[mdlug] [Microsoft Bashing]Stop the car I need to fix my radio

[Robert Adkins]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: mdlug-bounces at mdlug.org 
> [mailto:mdlug-bounces at mdlug.org] On Behalf Of David Relson
> Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 10:53 PM
> To: MDLUG's Main discussion list
> Subject: Re: [mdlug] [Microsoft Bashing]Stop the car I need 
> to fix my radio
> 
> On Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:34:38 -0500
> Garry Stahl wrote:
> 
> > Michael Rudas wrote:
> > > You would think that car makers would learn more from 
> each other-or 
> > > themselves.  BMW's WinCE-based "iDrive" system has been 
> BIG trouble, 
> > > especially at the beginning-in a now-gone video on YouTube, for 
> > > example, it was shown spitting out the key card and 
> flashing all the 
> > > dash lights instead of starting up.
> > >
> > > I just can't see ANY MS OS controlling basic automotive 
> > > functionality. When do BMW or Ford owners sign a EULA?  Let alone 
> > > one that DOESN'T indemnify MS against "crashing" the car?
> > >   
> > 
> > 
> > Never mind ANY OS controlling basic automotive functionality.  All 
> > computers crash, some do it less than others.  The analog 
> system that 
> > control cars work and work well.  I think the very idea of 
> a car OS is 
> > a solution in search of a problem.
> 
> Last I heard, electronics in cars had progressed _way_ beyond 
> the radios.  Automakers have been putting ECU's (Electronic 
> Control Units) into cars for some time now.  Whether they 
> have OS's, or merely a multi-tasking executive, they _are_ 
> present.  Our kids will probably learn to hack into the 
> dashboard to play tetris, or access facebook, or some such fun thing.
> _______________________________________________
> mdlug mailing list
> mdlug at mdlug.org
> http://mdlug.org/mailman/listinfo/mdlug


  Sometimes those newfangled electronics cause significant issues with
vehicle performance.

  I had my new car in and out of the shop, after barely putting 1200 miles
on it, for close to 30 days. They replaced all sorts of components, because
the computer was telling them all these things were wrong... Turned out that
the computer was wrong and once replaced, the car has been a dream.

  Of course, that newfangled technology does have heaps to do with
performance and increasing gas mileage in the case of my car.

  -Rob