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Volvo's "Safety Car" Runs Windows 98 598

Posted by michael from the feeling-safer-already dept.
An anonymous submitter writes "MSNBC is carrying a report on Volvo's new "Safety Car." It sounds pretty cool, too, until you get to the part that mentions it runs Windows 98 as its operating system. Yikes! Be sure to reboot your car frequently to avoid crashes."
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Volvo's "Safety Car" Runs Windows 98 More

Volvo's "Safety Car" Runs Windows 98

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  • Please, please, please. (Score:4, Funny)

    by dys- ( 112250 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @10:52PM (#3906232)
    No references to "buggy drivers".

    dys-

  • ATTN SLASHBOTS! (Score:3, Insightful)

    by electricmonk ( 169355 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @10:52PM (#3906233) Homepage
    BSOD jokes are not funny anymore! Please take your stupid sense of humor elsewhere!

    Just posting early to pre-empt the inevitable flood of said jokes...

  • So if (rather, when..) win98 hangs on shutdown, will you come back to your car only to find a dead battery?

  • Safety car... (Score:3, Funny)

    by CtrlPhreak ( 226872 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @10:53PM (#3906246) Homepage
    I sure hope it's running in safe mode.

  • Control? (Score:4, Funny)

    by Defender2000 ( 177459 ) <defender2000@@@mindless...com> on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @10:54PM (#3906251) Journal
    So instead of a set of Cruise Control buttons on the steering wheel, you'll have a set of AltDel Control buttons? Cool.

  • Ingenious! (Score:5, Funny)

    by aengblom ( 123492 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @10:57PM (#3906275) Homepage
    Ingenious!If it doesn't go... you can't get hurt!

    Gotta give some credit to those volvo engineers

  • Linux 2.4... (Score:5, Funny)

    by stevens ( 84346 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @10:59PM (#3906287) Homepage

    If they said it ran linux 2.4, I'd still refuse to get in until they told me which VM it used...

  • My favorite quote: "You can make the car much safer, but you can give the driver a sense that the car is bullet proof," and no car will ever be, he said.

  • Unlikely (Score:5, Interesting)

    by MisterBlister ( 539957 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:00PM (#3906291) Homepage
    I find it unlikely to believe the journalist got this Win98 tidbit right. All joking about Win98 stability aside, its just not an OS that is designed to be run in any embedded enviornment. Why would they choose Win98 over WinXP embedded, some Pocket PC variant, or something else? It just doesn't add up.

    I'd bet money that the journalist flubbed this one, or its some elaborate trolling with MSNBC realizing that a 'safe' car running Win98 would get an instant Slashdotting.

    • Volvo might have used Win 98 just for the prototype. I'm sure they spent more than a year actually putting this thing together so W2K or WinXP wouldn't have been around. Win98 may have been what was around when they started this project and may have been easier to deal with than Windows ME since they removed real mode driver support.

      • Umm. . . WinCE? (Score:3, Insightful)

        by Bastian ( 66383 )
        It would be much better suited to embedded development.

        OTOH, since it's a concept car and meant for the market, they may have just kludged something together with commodity PC parts for one or more of those 5 computers on that car, and it may have just been easier to have it running Win98, since it is only a concept car, so they don't need to worry as much about using a /real/ embedded OS.
        • I dunno...I've got WinCE running on an iPaq. I don't know if it's CE or pocketPC on top of it, but if that was in car, they'd need to make sure the little hole to stick the stylus in for reset would have to be VERY accessiable.
    • is the idea that the engine controls (or any other drivetrain subsystem) would be running on anything but a dedicated device chock full of proven code.

      Maybe the gimmicky interface parts run windows CE (this volvo car isnt all that new, i remember reading about it a long time ago), but either way the crucial components would never be left to something that centralized.

    • Check out this O-scope:

      http://www.tek.com/Measurement/Products/catalog/td s7000/eng/index.html [tek.com]

      It runs Windows 98! I evaluated it for purchase by the company I work for. It seemed to work well but we chose a Lecroy scope instead because in general I haven't been happy with support for any PC based control system. PC components seem to go into obsolescence far to quickly. O-Scopes should last many years and I am skeptical about getting parts for a PC-based scope at a time when it is 10 years old.

      I didn't look into it, but they may be using some 3rd party software to replace the Window's kernal with a RTOS. I ran some control software that did this for WinNT 4.0. I think that it was called Intime.

      This control software:
      http://www.entivity.com/vlc.htm [entivity.com]
      replaces the HAL of WinNT with a RTOS. You can crash NT and rip out the HD and the control software still runs, no HMI though. It had a crappy programming environment (flowcharting) but I was sort of impressed with its stability.

  • Windows98? Feh..Check out the iDrive System (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Qnal ( 593075 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:01PM (#3906298)
    BMWs iDrive System on the BMW745i [edmunds.com] is the real deal.

    iDrive consists of a computer that controls 270 functions (including basic climate and stereo settings), a center-mounted LCD screen and a console-mounted rotary pushbutton knob that works as the system's "mouse." It's an amazingly powerful system that BMW sees taking over almost all vehicle functions. [bmw.com]

    More info here. [edmunds.com]
    • I wonder if you'll have to pay Apple $100/yr to use iDrive now, like you do with iTunes, etc...
    • ...and it is an amazing bitch to use. The edmunds article you link talks about the horrific complexity of iDrive. Indeed, BMW North America has a call center with 20 employees (not all day, but during the day 20 employees, though it's a 24/7 call center) to support just iDrive, and not the other features of the 745i--or any other BMW vehicle.

      But that's not to say that iDrive doesn't have potential--with a major redesign it does. However in the long run, until cars drive themselves, having so many features in so many menus (especially features that are either critical or often adjusted) will not work out very well.

    • It's a while since iDrive was first demo'd, but reviews (at least here in Oz) were of the opinion that as cool as it seemed, it was very distracting. If you ask me its bad enough having to navigate people driving and talking on their mobie phones. Imagine if they are also surfing the internet looking for local maps!

  • I can imagine buying one of these (Score:4, Funny)

    by gatesh8r ( 182908 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:03PM (#3906307)
    First, I have to take off the shrink wrap, implying that I agree to the EULA. Next I would have to check the Certificate of Authenticity on the VIN number. After that, I go ahead and fill gas up... not just any standard gas, but one developed by M$ for Volvos -- this costs twice to ten times as much or more, depending on make and model. While the tank isn't that big, the thing's a gas guzzler. After about 50 miles I have to fill up at around $10/gallon for a 2 gallon tank. Again, it's proprietary gas; most likely a diesel. Now it's a regular diseal engine, and modding it to get regular diseal is possible, but there's a TPM in the way, and breaking it is a violation of the DMCA...

    Shall I keep going? :-)

  • Grow up, kids. (Score:5, Informative)

    by coupland ( 160334 ) <dchase@hotmailCHEETAH.com minus cat> on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:04PM (#3906312) Journal

    Would this have even made it onto /. if the car didn't run Windows 98?? If you want to actually learn something then here [conceptlabvolvo.com] is the official Volvo site for the car and here [google.com] are a bunch of other references you can look at. None make mention of Windows 98.

    Wouldn't be quite so funny if it was a kit car that comes in 5,000 pieces that runs linux, now would it? :P

    • Wouldn't be quite so funny if it was a kit car that comes in 5,000 pieces that runs linux, now would it? :P

      Although you are joking, I probably would buy one. I'd love a new project and a linux-car would be great for the sheer geek factor. I could get a stupid vanity plate and have it key'd everywhere I go. Woopee!

    • Would this have even made it onto /. if the car didn't run Windows 98??

      More importantly, would this have even made it onto MSNBC if the car didn't run on Windows? But seriously, thanks for the links -- a little more detailed info on the car is appreciated.

    • Wouldn't be quite so funny if it was a kit car that comes in 5,000 pieces that runs linux, now would it? :P

      It was funny in the first glance, then fear overcomes me: all the buses here use Volvo engines. Our life is depending on the engineers who have technical merits of running a life-depending system on...Windows 98?

      I didn't say it'd be better off running Linux, but running a system which its maker planned to abandon is a bit out of hand.
    • >Wouldn't be quite so funny if it was a kit car that comes in 5,000 pieces that runs linux, now would it?

      Not so funny, but it would make it onto slashdot in a heartbeat.
    • A Car that ran on Any desktop OS rather than run of the mill embeded chips would make it into a "news for nerds" site.

      There are a bunch of stale old jokes about how unreliable a car running Windows anything would be, so yes it's funny as hell to see old jokes turn into an actual product. If it'll make you feel better, an equal time joke. They tried a Linux car but changing the sparkplugs created dependancy problems that forced you upgrade to a new Fuel Injection system. (rimshot)

      The funniest part of the whole thing however isn't the predictable jokes, it's the predictable behaviour of the Microsofties who whine about the jokes about their favorite OS instead of bitching to MS about not fixing the problems that led to the jokes.

  • It IS very safe... (Score:3, Funny)

    by countach ( 534280 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:05PM (#3906321)
    No matter how bad a crash you have in this car, all you have to do is press "RESET" and a couple of minutes later you're back on the road.

    When you hop in, does the car say "Where do you want to go today?"
  • A few years back, Linux Journal [linuxjournal.com] ran a story about a car, I believe in Italy, that was using Linux. I believe Linux did the steering as well.

  • That would suck (Score:3, Funny)

    by mark-t ( 151149 ) <markt.nerdflat@com> on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:11PM (#3906347) Journal
    In order to be sure that the car runs well, you have to always make sure that all the windows are closed. (rimshot)
  • Volvos (Volvoes?) are the most dangerous cars on the road.

    Not to those inside it, but to those outside. The morons who buy Volvoes buy it for the "safety" that's a trade-mark of the car, so they drive like assholes, thinking that if they're in accidents, they'll be okay.

    Perhaps if seats belts were outlawed (for the driver), you'd see people driving carefully, because in case of accident, they'd know they'd get turned into marmalade.

    • I have to stick up for us Volvo drivers. I've seen worse driving by folks in Japanese sportscars and clunker American boats than I have Volvo drivers. The folks in the sportscars fall into two classes: those who try to use raw speed on the interstate, and those who bought a sporty looking car that they're afraid to use. The folks in the beaters all seem to be driving 10 under in the fast lane.

      Most of the Volvos I've seen are driving smoothly in traffic. They're usually soccer moms in V, 7, and 9 series wagons and sedans.

      Of course, I concede you could have been driving behind me....I can milk my 740 wagon for all it's worth. But that's not because I feel safe and secure in a Volvo so that I can run people over. That's because I'm an aggressive driver who happens to like Volvos.

      Then again, some people don't appreciate fine cars...I like my Volvo because I can get a little performance out of it, it is rock solid, and if there happens to be a problem, I do have a nice safety net. If I was into more performance, I'd be eyeing a BMW.....
      • I'm afraid that with the motorcycle crowd, which is an abnormally attentive bunch of drivers, what with their lives being on the live, SUV drivers rank as serious threat #2, with Volvo drivers ranking #2. Can't much argue with their experience.

        (Of course, anyone with a cell phone is a greater threat than even the clueless SUV-driving soccer mom.)
  • I can see it now. "Officer, It's not my fault. Microsoft sold me an unsafe product. If it were safe, my car wouldn't have stalled in the middle of the inteterstate."

    In all seriousness though, as the promotion of WIndows for Embedded Devices continues, these sorts of safety issues will need to be evaluated vary carefully. The software industry - the only industry in which selling defective products has almost no consequences - will have to take greater responsibility for bugs and instabilities in their products. As the stakes go up to the point where their products are directly responsible for human lives, a new approach to security and reliability will be needed. Among other things, Microsoft will need to alter it's position oposing full disclosure of security vulterabilities.

    Cars running Windows are one thing but regardless of what steps are taken, it'll be many years before I'll be comfortable being attached to a heart bypass machine running MS Windows for Embedded Devices.

    --CTH
  • No matter how badly you "crash" , you won't get physically hurt!

    Seriously though, this article [canadiandriver.com] suggests a fair number of manufacturers including BMW use Microsoft based systems in their cars. It's Windows.CE.

  • MSNBC blew it: CE, not 98 (Score:5, Informative)

    by Ristretto ( 79399 ) <emery@c[ ]mass.edu ['s.u' in gap]> on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:15PM (#3906364) Homepage
    Unsurprisingly, Volvo is not using Windows 98 in their safety concept car. As Motor Trend [motortrend.com] reported in May, they're using Microsoft's embedded operating system, Windows CE. It's kind of old news that Microsoft has been leading an initiative on embedding CE into cars. Check out the information from MS at Microsoft Windows CE for Automotive [microsoft.com].
    • As Motor Trend [motortrend.com] reported in May, they're using Microsoft's embedded operating system, Windows CE.

      And if this is the case, it answers most of the questions as to why they chose a Windows product. The automotive version of Windows CE has a realtime kernel -- an absolute must for this kind of application.

  • Drove the test version... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by GeoNerd ( 166345 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:27PM (#3906424) Homepage
    I drove the Volvo that the MIT Media Lab used to collect 'predictive' data for the lane-change detection etc. It was an interesting experience - driving in Boston wearing a small fiber optic video camera taped (!) to some cheap safety glasses, several video cameras pointing every which way, and sensors on the steering wheel, brake pedal, and gas pedal to collect the data.

    The theory was that they would use the data to predict when you were *about* to change lanes - and set off an alarm if there were a car in your way. I'd be interested to know if they actually succeeded in doing this.

    This wasn't a fully automated process - there was a co-driver who you had to tell when you were going to change lanes, turn, etc., then he would punch the appropriate action into a laptop.

    Then again, I got paid $20 for the hour or so it took, so I'm not complaining :) Well worth all of the funny looks I got on I-95.

  • A safe car runs Windows 98? Bwuhahahahaha. That's funny.

    Expect this car to be listed as the one that crashes the most. Some bug in the software will probably tell the user to turn left on red.
  • Isn't MS going to stop supporting Win98 soon? Does this mean I'll have to buy a whole new car, or can I upgrade to XP-Automobile? (Maybe XP-Freight, if I'm always carrying stuff in the trunk.)

  • What's a safe car without Safe Mode? (Score:5, Funny)

    by nakaduct ( 43954 ) on Wednesday July 17, 2002 @11:35PM (#3906455)
    The last time you started this car, the fuel tank exploded and killed everyone inside. How would you like to start this time?
    • Safe Mode
    • Safe Mode with Fuel
    • Horn Only

  • It is very possible that this was an error or genernalization by the reporter. He says that the car has 5 computer systems and they run windows98.. it is very possible that these systems are not for the control of the car, but rather for end-user use in each of the 5 seats available.

    It may also be possible that he meant to say that only one of them uses Windows98, etc.

    Looking at other reviews, I couldn't find any information regarding their computer systems.
  • I work in a factory, I roll mats on a machine which uses a scanner connected on a computer which tells me on which route to place the mat. I've been there 2.5 months, for 8 hours a day, and never seen it crash.
  • I realize that further discussion on this topic is useless because we already know that the version of windows embedded into these cars is CE, not 98. However, for all of you wondering what it takes to embed win98, here's someone who did it:

    clicka [codeproject.com]
  • "It appears that your driving to work..."

  • Does anyone remember www.dashpc.com?

    It is about embedding a linux-powered PC inside a car. The project is improving everyday - if you're interested, please take a good look. Very interesting stuffs.

  • if people bought cars like computers... (Score:5, Funny)

    by tanveer1979 ( 530624 ) on Thursday July 18, 2002 @12:10AM (#3906578) Homepage Journal
    I got an interesting piece from plig [plig.net]. This was written as a humorous story but it may come true ;-)

    General Motors doesn't have a "help line" for people who don't know how to drive, because people don't buy cars like they buy computers - - but imagine if they did... HELPLINE: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?" CUSTOMER: "I got in my car and closed the door, and nothing happened!" HELPLINE: "Did you put the key in the ignition slot and turn it?" CUSTOMER: "What's an ignition?" HELPLINE: "It's a starter motor that draws current from your battery and turns over the engine." CUSTOMER: "Ignition? Motor? Battery? Engine? How come I have to know all of these technical terms just to use my car?" HELPLINE: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?" CUSTOMER: "My car ran fine for a week, and now it won't go anywhere!" HELPLINE: "Is the gas tank empty?" CUSTOMER: "Huh? How do I know!?" HELPLINE: "There's a little gauge on the front panel, with a needle, and markings from 'E' to 'F.' Where is the needle pointing?" CUSTOMER: "It's pointing to 'E.' What does that mean?" HELPLINE: "It means that you have to visit a gasoline vendor, and purchase some more gasoline. You can install it yourself, or pay the vendor to install it for you." CUSTOMER: "What!? I paid $12,000.00 for this car! Now you tell me that I have to keep buying more components? I want a car that comes with everything built in!" HELPLINE: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?" CUSTOMER: "Your cars suck!" HELPLINE: "What's wrong?" CUSTOMER: "It crashed, that's what went wrong!" HELPLINE: "What were you doing?" CUSTOMER: "I wanted to run faster, so I pushed the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor. It worked for a while, and then it crashed -- and now it won't start!" HELPLINE: "It's your responsibility if you misuse the product. What do you expect us to do about it?" CUSTOMER: "I want you to send me one of the latest versions that doesn't crash anymore!" HELPLINE: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?" CUSTOMER: "Hi! I just bought my first car, and I chose your car because it has automatic transmission, cruise control, power steering, power brakes, and power door locks." HELPLINE: "Thanks for buying our car. How can I help you?" CUSTOMER: "How do I work it?" HELPLINE: "Do you know how to drive?" CUSTOMER: "Do I know how to what?" HELPLINE: "Do you know how to DRIVE?" CUSTOMER: "I'm not a technical person! I just want to go places in my car!"

    • Having worked in tech support, I always imagined that a call to a GM support line would run like this:

      Helpline: "General Motors Helpline, how can I help you?"

      Customer: "I have a 1998 Camaro, and when I'm doing 60mph on the Garden State Parkway, shifting into 4th gear with the air conditioning on, my radio station mysteriously switches from my favorite radio station to that crappy country station. Is there a way I can solve this problem?"

    • Man, that stuff isn't funny until after you've quit a tech support job. If I read this 6 years ago I'd be reaching for the apsirin bottle.

  • This is a bunch of hyped balleyhoo. (Score:5, Informative)

    by Kerosene ( 18371 ) on Thursday July 18, 2002 @12:10AM (#3906579)
    My brother in law worked on some of the components of this car. It doesn't "run" anything. Nor does it even use 98. It uses windows CE to run a few of the non critical subsystems of the car. It's actually a great concept. Everyone needs to chill on the "jump down whoever's throat is mentioned using any microsoft product" bandwagon. This site is actually starting to sound a lot like middle school. Boo to MSNBC for misreporting and setting off the microsoft alarms.
    • "Everyone needs to chill on the "jump down whoever's throat is mentioned using any microsoft product" bandwagon. This site is actually starting to sound a lot like middle school."

      When I was in middle school, you called somebody 'homes!' or 'homie!' if you were insulting them. That's the image I get in my head when people make redundant jokes around BSOD's etc.

      Why don't we all just make fun of Mac users? Both the Windows and Linux guys severly outnumber them! They could be modded into oblivion! :P

  • I would like to challenge y'all step beyond the specific OS choice and consider the technological implications of this article. For example:

    This points towards the impending implementation of ubiquitous computing that's been talked about for years. It seems that embedded computers have reached adequate power that we can start using similar platforms in them that we use in PC's/servers. That OQO [oqo.com] can deliver a PC that fits in a pocket gives a picture of how the size a gadget you can put computers in. This will explode the availablity of programming knowhow available to producers of all manner of gadgets. Your PC program and interface development C / VB/ Java / KDE etc skills for PC's and servers may soon be directly applicable to VCR's, refridgerators, traffic lights, and is already applicable to some mobile phones. There are a number of avenues to explore in this direction which would be more interesting then squabling over the platform choice for this vehicle.

    It might not happen in this decade- but you are starting to see the change in the face of the computer. Already, I know hospitals where the complex tasks of registering patients and services rendered are accomplished by staff walking around with card scanners and portable computers. The office worker is leaving the office. Think about your JOBS and possibilities. There is enormous potential for innovation in applications here and interfaces here.

    Sigh, I guess we should get back to the BSOD / M$ squabble.

  • It's just a prototype (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Myco ( 473173 ) on Thursday July 18, 2002 @12:32AM (#3906647) Homepage
    People seem to be missing the obvious fact that this car is a prototype. That means proof-of-concept, folks, not a production model. It means that this car was put together with whatever was the easiest technology to use to get it done, just this one time, to show that it works.

    The trunk of the car is full of electronics, they said. I'm willing to bet it's not a bunch of specialized equipment that really takes up a lot of room. I bet it's an off-the-shelf Dell with their software compiled on it in debug mode.

    If a car like this is actually produced, it certainly would not run Win98. Just as it was easiest to use Win98 for the prototype for some reason (they were familiar with it, their devs were already using that platform, they had a CD-key sitting around for it, whatever...), for a production model it would be easier and better to use software more appropriate for embedded systems work.

    That's the deal -- the prototype isn't really an embedded system, because it's got a desktop PC in the trunk. They're worrying first about making it work, and after that they can start to care about elegance. The production model will be an embedded system, and they'll probably use XP embedded or whatever.

  • Let the jokes fly! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonvmous Coward ( 589068 ) on Thursday July 18, 2002 @12:39AM (#3906662)
    Okay, since nobody can come up with anything better than "heh heh, the car will blue screen. heh heh. Err I can't think of any other reasons I don't like Windows", I'll flip the topic around:

    What if the car ran Linux?

    - The version with the automatic transmission would have 4 drive gears that all work differently, that way you can pick one from an individual that you like.

    - Instead of intuitive buttons on the steering column to turn on windshield wipers and so on, you have a patch board complete with a very nice array of differing lengths of cable.

    - The driver of the car has to understand how the internal combustion engine works before he can go anywhere in it.

    - More than one steering wheel can be added to the car, afterall it is a multi-user OS.

    - The gas door would be located underneath the car so that gas doesn't have to go as far to reach the tank. A bottleneck is removed that way.

    - The key to get into the door can only fit one right side up, afterall it is case sensitive.

    - The 'ding ding' noise when you start the car without the seatbelt fastened won't go off because the sound drivers don't work.

    - The car wouldn't come with headlights because only newbs need to be able to see where they're going.

    There, that's much better than "ha ha snort snort, that means they'll have to restart the car every ten minutes." :P

    *Hopes the mods have a sense of humor today.*
    • * There would be Linux-car drag races, where people could test their custom tuned kernels against each other

      * Going over 6k rev/min would kill the sound server and the horn would stop working

      * The cars would come in kit-car form, each driver able to slot in their own personalised dashboard

      * You would be able to use any type of fuel, emulation will get some kind of perormance out of it

      * It has a standard looking speedo, but the font for the numbers looks awful

      * Forget child locks, you are able to individually set the priviledges of each component for each user (eg useful for stopping passengers from changing the radio station)

      Next? :-)

      Phillip.

  • It's not safe. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by blair1q ( 305137 ) on Thursday July 18, 2002 @02:52AM (#3907020) Journal
    No certified safety-critical version of any Microsoft operating system exists. The $40 Billion in Microsoft's bank account is not enough money to get the documentation, testing, and reviews done for Windows 98. The WinCE core, with no GUI or Apps, might be certifiable in our lifetimes, but they can expect to be required to change about half of the lines of code, goven that no safety or testability measures were considered in its original production.

    A false sense of safety is counter to safety.

    I wouldn't ride in this thing. I wouldn't even stand on the side of any road I knew it to be driving on.

    --Blair

  • Not to be a drone but.... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Darth_brooks ( 180756 ) <.clipper377. .at. .gmail.com.> on Thursday July 18, 2002 @04:01AM (#3907197) Homepage
    Of all the MS operating systems, I'd prefer 98 over anything else MS puts on the market.

    1. The code is the oldest, hence the most thoroughly checked / seen code on the market from MS. Undocumented bugs for 98 itself are likely few and far between by now. By choosing XP or 2k, you're asking, no, begging to run into a "damn, Nobody saw that coming" bug.

    2. The biggest problem MS faces, security, is pretty much non existant for this implimentation. Who is going to hack a volvo? Not only from the sense of there being no means, motive, or opportunity, who the hell would want to 'hack' a volvo? how anti-l33t can you get?

    3. Pre-existing support. Granted, a sizable portion of this car was done as a hack together job, there are more than a few components that are likely off the shelf product. Since the products re unusual or out of the way items, I doubt the companies providing them put much, if any, though into linux/bsd/mac support

    4. It's a demo car. the idea is to show that the technology exists today. It's easier to make the comparison "it runs on the same operating system your home computer does" than it is to say "we wrote specialized drivers and compiled s specific kernal for a SuSE installation based around the 2.4 kernal. The first reponse makes joe carbuyer go "ooooh" the second makes him say "huh?"

    I'm all for the bashing of microsoft at every given opportunity, but for once there's no point in reinventing the wheel when you can chisel down the octogon you've got lying around. Besides, a production run would DEFINATLY run an true embedded system.

  • Does it include Internet Explorer? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by cyba ( 25058 ) on Thursday July 18, 2002 @05:56AM (#3907374) Homepage
    After all, it's a part of the OS and cannot be removed, right?

  • If OS manufacturers made cars (Score:5, Funny)

    by MrLinuxHead ( 528693 ) <mrlinuxhead&yahoo,com> on Thursday July 18, 2002 @06:21AM (#3907403) Homepage Journal

    Amiga: Cars that were years ahead of their time, and you don't see many on the road as the manufacturer has gone out of business and parts are hard to come by.

    Apple OS X: Looks great, but You could only get accessories for it if they were made by Apple.

    BSD: Their cars ran really well, but the only mechanic that knows how to work on them is 500 miles away.

    IBM AS/400: Your couldn't buy a car but only lease one, it would come with your own mechanic, and would cost around a million per year.

    IBM OS/2: You could buy one if you are lucky enough to find one, but It never went anywhere.

    IRIX: Their cars would blow the doors off all the others, if you could ever find a gas station.

    QNX: You couldn't buy a car, only find the demo car, and that just had a projection of scenery moving across the windshield.

    RedHat Linux: You had a choice of sports car, station wagon, mini-van, or 18-wheel tractor trailer. You could design your own if you wish to, but most people gave up when it came to picking from the 2000 different accessories.

    Sun Solaris: Their cars would have a least two engines, with up to 32 engines, and they would weigh 400 tons, but once they got moving, they were hard as hell to stop.

    Last but not least: Microsoft: Just Where did You think You were going today?

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