News: 0141262328

Anyone remember this? At a computer expo, Bill Gates 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:

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 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. 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.

5. Apple 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. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.

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 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.

10. You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off."

Source: [1]https://www.hcs.harvard.edu/pn... [harvard.edu]

[1] https://www.hcs.harvard.edu/pnw/microsoftjoke.htm

> Microsoft, as the gold standard in the trustworthy democratization of technology,

Yeah, that...

There's already a shortage of computer chips halting new car production, and rumor has it the new Biden administration wants to push for a new Cash for Clunkers part 2. Kiss your used car inventory goodbye in direct competition with new car inventories being depleted. $$,$$$ cha-ching!!

now they're going to be DRIVING GM cars.

Seriously, they fucked up Ford stereos so bad Ford abandoned them for Blackberry's OS.

I really, really wish I had the Blackberry instead of Microsoft stereo in my van.

Someone once asked me if it was like having an iPod in my van. I replied "think early prototype rejected Zune." I have to unplug the battery in my van occasionally to reset the fucking stereo when it crashes - and I can't seem to find a fuse or relay to do it with to prevent me from having to yank the

Blue Screen of Death .

I guess both can run in parallel but if you have such amount to spend, shouldn't we spend it first on reducing the GHG emissions of vehicles rather than getting rid of the driver ? Seems the first point is more urgent.

> "Microsoft, as the gold standard in the trustworthy democratization of technology, will be a force multiplier for us as we commercialize our fleet of self-driving, all-electric, shared vehicles," said Cruise CEO Dan Ammann.

So when will we be getting our open-source self-driving cars?

MS has a long-term history of shoddy, 2nd rate engineering, ignoring established solutions that work and of boundless arrogance coupled with astonishing incompetence. They cannot even reliably update the OS they completely designed themselves, for crying out loud. These people have no place in anything that requires security or safety.

between when "self driving cars" first become available, and most people realize they don't need to buy a car, they can just order one to come and pick them up.

Where do you want to go today? Not that you'd get there.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no.

— Capone.

The first wave of comments were just bashing and automotive-illiterate rants. Dicedot has been in decline for quite a while but posters should at least consider sticking to subjects they know about instead of stupidly hallucinating MSFT will somehow impose Windows as control software on GM, who have built highly successful vehicles for over a century in their various incarnations.

When BEVs truly arrive they'll be as easy to service or have serviced independently as conventional vehicles because the traditional automotive business model is far superior to the walled garden phone and personal computer model which is all about vendor lock. GM customers, especially fleet users, expect different and more options than rich Tesla customers who rarely turn a wrench. That's a huge advantage for those of us who support Right To Repair because even if GM slow-leaks information there will be more than enough techy enthusiasts to attack any problems. Tech may be magic to morons but not to mechanics. The Tesla model is outstanding for Tesla's current market but there are many more markets than their niche and billions of dollars to be made.

User: (gets into car, attempts to start)

GMBob: Hi there, I see you are trying to start the vehicle, may I be of assistance?

User: Umm, okay, but you are already in control of starting the engine.

GMBob: Really? Wow. Should I start it then?

User: Yessss.

GMBob: Now don't get snippy, I don't like snippy a driver (starts engine).

User: Take me to (gives address).

GMBob: Is that in this country or would you like to choose one from this drop down menu (sheaf of papers drop into User's lap)?

User: Use the GPS.

GMBob: Oh,

Would you want to be in a car with any ms software?

Now not only will new cars have more random stupid features added to justify there already large price tag, they will crash or stop working completely randomly as well.

This will give new meaning to the term "Blue Screen of Death."