[plug] Re: Microsoft vs General Motors (old but good, updated version)

[Leon Brooks]

> At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the
> computer industry with the auto industry and stated "If GM had kept up with
> technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving
> twenty-five dollar cars that got 1000 miles to the gallon."

> In response to Mr. Gates' comments, General Motors issued the following
> press release (by Mr. Welch himself, the GM CEO)  "If GM had developed
> technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following
> characteristics:

> 1. For no reason whatsoever your car would crash twice daily.

> 2. Every time they repainted the lines on the road, you would have to buy a
> new car.

> 3. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre, such as a left turn, would cause
> your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have
> to reinstall the engine.

> 4. Only one person at a time could use the car, unless you bought "Car95"
> or "CarNT".  But then you would have to buy more seats.

> 5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, reliable,five
> times as fast and twice as easy to drive.

> 6. The oil, water temperature and alternator warning lights would be
> replaced by one "general car default" warning light.

> 7. New seats would force everyone to have the same size bottom.

> 8. The airbag system would say ("Are you sure?" before going off).

> 9. Occasionally for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and
> refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle,
> turned the key, and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

> 10. GM would require all car buyers to also purchase a deluxe set of Rand
> McNally road maps (now a GM subsidiary), even though they neither need nor
> want them.  Attempting to delete this option would immediately cause the
> car's performance to diminish by 50% or more. Moreover, GM would become a
> target for investigation by the Justice department.

> 11. Every time GM introduced a new model car, buyers would have to learn
> how to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in
> the same manner as the old car.

> 12. You'd press the "start" button to shut off the engine.

-- 
"What you end up with, after running an operating system concept
 through these many marketing coffee filters, is something not
 unlike plain hot water." -- Matt Welsh