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It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon
And I'm waiting for my super-duper PC (my other PC), which has gotten
bogged down, to reboot, so I thought I'd post something for laughs. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/au...es/06AUTO.html The article is about the increasing reliance of cars on microprocessors and about the problems that arise as a result. It's hard to pick anything short of the whole article to quote, so I'll pick this particular howler: "Mr. Koslowski said the auto industry was not yet very good at integrating software, so buyers inherit systems that can interfere with one another - just as installing incompatible programs can make a personal computer malfunction. He said a niche might soon emerge for companies that integrate various software systems before they go into a vehicle, in the way that companies like Dell sell PC's with the operating system and programs already working in harmony." Gack. Gasp. Giggle. A PC that actually *works*? All the time? No bugs? No calls to tech support? The difference, of course, is that a car is a *car*--hundreds of kilos of metal hurtling along at 100km/hr. No problem, just reboot. Now, Boeing and Airbus do manage to build airplanes with lots of microprocessors, and they do seem to work, but different world from Dell's (or GM's) software department. And this is only the beginning. Houses are next. I can hardly wait. RM |
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On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 16:49:24 -0500, Robert Myers
wrote: The difference, of course, is that a car is a *car*--hundreds of kilos of metal hurtling along at 100km/hr. No problem, just reboot. quote She recounts episodes of her car shaking uncontrollably and sounding as if it's stalling. In October, on a freeway, it simply shut down. "I take it down the street and it just shakes," Ms. Pavisic said. "People are looking at me, wondering what I'm doing." /quote But hey, according to that same article, we'll all come to accept this as a natural thing to be :P quote Complex systems that are hard to learn can frustrate early users, but are *ultimately accepted*. Other systems, though, tend to crash, just like computers. When that happens, drivers can be maddened by failures that force them to stop the car, then restart it; that illuminate the "check engine" light; or that send the car into limp-home mode. /quote -- L.Angel: I'm looking for web design work. If you need basic to med complexity webpages at affordable rates, email me Standard HTML, SHTML, MySQL + PHP or ASP, Javascript. If you really want, FrontPage & DreamWeaver too. But keep in mind you pay extra bandwidth for their bloated code |
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Robert Myers wrote in
: Now, Boeing and Airbus do manage to build airplanes with lots of microprocessors, and they do seem to work, but different world from Dell's (or GM's) software department. And this is only the beginning. Houses are next. I can hardly wait. Heh.. And people wonder why I drive a 74 bmw tii and a 70 ford f150 4x4. Got enough headaches with computers at work and home -- last thing I need on the road |
#4
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On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 22:09:46 -0600, z wrote:
Robert Myers wrote in : Now, Boeing and Airbus do manage to build airplanes with lots of microprocessors, and they do seem to work, but different world from Dell's (or GM's) software department. And this is only the beginning. Houses are next. I can hardly wait. Heh.. And people wonder why I drive a 74 bmw tii and a 70 ford f150 4x4. I'm sure it's because they know you can't afford anything better. Got enough headaches with computers at work and home -- last thing I need on the road Bull****! I wouldn't have that old **** in my driveway if you came and started it for me every morning. When it's -30C my cars start at the first crank. You can take that old carburated crap and tow it into your front yard where it'll leave long. -- Keith |
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keith wrote in
news On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 22:09:46 -0600, z wrote: Robert Myers wrote in : Now, Boeing and Airbus do manage to build airplanes with lots of microprocessors, and they do seem to work, but different world from Dell's (or GM's) software department. And this is only the beginning. Houses are next. I can hardly wait. Heh.. And people wonder why I drive a 74 bmw tii and a 70 ford f150 4x4. I'm sure it's because they know you can't afford anything better. Well there is that. The 74 is a classic though -- the one thing I own thats actually increasing in value. The ford is a junker true. Got enough headaches with computers at work and home -- last thing I need on the road Bull****! I wouldn't have that old **** in my driveway if you came and started it for me every morning. When it's -30C my cars start at the first crank. You can take that old carburated crap and tow it into your front yard where it'll leave long. Heh. The 74 tii has Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection -- starts right up & gets around 30 MPG. No flashing bios, no viruses, no firmware upgrades needed The 70 ford is a wood hauler so ya, mostly only use that in the summer. |
#6
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On Tue, 08 Feb 2005 13:49:56 -0600, z wrote:
keith wrote in news On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 22:09:46 -0600, z wrote: Robert Myers wrote in : Now, Boeing and Airbus do manage to build airplanes with lots of microprocessors, and they do seem to work, but different world from Dell's (or GM's) software department. And this is only the beginning. Houses are next. I can hardly wait. Heh.. And people wonder why I drive a 74 bmw tii and a 70 ford f150 4x4. I'm sure it's because they know you can't afford anything better. Well there is that. The 74 is a classic though -- the one thing I own thats actually increasing in value. The ford is a junker true. shrug I cannot afford vehicles that don't start on demand. They're too much of a PITA. I've considered buying a hangar queen (regulars here know all abou tit), but cannot justify the $$. If it don't start it's junked. Got enough headaches with computers at work and home -- last thing I need on the road Bull****! I wouldn't have that old **** in my driveway if you came and started it for me every morning. When it's -30C my cars start at the first crank. You can take that old carburated crap and tow it into your front yard where it'll leave long. Heh. The 74 tii has Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection I'll take the computer controlled stuff, thanks. I *hate* anything mechanical. ...breaks when one most needs it. starts right up & gets around 30 MPG. No flashing bios, no viruses, no firmware upgrades needed Hell, even my two Fords dont have a problem with Virii. No firmware upgrades, yet anyway. They're not powered by M$, after all. The 70 ford is a wood hauler so ya, mostly only use that in the summer. ;-). I bought a cord of wood five yeers ago. It's stored under the steps in my garage and perhaps I've used a fifth of it. Do you think it's dry yet? ;-) I really don't need a "wood truck". Truck yes, but I don't specialize that far! -- Keith |
#7
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keith wrote in
news Got enough headaches with computers at work and home -- last thing I need on the road Bull****! I wouldn't have that old **** in my driveway if you came and started it for me every morning. When it's -30C my cars start at the first crank. You can take that old carburated crap and tow it into your front yard where it'll leave long. Heh. The 74 tii has Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection I'll take the computer controlled stuff, thanks. I *hate* anything mechanical. ...breaks when one most needs it. starts right up & gets around 30 MPG. No flashing bios, no viruses, no firmware upgrades needed Hell, even my two Fords dont have a problem with Virii. No firmware upgrades, yet anyway. They're not powered by M$, after all. Just a matter of time man. Heh, I remember seeing stories about EMP generators designed kill electronics in cars: Your fancy dancy 21st century car immune to this? ----------- London Times August 10 1996 Police prepare stunning end for high-speed car chases BY GILES WHITTELL AND NIGEL HAWKES IT COULD be the end of the car chase as we know it. With the automotive equivalent of a stun gun, science fiction is coming to the aid of law enforcement. A high-powered electrical device under development at the Pentagon's Army Research Laboratory in Adelphi, Maryland, is to be tested by police and border patrol agents and could be in use by next year. The car stopper works by focusing an intense electromagnetic charge on the electronic systems that manage most modern engines, disabling them and paralysing the car. In the jargon of its inventors, the 150 kilovolt charge is a nemp, or non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse. Contractors are bidding to produce a police version. Very precisely directed beams are required, but even then there will be problems. A pulse powerful enough to disable an engine at any reasonable range would also be likely to disrupt communications, damage television and radio sets, disable computers and even stop heart pacemakers. There is also the danger of loss of control when a car is being driven at high speed. Counter-measures would include using old-fashioned engines with no electronics, or perhaps surrounding the most delicate components with shielding. The best might be to get hold of one of the stun guns and use it to disable pursuing police vehicles. ------ who's laughing now copper??? MUHAHAHAHHAAA The 70 ford is a wood hauler so ya, mostly only use that in the summer. ;-). I bought a cord of wood five yeers ago. It's stored under the steps in my garage and perhaps I've used a fifth of it. Do you think it's dry yet? ;-) I really don't need a "wood truck". Truck yes, but I don't specialize that far! I live in the boonies. With no wood truck you're freezing your ass off all winter. To each their own. I just like not having computers in my car -- freaking deal with them all day and night. Not when I'm driving -z |
#8
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z wrote:
Heh, I remember seeing stories about EMP generators designed kill electronics in cars: Your fancy dancy 21st century car immune to this? People in crap houses shouldn't flush toilets. |
#9
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On Wed, 09 Feb 2005 08:47:59 -0600, chrisv wrote:
z wrote: Heh, I remember seeing stories about EMP generators designed kill electronics in cars: Your fancy dancy 21st century car immune to this? People in crap houses shouldn't flush toilets. LOLPIMP! Thanks Chris! -- Keith |
#10
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People in crap houses shouldn't flush toilets. LOLPIMP! Thanks Chris! i'm wayyy to dense to get that one |
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