"Only a fool would buy a Prius!"

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chrism07924\";p=\"101828)</div>

The "fool" part is the "16 years IT experience". No wonder it's a "daily grind". Product development is a lot more fun than writing yet another web interface to yet another orders or employee database. I write software primarily for medical instruments, although we will write code for anything someone wants done. Every 2 or 3 months I start a new project for a radically different device, for a different customer. It keeps things interesting.

However, to get a little bit back on topic... Being a software engineer makes me less trusting of the Prius, not more trusting. I can all too well imagine how a intermittent software bug could cause the highway stalling problem. I can also easily see how they may never find it, because it may be the result of a particular set of road conditions in conjunction with a particular driving style, and maybe even in conjunction with a particular timing. These are the kind of software bugs that are nearly impossible to reproduce in a controlled environment so you can determine exactly what is going on.

Adding software to a device will increase it's complexity by several orders of magnitude. This is not always a good thing.

 

Since all newer cars have computers for many of their functions, therefore, following his statement, all owners of newer cars are fools. Count me in as a fool.

 

i see it this way... we can embrace new technology or do what GM is doing and bury our heads in the sand.

who is the fool here?

 

I recently read that the Prius has 35,000,000 lines of code. How many does the Camary have? Also, how many patents does Toyota have as a result of the Prius? In my opinion, this car is one of the wonders of the world!! And I have 20 years of experience working with machinery controls--ships not cars.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Herb\";p=\"101889)</div>

So says Ralph Spoilsport in the city of Emphysema. (I get my best mileage on the Antelope Freeway while listening to a radio station in Tierra del Fuego.)
[/b][/quote]

Just remember, Herb -- if you lived here, you'd be home by now! :mrgreen:

(Hey -- I lived in Crofton, MD when I was a kid. Small world...)

 

16 years of IT experience isn't the same as 16 years as a coder/developer.

IT is a jack-of-many-trades ability, and is about qualified to judge car technology as Mendel, or bio-major, is to speak authoratively about embryotic stem-cells. It's much like a producer vs a director.

Some generalizations can be made about common human errors, and nothing is perfect, but any hardware technology that has performed decently well for near 10 years has my respect.

Besides, when was the last time the Prius bsod'd on you? Embedded software/hardware, and industrial level software, tends to have much higher reliability than products from hack companies like Microsoft. This is generally because you can't "patch it" after-the-fact, and more rigorous QA. Look at the numbers and statistics.

iirc, the Prius has had software problems of which you can count on a few fingers of one hand.

18 years as a coder and recently IT industry here, and still not qualified.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin\";p=\"101945)</div>

Umm, what medical instrument company do you work for again!?!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin\";p=\"101945)</div>

The "fool" part is the "16 years IT experience". No wonder it's a "daily grind". Product development is a lot more fun than writing yet another web interface to yet another orders or employee database. I write software primarily for medical instruments, although we will write code for anything someone wants done. Every 2 or 3 months I start a new project for a radically different device, for a different customer. It keeps things interesting.

However, to get a little bit back on topic... Being a software engineer makes me less trusting of the Prius, not more trusting. I can all too well imagine how a intermittent software bug could cause the highway stalling problem. I can also easily see how they may never find it, because it may be the result of a particular set of road conditions in conjunction with a particular driving style, and maybe even in conjunction with a particular timing. These are the kind of software bugs that are nearly impossible to reproduce in a controlled environment so you can determine exactly what is going on.[/b][/quote]

Yes, if 16 years in a field makes me a fool, color me so. However, I was referring to the waning job market for domestic IT staff. BTW, I don't do web interfaces for databases, although I'm sure lots of people do. In my case, I'm responsible for entire systems designed from the ground up, that are used to produce electronic and print publications for the healthcare industry. Excitement is not in short supply where I am, just the opposite actually. I guess "grind" isn't exactly what I meant. Anyway, I'm one of the few people left in my entire department whose not in, or from, India. Everyone else is long gone, downsized mostly.

Hopefully the kid fares well in this brave new world, but it's not exactly a stable career generally speaking even for the best and brightest.

As for the Prius, the gold standard test is it's track record on the road, and overall it's remarkably good. Yes, some folks have had issues but overall, good.

 

Even if all the Prius did was shut its engine down at stops, using electric for short, slow maneuvers, it would shine. Even the Honda IMA can't do that.

 

[Arial]

Let's assume the best here. The kid has reviewed the general literature on hybrids and come to the conclusion that hybrids aren't economically viable.
OK, but Prii aren't generic hybrids, are they? And there may be factors beyond the most parsimoniously economic that are relevant, such as pollution and consumption of oil. So, the kid has a few things to learn, as do we all. And he has yet to learn thant Prii are fun. I say, take him for a long drive.

-Roland
'05 Salsa #6
5000 miles in 2 months

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rolandwil\";p=\"103287)</div>

I agree with you there...looking at the Insight and Civic, the way the IMA works is totally different than the HSD of the Prius....and....5000 miles in 2 months?!!??!?!? Wow, you are definitely getting your money's worth Why so many miles in such a short period of time, if you don't mind me asking?

Dave

 

blah blah blah.. blah blah blah.. i'll keep this short. I drive 5,000 miles a month too. sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. it's for my work. cookie delivery. i get my moneys worth. i use my work as an example of why this car is soooo good.

 

I agree with you there...looking at the Insight and Civic, the way the IMA works is totally different than the HSD of the Prius....and....5000 miles in 2 months?!!??!?!? Wow, you are definitely getting your money's worth Why so many miles in such a short period of time, if you don't mind me asking?

Dave[/quote]

A whole lot of trips to look after an ageing parent plus 1100 miles to AZ from CA adds up to 5K. 44 or 45 mpg per tank at rather elevated highway speeds and AC on is about what we expected and what we get.

-Roland

 

A whole lot of trips to look after an ageing parent plus 1100 miles to AZ from CA adds up to 5K. 44 or 45 mpg per tank at rather elevated highway speeds and AC on is about what we expected and what we get.

-Roland
[/quote]

Great mileage though considering the alternative vehicles you could have been driving....it's good to hear that it still gets in the 40's with "spirited" driving and A/C....

Dave.

 

We really are all quite stupid. I mean, I'm driving around in comfort and getting 50.5 mpg. And with the great torque the electric motors have, I'm actually getting very practical real life performance. Yup, we sure are a stupid bunch!

Alan

 

Hey now. Watch it... I graduated college at the age of 21 and worked full time since the age of 16. I had more years of real world experience than years of college experience! And I paid all my own bills.

Another 3 years (hopefully) and I'll be getting my PhD at the age of 25. Does that make me oblivious to the "real" world? Heck, my current training is essentially what I'll be doing for the rest of my life. 40-60 hours a week in self directed research, and not much income. Now that's a good start in "experience"...

No hard feelings. Just be careful when you generalize! :lol:

 

Oh, I wasn't generalizing...I referred to "classic" I guess as typical, which you certainly seem to be out of the "typical" bunch...should have used a different term...no hard feelings But congrats to you...not many 22 year olds or 21 year olds would be willing to work as hard and forego partying when done with undergrad work

Dave.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NuShrike\";p=\"102035)</div>

Embedded software also has the advantage of the hardware never changing, except when it malfunctions. Those 'hacks' at Microsoft have to configure Windows to work on tens of thousands of possible combinations of PC hardware. You don't see too many software bugs in the Xbox, now do you?

 

Only a fool would buy a Prius.

"only a fool would buy a Prius!" .
Any suggestions on what I might tell my son? :?:
[/quote]

Maybe "Only a fool would give his son gas money for a vehicle that he can\'t afford to drive." Patrick1