Computer Industry vs. Auto Industry - Progress?
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 Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press
release stating (by Mr. Welch himself): 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 on the road you would have
to buy a new car.
3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason,
and you would just accept this, restart and drive on.
4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn, would
cause your car to shut down and refuse to start, in which case
you have to reinstall the engine.
5. 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.
6. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun,
reliable, five times as fast, and twice as easy to drive, but
would only run on five per cent of the roads.
7. The oil, water temperature and alternator lights would be
replaced by a single "general car fault" warning light.
8. New seats would force everyone to have the same size butt.
9. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before
going off.
10. 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.
11. Every time GM would introduce 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
13. Although you'd get 1000 miles per gallon, you'd still have to
spend 20 minutes every other day draining your tank and
re-filling it with updated gas 5.0x in order for your car to run
properly.