When It Says: |It Really Means:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Available Now! |We overstocked / We can't sell any.
|(Alternative: We have a really hot
|item at an outrageous price)
State-of-the-Art Design |We can't get the chips yet but we hope to
|before manufacturing starts.
Proven reliability |Antiquated technology and obsolete parts.
Compatible with most systems |Favor us with a big enough order and we'll
|start designing an interface
Tremendous expandability |The unbundled "bare-bones" system with
|the low advertised price is virtually
|useless.
User-friendly |Slow, eats memory for lunch, and probably
|won't meet your specific needs (but for a fat
|consulting fee, we'll be happy to customize
|it for you).
Advanced features |We couldn't get rid of the quirks/bugs in the
|system, so we're pretending we planned them
|all along.
Competitively priced |Costs less than IBM's.
__________________
"We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done."
- Robert S. McNamara
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"We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches...
We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles."
- Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message"
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never wrestle with a pig.
you both get dirty;
the pig likes it.
|