Gates
vs. GM
For all of us who feel only the deepest
love and affection for the way
computers have enhanced our lives, read
on.
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 $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."
In response to Bill's comments, General
Motors issued a press release stating:
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 a day.
2. Every time they repainted the lines
in the road, you would have to buy a new
car.
3. Occasionally your car would die on
the freeway for no reason. You would have
to pull to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car,
restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue.
For some reason you would simply accept this.
4. 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.
5. Macintosh would make a car that was
powered by the sun, was reliable, five
times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five
percent of the roads.
6. The oil, water temperature, and
alternator warning lights would all be replaced
by a single, "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation"
warning light.
7. The airbag system would ask, "Are you
sure?" before deploying.
8. 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.
9. Every time a new car was introduced
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.
10. You'd have to press the "Start"
button to turn the engine off.
