Your worst fears may become reality

[Lee Schierer]

Remember the problems people had with their computer programs locking up with "Windows" and the only fix was to close all the windows, exit out of windows, reboot and start over. There was a joke running around that if people had cars that inexplicably stopped and you had to roll up all the windows, get out shut and lock the doors, unlock them get back in, roll down the windows again in order to start the car and get going again.

Well your worst fears may soon be realized. I just saw this on CNN's website: "Microsoft teams with Toyota to power smart cars (http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/06/technology/microsoft_toyota/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin)"

[Matt Meiser]

That's why they are partnering with Toyota--they can't stop :D

But seriously, they've been working with Ford on Sync for a few years now. I really like Sync in my truck and LOML is pretty clear that she wants it in her next car too.

[Angela micinski]

I hate Windows and am a dyed in the wool Apple fan but the Sync system is really the best out there.

[Neal Clayton]

yeah, the problem with that stuff is when microsoft doesn't instantly dominate a market they lose interest, and let the product gradually die off due to ignored maintenance/updates.

they did it with their phone OS, they did it with their cable tv box OS, etc.

[Callan Campbell]

We, in the auto world, have been joking about this for awhile. Vehicle computers crash or need software updates enough as it, we don't need more problems :eek:

[Curt Harms]

Three more buttons added to the console--ctrl-alt-delete :eek:










:D

[Myk Rian]

Remember when the Navy battleship shut down several years ago? Microsoft.

[Charles McKinley]

Kim Komando had an article about hacker being able to get into smart cars via corrupt MP3 files and some blue tooth devices.

[Curt Harms]

Kim Komando had an article about hacker being able to get into smart cars via corrupt MP3 files and some blue tooth devices.

When I saw the TV ad about the father unlocking & starting the car remotely, I was thinking there'll be a new addition to the car thief's tool kit--a smart phone with "custom software".

[Larry Edgerton]

Its getting hard to find cars/trucks without all that junk. I just got rid of an 08 Chevy truck that was having issues with the variable cylinder motor, which didn't help mileage anyway. It would switch to 4 cyl when I had a tractor on the trailor. There were other issues as well, but most were computer related. And I don't like OnStar. Build a truck that won't break down on the side of the road, and I won't need a nanny.

My brother has an auto repair business, and increasingly as systems are tied together repair costs are going up, and failures unrelated to actually making the car go down the road are causing problems. Parts break by percentage, the more parts, the more failures.

I bought an older Dodge van to get by while I figure what I want next, and it has run for 22K with no problems, far longer than the Chevy made it with out going to the dealer. I paid $1800 for the van.

I am thinking about trying a Nissan Frontier base model. They seem to be fairly simple by todays standards, have a good reliability reputation, decent mileage, and a nice size. I'll keep the van around for heavy work. Anybody running one of these?

Larry

[Rich Engelhardt]

I am thinking about trying a Nissan Frontier base model. They seem to be fairly simple by todays standards, have a good reliability reputation, decent mileage, and a nice size
Somewhat related....

Best vehicle I ever owned, bar none, nothing even came close to it...was a 1991 Nissan Sentra 4 door.
A basic no frills econo-box.
4cyl, 5 speed stick with zero options. None. Nada. Not a single one.
It was black & w/out A/C, it was one hot thing to ride in.
It sat on the dealer's lot through the model year change over & I bought it new for $5,000.00 out the door.
I drove it for a little over two and a half years, put over 120,000 miles on it, and changed the tires once.
I bought a book of oil changes & I bought a lifetime 4 wheel alignment. It went in every three weeks for an oil change & alignment.
It averaged in the mid 40 MPG range, w/a high of 49 MPG one time when I really pressed it.
Since it was used for business, I got .21 a mile for nearly all the 120,000 miles I put on it. (that's ~ $24k)
I traded it off on a 1994 Sentra and got $2800.00 on it.
I would have kept it except for two things.
- it blew a main seal
- No A/C
I wish could find something as simple as that anymore.




Remember when the Navy battleship shut down several years ago? Microsoft.


Actually, it was a Carrier & there's a whole lot more to the story.
The ship's navigation system shut down for 2h 45 min after an operator entered a zero incorrectly & the Relational Database System tried to do a divide by zero operation.
Considering all the politics surrounding the issue of Unix vs Windows, many, myself included, believe it was a deliberate act of sabotage to make the Windows system appear inferior.
The error was cleared and the ship returned to normal operation.
Popular (internet) myth is that the Yorktown had to be towed. It didn't. Well, not for that one anyhow. It did have to be towed on other occasions.