research.
At that time, most people think that the relationship database will not have business value, as the speed is too slow, it is impossible to meet the processing large-scale data or a large number of user access data. The relationship database is very beautiful and easy to use, but insufficient is too simple, the speed is too slow. Ellison saw their chance: they decided to develop universal commercial database system Oracle, this name comes from a project that they have done to the Central Intelligence Agency. However, it is not only their exclusive in action, and Berkeley University has also begun to develop relational database system Ingres.
IBM did not plan development. Why is the "Blue Giant" gives this worth 10 billion products, there are many reasons: IBM researchers are academic origin, they are most interested in theory, rather than the product of the market; from academic The research results should be disclosed, because the published papers and speeches can make them famous, why not? There is also a very important reason is that IBM has a sales still-level hierarchical database product IMS, launching a competitive product affects IMS sales staff. Until 1985 IBM released the relational database DB2, and Ellision has become a millionaire.
Ellison once selected Microsoft MS-DOS as the IBM-PC's operating system than "The most serious mistake in the history of world business, exceeding 100 billion US dollars". IBM issued R system papers, but there is no unusually launched an error in relational database products, and the market value of Oracle reached $ 28 billion in 1996. "Smart Market Strategy"
A few months later, they have developed Oracle1.0, but this is just a toy, in addition to completing the simple relationship, you can't do anything. They need to spend a long time to make Oracle useful, maintaining the company's operations, mainly relying on some database management projects and advisory.
The first two users of the Oracle database are the US Central Intelligence Agency and the Naval Information, they use completely different hardware and software. The CIA is used by the IBM mainframe, the Navy uses VAX machine, and Ellison and Miner develop Oracle use Digital's PDP machine. This forces them to make an important decision: New version 3.0 is developed in C language because the C language is supported by all machines, and the C compiler is very cheap.
Ellison claims that Oracle can run on all machines, which is of course impossible, but this is a very smart market strategy. Large companies and agencies have various types of computers and operating systems, they are willing to buy a universal database.
In addition to IBM's friendly help, Oracle's success is also remembered on Digital. IBM provides relationship database theory to Ellison, and DEC provides a stage of performing: VAX computers. VAX is the most successful small machine in history.
"Excellent Market Sales"
The early Oracle version could not work properly, and the program was full of mistakes, but the user complained, but Ellison believed that the overeating market share was the most important. "When the market has been established, you know how much money will spend more than 1% of the market? It is very very expensive." IBM's style is big. If the user is not satisfied, it will not launch new products. Oracle Until the 1986 version 5.0 is only a basic reliable operation system, but interesting is that early users don't think of money and data, even if the CIA, I am not happy, what they need is technology Development, not just a product. Ellison describes the beautiful features that the product will be able to achieve, although not reached now, but they are willing to pay the fees.
Ellison's work is not just a sales product, he also promotes the concept of relational database. He often lecture the standard topic is "Defects of Data Technology", which tells about how the relational database will appear, and then describe how Oracle solves these problems. His different marketing skills are: others just tell the product function, he will do a demonstration on the spot, enter a relationship inquiry on the computer, soon out of the result, although the situation may be different, but The audience is impressed. Ellison is not only doing demonstrations, but also in training users use the relationship query language SQL. Ellison's success is larger than as a technical expert but a market sales expert.
"Oracle is in place, Ellison puts the market in the first place, after all other rely, companies with ordinary technology and first-class market capabilities have been defeated with companies with first-class technology and only ordinary market capabilities, one Silicon Valley is a senior person commented.
"You will become a millionaire, I am sure!"
Ellison often said his employees, as long as he uses his market strategy, they will become a millionaire. In fact, early employees have basically reached this goal. His strategy is to sell products to emphasize the three characteristics of Oracle: portability, and other database products, especially IBM compatibility, and support for a wide range of network connections. This satisfies the needs of users, although they actually get less than expectation. Ellison's opponent attack him always sells bubble software. Bubble software refers to software products that have not been completed. The main opponents of Ellison are Ingres. In 1984, Oracle's sales is $ 1.2.7 million, Ingres is $ 9 million; in 1985, the sales of two have doubled more than double, but IngRes grow faster. If this is developed, Ingres will go beyond the opponent, but at this time, the blue giant IBM helped Ellison.
In 1985 IBM released relational database DB2, using the INGRES different data query language SQL, INGRES is quel. Ellison seized market opportunities to promote Oracle and IBM compatibility. Since 1985 to 1990, although Ingres's sales increased by 50% annually, Oracle ran in front, with an annual growth rate of more than 100%. SQL became a formal industrial standard in 1986, and Ingres's boss could not believe in Ellison's luck, but this is the savvy of Ellison, "Follow the blue giant, never wrong."
IBM establishes SQL standards is the key to Oracle's success, but the database's war is far from ending. Sybase and Informix have also joined the ranks of competition.
"My goal is to gram the enemy"
An error made by Ingres is to develop version on the PC very late, while Ellison and Bill Gates have seen great potential of PCs. Oracle quickly has a cheap version on a PC. Although it has almost no use, Ellison and salesperson have a powerful propaganda weapon: Oracle can run on the PC.
Ellison I heard that INGRES invented a new technology - distributed inquiry, Ten days later Oracle announced that SQL star: the first distributed query database, in fact there is no such product. Ellison is like this, what should be imagined, then go to realize it. If it is successful, he is a successful prophet.
Oracle's listing brings $ 93 million worth of Ellison, Microsoft is publicly listed on the next day. Microsoft and Oracle were founded in the same year, and Bill Gates had more than $ 300 million, and Ellison found the most powerful opponents in his life.
In 1988, Oracle launched a version 6.0, this is the most powerful product at that time, but its rush to list is a disaster in the company, and the initial users of 6.0 have encountered frequent crash and database destruction until 6.0.27 version, product quality is basically stable. The mantissa 27 indicates that the 6.0 version has passed the 27 large modifications.
In this case, why don't users choose other products? The main reason is that if users choose other manufacturers' products, they have to override all applications, which is very huge workload, so once a database platform is developed, you have to rely on it.
"Encounter crisis"
Oracle founded in 1977 to 1990, sales have maintained a growth of more than 100% per year. At the same time, it also lurked huge hidden dangers: the company's financial and sales management is very confusing. In order to complete the task, the sales staff signed a lot of contracts that cannot be collected, and even someone falsified, the contract implementation does not ask, cash flow It is a negative value. Ellison hired a high-paying experience of experienced managers to rectify the company. The third financial quarter of 1990 is 15 million in sales contracts that cannot be implemented. Although the quarterly sales reached US $ 236 million, the profit only increased by 1 %. The news announced the next day, Oracle's stock fell from $ 25.38 to $ 17.5, lost 30% market value. For the crisis, Oracle fired 10% of employees, becomes worse in the next two quarters, stocks at the end of October, with only $ 5.38, in spring Ellison's share of $ 1 billion in stocks There was only $ 160 million in November.
Ellison bravely accepted challenge, he did not sell his own stock. The company began to improve sales and financial management, maintain enough cash flow, and sales contract must be confirmed. These ordinary companies have played a lot, but the company's growth rate slowed down, which is also true causes of Ellison who don't want to adopt these practices. In 1991 and 1992, the company's sales growth rate was only 12% and 15%.
Ellison will hop in Oracle7.0, which is a new version of the company for several years until June 1992 finally debut. This time he took the lesson of 6.0 in a hurry, I released the Alpha beta version in 10 months, and Oracle7.0 is an extremely excellent product and has achieved great success. Ellison's sales team has a true truce, sales increased from $ 1.5 billion in 1992 to 4.2 billion in 1995.
The company has also begun to have mature management methods, patiently listen to user opinions and meet their needs. Oracle has never done it before. It turns out that Oracle is very unhappy. A customer calls complaining that the Oracle database is dead, and destroyed his data. The answer is: "None, there is no one." This situation is now Never appear, the customer must get a first-class service.
"Change the World Network Computer"
Ellison is no longer responsible for daily work, just planning the future direction of Oracle. In the leisure, he drives up to 78 feet of "Shajiang Na Na" out of the sea, in 1995 he won the champion of Sydney sailing competition.
The information motorway attracted Ellison's attention, and he is one of the largest sponsors of President Clinton. He actually promoted the development of interactive TV and top box, and he found a more charming opportunity: WWW Global Network, Netscape browser pushed WWW network to the world, the performance of the PC will no longer be the protagonist Even the Internet network is the value.
Ellison introduced the concept of network computer networkComputer at the European Information Technology Forum held in Paris in 1995. The so-called NC refers to the configuration simple but makes full use of low-cost computers of network resources. No need to continuously update hardware devices and increasingly complex, huge operating systems, no floppy disks and hard drives, as long as the power supply browser connects the network You can get information and storage files, which will not be higher than $ 500. Ellison scored his target Microsoft, "Oracle will only do one thing, we manage massive data and provide these data over the network."
Behind the network computer is a powerful web server, all data and applications are stored in the server's database, and Oracle's database technology will make the network computer easily manages management. Gates immediately spoke, he believes that the network computer does not have any value, just the turning version of the large unit terminal. But this day's victory is Ellison, the network of network computers appears on the main layout of all newspapers. "Japanese culture is very interesting, the impact on me is very huge, the Japanese is the most polite, extremely arrogant and extremely humble, and a wonderful balance. When establishing Oracle, it is a wonderful balance. We want to create this culture as much as possible in the company, on the one hand, it is very modest. If you can balance these two, you will have increased the opportunity to succeed in the competition, this is the individual and collective same."
The media is different from the network computer. CNET's reporter believes that there is no hard disk network computer to rely on the server, which will be completely unreliable; "Business Week" column reporters believe that network computing opportunities bring a completely different personal computer industry. The vice president of Microsoft is considered: "People want to provide more capabilities, rather than fewer, online computer is not worth mentioning." But large companies and institutions appreciate network computers, every two years To update the cost of computers and upgrade software is too high, a standard PC cost is $ 2,000 in 1996, but the cost of maintenance is close to $ 13,200, and the management cost of network computers should be relatively low.
Although Oracle sets IBM, Sun, Apple, and Netscape in 1996, it has developed network computers in 1996, but in fact, there is no network computer to produce. Gates although the network computer is nasal, but also published a simple personal computer SIPC standard for counterattack. SIPC is basically like NC, only a point difference: it needs to use a Windows operating system.
But all this is not critical. With the competition of AMD and Intel, a computer under $ 800 in 1997 has become a new growth point in the computer industry, and Basic Computer below $ 500 will also appear. Microsoft is still the leader of the market, but Ellison has never given up. He said: "The war has ended, and the competition of the market has just begun."
