These are all changes to the technology involved - did you mean
something other than "changed", e.g., "improved"?

Moving from a parallel interface to a serial one is certainly a *change*
(your term, not mine).

Since when? Are you going back to the 8088 chips? IBM 650 computers,
701's, 7090's, etc.?

So tell us what innovations have happened with processors
and hard drives? They've made processors speedier, and maybe
added more to the instructions set, or have increased capacity
from 32-bit to 64-bit, and have made hard drives with more
CAPACITY at lower cost to the consumer.

Yes, we have new drive interfaces, such as SATA, but that is
merely a higher rate interface that moves data at a HIGHER
CAPACITY.

My argument still stands - there has not been any true
innovation to computer hardware/peripheral components, they
have only gotten speedier moving those 0's/1's around and
they move MORE (re: CAPACITY) 0's/1's than predecessors.

Wow, have you told Intel, AMD, HDD manufacturers, etc., etc.?

That quote from Billy-Bob has nothing to do with advances
in design utilizing differing technologies. That only has
to do with capacity - he was basing his opinion because
of the current state of capacity. The technology hasnt
changed in computers, but the capacity of devices has,
such as faster CPUs (with increasing cache size), higher-
capacity drives, more RAM, and so on.

Higher capacity is required because of bloated operating
systems and the bloated software written by lazy programmers.

The basic design of the computer is still the same: to
move 0's and 1's around the bus to peripherals, all
controlled by various chipsets.

Ya, so was the horse and buggy, the bicycle, etc.

This reminds me of Bill Gates comment a few decades ago that
no one should ever need more than 64k of RAM on his/her
computer.

What you quote is incredibly short-sighted. It demonstrates
a lack of willingness to do any kind of investigation of why
fly-by-wire was considered. In short, these are the words
not of an engineer, scientist, or technical person but a
ninny, and a ninny tired of having more demanded of him for
his labors, at that.

He's happy with the status quo. Others are not. He should
get out of the business or certainly never enter it.

    This concern has been answered eloquently by a contributor to
these newsgroups a few years ago.  Sorry I can't name the author, but
that person hit the nail squarely on the head with these words:

    ".........more importantly than that, you've got to have the
insight and wisdom to know when something has been developed to the
point where further development amounts to pointless engineering
masturbation.

    "The hydraulic brake system is a textbook model of development
to perfection. So was the hydromechanical automatic transmission --
computerisation of the automatic transmission has taken away
three-for-one in durability, dependability and cost of repair what
little it has given us. We know how to make steering systems that work
and essentially never give trouble. There is, therefore, no valid
reason for steer-by-wire."

Hi there.

I have been looking at the new Honda Civic, it's pretty sweet, and the
welds and everything are as nice as anything I have ever seen. I just
have a question about the "Drive by wire" system that they are supposed
to have.

What happens if the Engine dies on you? In my current car, my timing
chip went once and the engine went out. I had enough steering control
left, even without power steering, to pull my car over before it came
to a stop. If the drive by wire system has no "real" or active
connection, how can it work if the engine or electronics quit on you?
Are there any backups built into the system in case any of that stuff
happens? And what if your battery dies and you need to push the car?
Can you turn the steering wheel to adjust your wheels when you push the
car?

Much thanks, sorry to bother.

David