Re: [PLUG] Survey: who drives a stick shift?

[Art Alexion <art.alexion@verizon.net>]

On Thursday 04 October 2007 08:36:39 Brian Stempin wrote:
> once upon a time, I knew someone who owned a minivan that had a stick.Â
> iirc, it was an older Chrysler. I'll have to ask to see what make/model.

Part of the reason they don't offer them in the US anymore has to do with EPA 
testing which can be expensive for the manufacturer.  A Corvair with an 
automatic trans has to pass a separate set of tests than the same Corvair 
with a manual.  If your customer base almost all want automatic, how much do 
you spend for EPA certification on the manual?  Is it cost effective in 
models like minivans where the manual trans buyers are infinitesimal?

So, to move a little back on topic, this is the same issue with Linux.  You 
need a user base large enough for developers to spend time porting their apps 
to it, but you aren't going to get those users until you have the apps they 
need already.  That's why multiplatform apps like firefox and openoffice are 
so important to the success of desktop Linux.

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  --   http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug