OK.....controversial issue here.
Don't worry, I've put on my nomex overalls and dug my trenches for the inevitable, but I thought I'd air my personal views on this issue.
Now, you may already know how I feel from both
this thread here, and also
this even older one here, so I thought I wouldn't cover the same old ground again
.
Rather, I thought I'd put into "print", my feelings on the old OS I used to use and maintain to a high level for most of my life, c.f. the new OS I've been using for the last few years.
Again, this isn't a question I'm asking here, it's a statement I'm making about the differences between them according to someone who's used both a lot (me).
I think the best way of explaining it is to describe a rough equivalent world to you (please read with a pinch of salt and a big smile as that's how I've written it
).
In this analogous world, 90% of people drive Vauxhall Astra's. They can range from the bog-standard PCWorld edition for £10000, all the way up to the top-end AlienWare edition Astra SXi for £25000.
Now, there are many many garages available in this world to fix these Astra's because they break down more often. Not only this, but I can't go on a long motorway journey without a message appearing on the dashboard stating "Are you
sure this Astra belongs to you? If it doesn't, please drive to this address and pay us some money".
These Astra's can sometimes last up to 1000miles between breakdowns.
They are also susceptible to the odd cold and flu and quite often won't start in the mornings.
There are also spy satellites above that can "home in" on where you are and what you're doing unless you regularly and frequently give the car ECU "upgrades".
Talking of which, if you wish to change a tyre, or maybe add a funky accessory such as a new set of floor mats, you first have to re-program the ECU with "new drivers", as otherwise they won't work as intended. An engine restart may also be required.
Also, if you wish to navigate to a new address, you also have to re-program the ECU with an "address software install" program. An engine restart may be required.
The same process has to occur when taking things
out of the car. Usually these aren't as successful and the "entry" of the ECU is on average, chock-a-block with old accessories/addresses you discarded years ago (in fact, when you wish to drive
away from an old address, you also have to reprogram the ECU yet again with a "uninstall old address" program. An engine restart may be required).
Sometimes when starting out in the morning, a commuter will awaken to find their Astra plastered with flyers and other adverts.
I used to drive these Astra's (like most of the population) and used to defend them to the death. I was quite happy even though they regularly came in at the bottom of the JD Power survey.
I also used to take them on high-end trackdays (something which only a small proportion of the Astra-owning world did)
Now, in this world, there are other car makes such as Ubuntu/red hat linux.
There is also a proportion of people that drive OSX Porsche 911's.
These cars virtually never break down. Because not many people need lots and lots of repair/maintainance/servicing, fewer garages have a clue about them, and those that do are fewer to come by. This doesn't bother the Porsche drivers because in this world most of them never have to visit a Garage over the lifetime of their ownership anyway.
The drivers of these Porsches actually paid LESS THAN the equivalent specced up Astra SXi's.
They can drive for miles on a motorway without the parent company
ever harassing them about ownership <Cut to a policeman questioning an Astra driver about their car...."Is this your car sir?"...
"Yes"...."Was it your car yesterday sir?"...>
They
always start in the morning, and don't break down.
If the owners wished to add things like a new stereo or maybe a cosy blanket for emergencies in the boot, they just put them in and start using.
To remove them, they just...erm....remove them from the car.
Oddly enough, these Porches are some kind of stealth car, because those Spy satellites never seem able to get a fix on them.
Not only that, but upon going out to the car in the morning, it's always in the same condition it was the night before...no billboards here.
If they wish to navigate to a new address, they just
drive there (that's why they bought the car after all).
To drive away from an address, your Porsche driver simply......drives away.
They regularly appear in the top of the JD power survey, and since switching to them, I'm personally very happy with how much smoother they are to run as well as how powerful and precise they are (as any Porsche owner will tell you) and the looks go without saying. In fact, it took me all of 1 week to get used to the differences and improvements over the old Astra GSi I used to have.
In fact, if I
really wanted to, I could press a button on my keyfob and my Porsche will start acting like an Astra (.....it's only there for the new switchers who still want to "feel at home" with the odd address they can't do without, until they settle in to their new car).
The only thing I miss is the odd high-end trackday...something which the majority of Porsche owners don't actually want to do anyway. We have console caterhams for that (mine is currently the Wii Trophy Cup Caterham 7).
But lo and behold, General Motors has unveiled a new Astra <shock horror>. Unfortunately, it is simply the old Astra SXi with a new bodykit and groundlights (also complete with rudeboy decals
) - and given a new name Astra Rudeboy Vista edition. It has
the same flaws with ECU reprogramming and engine restarts as the previous car (not to mention colds and the odd spy sat etc etc).
Now, based on this analogy,
at the most, when I pull up at the lights in my Porsche 911 and look to my side to see a Astra/Astra SXi/Astra SXi RUDEBOY edtn with stereo blaring.......
....do you
really think the emotion I feel is anything but...
.....pity?
mac vs. pc
Linear Mode
