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If cars were computers [was RFD: Reviving Constitutional amendment: Smith/Condorcet vote



On Wed, Oct 16, 2002 at 07:32:27PM -0400, Anthony DeRobertis said:
> 
> There would be one brand of car control system that would have
> approximately 90% of the market share. It would often simply stop
> working --- or start working very erratically --- until one turned off
> the car and turned it on again. Cars using this control system would

[gargargar snipped]

Whereas if cars were like Linux, there would be no car dealers; you
would be required to either buy all the parts via mail order and
assemble the car yourself, or obtain a completed car directly from the
manufacturer in North Carolina or from a friend who could produce a copy
of his car with the push of a button.

It would have no steering wheel; instead, there would be fifteen pedals
which, when worked in the proper combination, would control
accelleration, decelleration, and steering.  However, you could obtain
any of several different third-party steering wheels, each of which
worked completely differently and did not come with a full set of
instructions.  If you asked another car owner how to work your steering
wheel, he'd make fun of you and tell you to RTFOM.

The car would work very reliably, but it would have no back seat and no
trunk.  If you complained about this, you'd be told to build your own
back seat and/or trunk or stop complaining.  It would have a very
powerful radio that could pick up AM, satellite, TV, and most ham bands,
but could not pick up FM.  There would be no FM radio available for it;
you'd have to purchase the Microsoft car and tow it on a trailer, using
it's FM radio and piping the sound through yours.

The length of time your engine had been left running would, for some
reason, be considered a sign of manliness.


-- 
Shawn McMahon            | Now is the time we should be celebrating
AIM work: spmcmahonfedex | the Constitution and the rule of law,
AIM home: smcmahoneiv    | not abandoning it. - Neal Boortz

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