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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>No Variety
Allowed<BR>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-<BR><BR>After the recent Anti-trust hearings,
Bill Gates recently compared<BR>the software market with the soft drink
market. He says Microsoft is<BR>struggling to survive but that the
beverage giant will be on top<BR>forever because the Department of Justice
doesn't pick on them. Of<BR>course, Bill should be careful not to give
Coke any ideas. We might<BR>end up with a scenario like the
following:<BR><BR>Joe: (walking into McDonalds) Hi, I'd
like a Big Mac.<BR><BR>Cashier: Okay, here's your Big Mac and here's your Coke.
That'll be<BR>$3.99.<BR><BR>Joe: Uh, I don't want a
Coke.<BR><BR>Cashier: Sorry, they're
bundled.<BR><BR>Joe: What? I'm not paying for a
Coke!<BR><BR>Cashier: You don't; the Coke is
free.<BR><BR>Joe: But wasn't a Big Mac $2.49 last
week?<BR><BR>Cashier: Sure, but this latest Big Mac is far more innovative.
It's<BR>got integrated Coke!<BR><BR>Joe: I already
bought a Snapple across the street... I'm not going<BR>to drink the
Coke.<BR><BR>Cashier: Then you can't have the
burger.<BR><BR>Joe: Okay, fine, I will pay the $3.99 and
throw the Coke away.<BR><BR>Cashier: Oh, you can't do that. They're seamlessly
integrated. Totally<BR>inseparable.<BR><BR>Joe: How can
that be? They're two totally separate things!<BR><BR>Cashier: No, watch. (takes
Big Mac, dunks it in a tank of Coke) See?<BR><BR>Joe:
Why did you just do that?!<BR><BR>Cashier: It's a benefit to the consumer.
Otherwise you'd end up with<BR>two different, inconsistent tastes. This way
you're assured of a<BR>continuous taste across all your
foods.<BR><BR>Joe: Aaarrgh!<BR><BR>Contributed by:
Marty</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>