This illustrates how discrimination is embedded in our society. We want to know details about someone (gender) so that we can assume other things (entitlement to maternity leave, say). But this supports treating people differently. The entitlement should be that anyone who gives birth or (or perhaps adopts) a baby is entitled to the leave. No need to identify gender.

But that last $50 - the "pre-delivery" checks, are required on every vehicle, and should be included in the price.

Where I live, there is a concept of "Drive away price" or "drive away no more to pay" where the quoted price is what you will pay and includes everything.

This may surprise you, but in some other cultures, tipping is entirely optional as we ensure our employers pay a reasonable wage to their staff.

If I go and buy groceries at the supermarket, and the cashier is friendly and helpful, I don't pay extra on my grocery bill, or slip them a fiver. If I buy new tyres for my car, and get good service, I give them my repeat busines, not a gratuity.

Why should restaurants be any different?

That said, it is not unusual to tip wait staff when the food and service is good. So I guess that our conventions don't make sense either...

You came from nothing, you'll go back to nothing. What have you lost? Nothing!

Sorry to make a small correction to an informative post, but most of the waste heat from an ICE goes out the exhaust.

Back when Microsoft was in trouble with the DOJ I hoped that they would be broken up. Not to destroy the company, but as you suggest, to give renewed focus on their target customers and reduce infighting.

When looking back at the adoption of Windows, don't neglect the fact that Microsoft did some clever (though perhaps not entirely legal) deals with PC makers to ensure that Windows came pre-loaded for home and SMB markets, and gave favourable enterprise licensing for larger businesses to ensure adoption.

But apparently, many cars are now being built with touchscreens. I shake my head in disbelief...

Gartner don't know a fucking thing except how to sell useless and obvious information to businesses.

Liar!

Your posting was well written, informative, and succinctly made its point without resorting to personal attacks.

I'm wondering which version of which rewrite in which language Mr Mastropaolo believes is the "true" version of events.

And here lies a fundamental problem. A very large proportion of society (I don't know how large) don't want that law to apply to them.

So either they need to be better educated about the existence of copyright law and the (moral) reasons for respecting copyright law, or the law should be changed to what the people can accept and obey.

Oh, so he's an asshole then?

So at least some of them could be rehabilitated...

They must be doing something right then...