At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), 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 (and I just love this part, especially 7th point and 10’Th point):
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 wouldcause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5. 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.
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.”Never undervalue the manufacturing & automobile industries
Oh, the Things I Know 
ha…ha…. that was really:
1.) funny
2.) quite a much better response from GM. I liked it.
thanks for posting it here 🙂
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This is a made up urban legend by people trying to act cool. No such thing happened and ofcourse, every software has bugs, and you don’t look smart by pointing these out, only bitter.
Facts:
1. Ashok is right.
2. Ashok is a Computer Sc. Engineer.
More Facts:
1. Ashok wants to work for Microsoft.
2. Ashok uses Windows xp.
This is such a lame response by GM. Truly, what were the significant achievements of the automobile industry even since Henry Ford? Very few. If Henry Ford were to be alive, he would be stunned to see that innovation has slowed down in this industry so much. If GM really wants to make a point, they would have to list the break through innovations by them. It is not as if the automobile industry was a fledgling one.
This is incredible,,,, Mechanical n Automobile engineers make ppl shut their mouth,, realize them to mind thei own job
Facts:
1. Allen has a good sense of sarcasm.
2. I have learned a new way of trolling the internet.
3. Ram and Ashok probably work for Microsoft.
4. This article is fake and gay.
Thats funny.LOL
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I cant understand y u people are passing sarcastic comments on each other. To develop anything u need all the engg to work side by side. I guess u all dnt knw that in both the industries the growth is at a much faster rate. And something like this always happens. People turns out to show their stupidness at a lot of times.
really nice humor. even i think GM must starting making softwares.
this is just lame humour ,bill gates had his point ,gm response is just 4 a laugh but totally pointless .
Confirmed as fake by Snopes. http://www.snopes.com/humor/jokes/autos.asp
I am not sure if this kinda scene really happened but then if it did, Bill Gates certainly had a point when he made that remark but GM did just for the sake of responding. Obviously, GM went to heavy loss some time back for not showing any innovation and agility in their research; I am not saying they should bring out some kinda stuff every now and then like MS but atleast be at some competition with their counter parts like Toyota or so.
Yeah. GM is right. I am using Windows 7. It is one of the bad operating systems. Simply for a business reason Microsoft products are there. No technical high values. Some time I am frustrating with Windows 7.
Dear Mr. Bill Gates,
Please provide good products instead of deceiving customers. As you are thinking there is alternate for Windows, you are just providing very bad product. Un-necessary updates which not useful every time. It is killing lot of my valuable time. I can understand your business reasons. Please think for customer satisfaction by giving worth product.
– Prasad