posted 06-19-2001 01:52 PM         

Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with
> the auto industry and stated "If GM had kept up with the
> technology like the computer industry has, we would all be
> driving $25 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:
>
> l. 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 the windows before you could continue.
> For some reason you would simply accept this.
>
> 4. 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.
>
> 5. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning
lights
> would all be replaced by a single "General Protection
Fault"
> warning light.
>
> 6. The airbag 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 radio antenna.
>
> 8. Every time GM introduced a new car, 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'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the
engine off.