http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-10445564-64.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
Steve Wozniak, founder of Apple Computer, is something of a legend among computer geeks. He is a “hacker” of the true and original form, a systematic finder, dissector and solver of problems. Better than many people are even capable of understanding, he identifies the boundaries of a system, the variables, their influences on each other, and the optimal methods for manipulating that system.
He also owns a Toyota Prius that accelerates under demonic influence(*):
"Toyota has this accelerator problem we've all heard about," Wozniak said. "Well, I have many models of Prius that got recalled, but I have a new model that didn't get recalled. This new model has an accelerator that goes wild, but only under certain conditions of cruise control. And I can repeat it over and over and over again--safely."
Trust us geeks. There are people who will call up customer support and say “But it does this every time!” and yet when we stand over the person’s shoulder, it of course does not do that. This isn’t what Woz is talking about. Chances are that by the very act of owning and driving a Prius he knows more about how it works than many of the engineers that worked on the thing. That is his nature. (“It’s what he does! That’s all he does!” to steal a Terminator line.) If he’s telling you there is a problem with your software, it is in your best interest to listen.
(*) A million years ago I had an Audi, and much like Ford’s “Found On Road Dead” that is the acronym we used to use -- “Accelerates Under Demonic Influence”. Apparently a long time ago Audi had a similar problem. Anybody remember what I’m talking about?
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