[Steven W]

Not surprising really. I'm one of the people who'd say that most of this shit is just a distraction.

http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/1771 ... -ford-sync

Ford tried to improve Sync, and leaned on Microsoft to improve the back end, but the improvements apparently weren't enough, especially as other automakers brought out systems that owners liked better (some ironically using Microsoft software in the background). Rising expectations for functionality rose faster than Ford could make improvements. Satisfaction ratings fell. Some say Microsoft got the basics right - Bluetooth, voice input - but never got past that plateau of core functionality.

Lincoln on new models will move from capacitive sliders to traditional knobs for audio volume and fan speed.

<sarcasm>Gee, I wonder why.</sarcasm> That sentence need rewritten too.

I know we have discussed much of what's wrong with Microsoft's products, but we need to analyze the culture there. Something's really off. They're all over the map. They want a one-size-fits-all product and apparently can't see that it's not working. I know anti-trust regulators wanted to break them up back when, but they might do themselves a favor by selling off bits of the company to others. What a fucking hot mess.

[MasterOne]

I would never buy a vehicle that had any Microsoft technology running on the computer system.

[Steven W]

A quote from that article:

Four in ten buyers say in-car technology is the main reason for buying a car, according to an Accenture report. Ford cites numbers that Sync is a key reason why buyers shop Ford and Lincoln. Some customers feel differently after purchase.

Translation:

Four in ten buyers are gullible enough to believe anything they're told.