At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry, and stated, "If General Motors had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that get 1000 miles per gallon".
In response to Bill's statement, GM 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 over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen all of the windows before you could continue. For some reason, you would simply accept this.
4. Occasionally, executing a manuver 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. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced with a single "THIS VEHICLE HAS PERFORMED AN ILLEGAL OPERATION" light.
6. The air bag system would ask: "Are You Sure?" before deploying.
7. 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 antenna.
8. Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn to drive all over again, because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
9. You would have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.
10. 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 5% of the roads.
In response to Bill's statement, GM 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 over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen all of the windows before you could continue. For some reason, you would simply accept this.
4. Occasionally, executing a manuver 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. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced with a single "THIS VEHICLE HAS PERFORMED AN ILLEGAL OPERATION" light.
6. The air bag system would ask: "Are You Sure?" before deploying.
7. 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 antenna.
8. Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to learn to drive all over again, because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
9. You would have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.
10. 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 5% of the roads.
