Chapter 40: Material Delivered to the Doorstep

As the plane pierced the sky, soaring above the clouds, Li Dongling flipped through the documents in his hands. The enemy of my enemy is my friend; taking on Microsoft in court without a plan would be like hitting a brick wall with one's head.

His objective was to rally every opponent of Microsoft to form an anti-Microsoft alliance. He did not need formal agreements; it would be enough if hardware giants, software leaders, and computer peripheral manufacturers all quietly spread the word against the tech giant.

They did not need to break with Microsoft completely. They simply needed to stir up a massive wave of opposition to drive Microsoft's stock price down. Once that happened, the Wall Street institutions, American state pension funds, and the myriad of domestic and international investors holding Microsoft stock would surely teach the company a lesson.

It was easier said than done. The power disparity was immense, and Microsoft’s coffers were overflowing. In America, money truly could make the devil turn the mill.

Li Dongling knew this had to be a lightning strike. He needed to hit Microsoft hard while it was off guard. He didn't expect to take the giant down, but if he could force Microsoft to concede, it would be enough to wash away the stain of plagiarism clinging to Dongling High-Tech.

If the matter dragged on for more than three months, his chances of winning would effectively hit zero. If Microsoft regained its footing and engaged in an all-out battle, Li doubted he could win even if the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

Dongling High-Tech would have to act as the vanguard. As for whether giants like Logitech, Dell, HP, Apple, Lotus, IBM, or Oracle would intervene, that was up to fate; it was beyond Li's control.

On the north shore of Lake Geneva, Lausanne—the Olympic City—housed the International Olympic Committee and numerous other international institutions. Known as a world city of art, it had long been a sanctuary for European artists; the likes of Byron, Rousseau, Hugo, Dickens, and Hemingway had all sought refuge or vacationed there.

The car navigated the uneven, hilly roads of Lausanne. Though the city area was compact, it was filled with historic buildings, churches, and castles. The Place de la Palud, the Lausanne Cathedral, and the Olympic Museum, opened just last year, appeared in succession.

If this were a vacation, the scenery would be delightful, and he could enjoy the views of Lake Geneva. But Li Dongling had no such luxury.

Ignoring his fatigue, he checked into his hotel, showered, changed his clothes, and headed straight for the Logitech headquarters.

"Who wants to see us?"

Daniel, the founder and president of Logitech, was taken aback when his assistant informed him that an unknown Asian company wanted to meet him and the other two founders, Tacolsta and Marini.

Daniel initially intended to decline, but one sentence from his assistant changed his mind: "That person said he is here today regarding Microsoft!"

"Let him in." Daniel thought for a moment and called for Tacolsta and Marini to join him.

"Why bring us here?"

"The most important thing right now is to launch Logitech's own ergonomic scroll-wheel mouse. The new generation of mice Microsoft launched at the Las Vegas computer expo has already received multiple orders. That is the future of the industry!" Tacolsta and Marini said to Daniel, their faces etched with anxiety.

Microsoft was Logitech’s greatest rival in the mouse industry, bar none. Logitech could never understand why a company as massive as Microsoft, if it wanted to enter the computer industry, didn't go head-to-head with IBM, HP, or Apple. Why fixate on the mouse industry? Selling mice made a few hundred million dollars at most—hardly enough for Microsoft to care about compared to the profits from a single software release. Logitech simply couldn't fathom how the brains of those in Microsoft's hardware division were wired.

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

"A Japanese company?" Tacolsta asked.

"Or perhaps a Korean one. I've heard they've made great strides in semiconductors and electronics lately. The U.S. has been supporting the Korean semiconductor industry, splitting and relocating Japanese operations there to hedge against the threat posed by Japan," Marini added, shrugging. He kept a close watch on industry shifts. Besides America, Japan was the hottest spot for electronics, and it had many peripheral manufacturers that were direct rivals to Logitech.

"Whoever it is, we'll see once they're here. Our war with Microsoft won't end immediately, so we have time for this."

As the leader of Logitech and the head of the three founders, Daniel had a long-term perspective. While he hated Microsoft with a passion, he knew that a battle with them required preparation for a long war. Even if they gained the upper hand temporarily, it was difficult to take down a giant with such a staggering amount of health.

Li Dongling and Yao Luoying walked into the office under the scrutinizing gaze of the three men.

"It is an honor to meet the pioneers of the mouse industry. The names of Logitech and its founders will be remembered just as Douglas Engelbart's is!"

Douglas was the father of the mouse. By placing Daniel and his colleagues on that same pedestal, Li Dongling was certainly buttering them up. Even though they knew it was flattery, the corners of Tacolsta and Marini's mouths couldn't help but lift.

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

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

Hearing that Li was from China, Daniel was genuinely surprised. For him and Logitech, China was still a "technological desert" with very few computer users, let alone any tech companies.

"So," Daniel said, his interest waning, "what exactly is your business regarding Microsoft?"

"Dongling High-Tech is suing Microsoft!"

As soon as Li spoke, Daniel and his partners were stunned. Li glanced at Yao Luoying, who produced several documents for them to review.

Seeing the Silver Mink mouse and the accompanying patent filings, Daniel, Tacolsta, and Marini struggled to process the information.

Amidst his bewilderment, Daniel found it hard to believe. "You mean to say that the mouse Microsoft just released is a copy of your product?!"

While the Dongling High-Tech case was causing a stir in the Chinese tech industry, it hadn't made a ripple overseas. Had it not been for the connection to Microsoft, Daniel might not have granted Li this meeting at all.

"As much as I dislike saying it, that is the truth!"

The three founders exchanged glances, their eyes filled with intrigue.

"I sympathize with your situation, but this seems to have nothing to do with Logitech. We are afraid we can be of no help," Daniel said. To a certain extent, Logitech and Dongling High-Tech were competitors. If Dongling High-Tech went to war with Microsoft, it would be enough for Logitech to sit back and watch the show.

Furthermore, if Microsoft truly had infringed on Dongling High-Tech’s patents, it was good news for Logitech. If the patent didn't belong to Microsoft, Logitech could use it however they pleased. They could launch a one-to-one replica of the Silver Mink by tomorrow!

"It may not concern Logitech now, but if Dongling High-Tech loses the patent lawsuit to Microsoft, it will!"

Li Dongling was not surprised by their attitude. "How many companies has Microsoft plagiarized over the years? Xerox, Lotus, Apple, IBM, and so on. If they aren't punished this time, who will be next?"

"If Dongling High-Tech falls, can Logitech’s patents remain safe?"

Seeing Daniel's expression shift, Li added more fuel to the fire. "Dongling High-Tech is just a small company. Compared to Microsoft or Logitech, we cannot sustain a drawn-out legal battle. If we are pushed to the brink, I wouldn't rule out selling our ergonomic and scroll-wheel mouse patents to Microsoft just to survive..."

"Enough!" Daniel said, his expression darkening. He understood exactly what Li meant. If Logitech didn't help, Li would drag them down with him. In Dongling High-Tech's hands, those patents weren't very threatening, but in Microsoft's hands, they could crush Logitech and other manufacturers, forcing them to pay massive royalties just to use the technology.

"Li, is it? What do you want?" Daniel asked, regaining his composure.

"Dongling High-Tech can license the Silver Mink mouse patents to Logitech for $1.5 million per year. Additionally, we can grant Logitech the five-year European agency rights for the Silver Mink brand, allowing Logitech to take 30% of the revenue in Europe."

Daniel scrutinized Li. A $1.5 million licensing fee was essentially a bargain, and the European agency rights were like handing them money on a silver platter. He knew Li was trying to chain them to the same chariot, but the terms were undeniably tempting, especially regarding the patents, which Logitech could leverage for a long time.

Li Dongling had no choice but to offer these terms. If you don't risk the bait, you won't catch the wolf; he needed to provide chips to earn Logitech's support.

As for the European agency rights, Dongling High-Tech had no hope of establishing its own sales channels there in the short term. Through Logitech’s network, they might actually make some money.

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

"Cover Dongling High-Tech's legal expenses in America and help us win the case against Microsoft in Europe!"

Li explained that as a local giant, if Logitech pursued the case against Microsoft in Europe, it would carry significant weight. The European Union had just been formed last year and was eager to assert its influence; Li didn't believe they would pass up the opportunity to make an example out of Microsoft.