Computers as Cars

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OS Car Analogies

Microsoft Windows Station Wagon
The Model T is the Standard when it comes to automobiles, used by over 90% of the car driving population. It's robust, has widely available parts, is relatively cheap, is econimical to run and is very reliable. It is so widely available, that most new houses built in the last few years all have have a new Model-T ready in the garage (although Microsoft did get into an anticompetitive dispute with the government recently due to this practice). Today the dominant model from Microsoft is the NT - Station Wagon, which has a very nice compromise between performance, passanger space and boot space. Previous models were the DOS, W311 and W95 models.

The only downside to the Model T is that is is manufactured by only 1 company. The engine schematics are not available to the general public. And you can have any colour you want - as long as it's black.

Apple Mac 4WD
Apple brought automatic transmission systems to the masses with their Classic Beetle model, and have over the years relentlessly been the pioneers of including a large number of luxury features in all their models. Apple's vechicles use Diesel fuel instead of Unleaded petrol, which makes fuel slighly more troublesome to get since not all petrol stations stock Diesel. Their latest model (OSX) is a 4 wheel drive model, and Apple have even made the engine design schematics public. Apples cars have won a number of industrial design awards.

The biggest issue with Apple automobiles is that, just like Windows, it is only available from 1 manufacturer. Apple constantly include luxury fittings in all their models, which make them slightly more expensive than bare bones automobiles from other manufacturers.

Unix Trucks
Trucks. Without them, our modern way of life would disappear. They are the work horses of the modern industrialised world. These beasts are build to last, and can transport tons of goods day and night, without rest. They come in all shapes and sizes, depending on the cargo transported. Although perfect for industrial use, they are unsuitable for average motorists.

Linux - Truck assembly kit
Since trucks are so vital to modern society, it would be foolish to have only one truck manufacturing company. A group of individuals got together and decided to design their own truck, one which would be completely customisable and available in all shapes and sizes, for free. The only condition is, if you come up with a better truck design based on the current designs, you must also make your design freely available to everyone else.

Enthusiasts love to tinker with the Truck Assembly Kit, so its not unusual to find trucks with reclining leather seats, sunroofs, climate controls and cup holders. The sheer flexibility scares away people which are not mechanically minded - they just want to turn the ignition on and drive, not to spend hours under the hood adjusting the air-fuel intake ratio. Due to their weight, they take longer to reach cruising speed from a total stop, so you wouldn't want to be behind one at a red light. Once they've reached cruising speed, these vechicles are very efficient, and have quite a bit of power under the bonnet.

BeOS Sports Car
Vrrrrrrroommmm. The sports car for racing enthusiasts, for people who love speed, performance and handling. The station wagon crowd complain about no rear seats for the kids, while the trucking people complained about the lack of cargo space at the back?!?!? Hello!! ! It's a bloody sports car!! ! Unfortunately, the original owners of the car got distracted during a test drive (due to lack of focus), and ended up slamming the car into a San Francisco cable car. The original owners were thus hospitalised, while the remains of the new prototype car were sold to a german panel beater.

A small community of performance car enthusiasts vowed to recreate their beloved sports car. Even though they still drive station wagons and trucks during the week, late at night and during weekends they can be found in their garages banging away, molding and trying to recreate the Haiku sports car. Apparaently the car is already revvvvvving, and a lot of the componets are already created and are waiting for the car framework to be completed before they can be assembled. These guys expect to start road testing their cars during 2005. Word from Europe is that the panel beaters have not only finished all the repair work, they've also hired engineers to continue working on the design of the sports car.

Amiga Convertible
A car from a long gone era. These beautiful cars promised the convenience of a station wagon, the transportability of a truck with the performance of a sports car, but alas, the owners never knew what a jewel they had locked up in their garage. The car was sold to a german construction company, then to some cattle farmers, then resold numerous times, until disappearing from public view. It's still a popular vechicle in Cuba.