GM vs. Microsoft
At a computer expo, 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:
- For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
- Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by
a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.
- The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.
- 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.
- 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.
- You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.