Fw: GM Vs Microsoft (fwd)

[David Glass <webdev@home.herrin.ultisat.net>]

I thought everyone should get the chance to read this one 8-)


General Motors vs. Microsoft
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 maneuver, 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. Linux 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.
--
David A. Glass
webdev@herrin.ultisat.net
Personal Account
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