If Operating Systems Were Beers...
DOS Beer:
Requires you to use your own can opener, and requires
you to read the directions carefully before opening the can.
Originally only came in an 8-oz can, but now comes
in a 16-oz can. However, the can is divided into 8 compartments
of 2-oz each, which have to be accessed separately.
Soon to be discontinued, although a lot of people are going to
keep
drinking it after it's no longer available.
MAC Beer:
At first, came only in a 16-oz can, but now comes
in a 32-oz can. Considered by many to be a "light" beer.
All the
cans look identical. When you take one from the fridge,
it opens itself. The ingredients list is not on the can. If you
call to ask about the ingredients, you are told that
"you don't need to know." A notice on the side reminds
you to drag
your empties to the trashcan.
Windows 3.x Beer:
The world's most popular beer. Comes in a 16-oz can
that looks a lot like Mac Beer's. Requires that you already own
a DOS Beer. Claims that it allows you to drink several
DOS Beers simultaneously, but in reality you can only drink a
few of them, very slowly, especially slowly if you
are drinking the Windows Beer at the same time. Sometimes, for
no apparent reason, a can of Windows Beer will explode
when you open it.
OS/2 Beer:
Comes in a 32-oz can. Does allow you to drink several
DOS Beers simultaneously. Allows you to drink Windows 3.1
Beer simultaneously too. Advertises that its cans
won't explode when you open them, even if you shake them up. The
manufacturer (International Beer Manufacturing) claims
that over 10 Million six-packs have been sold. And the
people say: "Not always, but always often!"
Windows 95 Beer:
The newest beer on the market. A lot of people have
taste tested it and claim it's wonderful. The can looks like Mac
and OS/2 Beer's can, but tastes like Windows 3.1
Beer. It comes in 32-oz cans, but when you look inside, the cans
only have 16-oz of beer in them. Most people will
probably keep drinking Windows 3.1 Beer until their friends try
Windows 95 Beer and say they like it. The ingredients
list, when you look at the small print, has some of the same
ingredients that come in DOS and Mac Beer, even though
the manufacturer claims that this is an entirely new brew.
Windows NT Beer:
Comes in 32-oz cans, but you can only buy it by the
truckload. This causes most people to go out and buy bigger
refrigerators. The can looks just like Windows 3.1
Beer's, but the company promises to change the can to look like
Windows 95 Beer's, after Windows 95 Beer starts shipping
well. Touted as an "industrial strength" beer, and
suggested only for use in bars.
UNIX Beer:
Comes in several different brands, in cans ranging
from 8-oz to 64-oz. Drinkers on UNIX Beer display fierce brand
loyalty, even though they claim that all the different
brands taste almost identical. Sometimes the pop-tops break off
when you try to open them, so you have to have your
own can opener around for these occasions, in which case you
either need a complete set of instructions, or a
friend who has been drinking UNIX Beer for several years...