[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Isn't it great that computer prices just keep dropping. Wish cars had gone down in price as most technology does over time. They'd be costing us about $1 for a new car today.
This was posted on the CPUK forum recently (thanks Mike) - thought it was relevant here:
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 (and I just love this part):
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
could have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the
windows, shut off the car, restart it, and then reopen the windows
before you could continue For some reason you would simply accept this.
4. 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.
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. Before deploying, the airbag system would ask, "Are you sure?"
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, the car buyer 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 off the engine.
Please share this with your friends who love - but sometimes hate -their
computer!