If operating systems were beers...
- DOS:
- 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.
- Macintosh:
- At first, came only 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 trash.
- Windows 3.1:
- The world's most popular. 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 apparently no reason, a can of Windows
Beer will explode when you open it.
- OS/2:
- 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, but
somewhat slower. Advertises that its cans won't explode when you open them,
even if you shake them up. You never really see anyone drinking OS/2 Beer, but
the manufacturer (International Beer Manufacturing) claims that 9 million
six-packs have been sold.
- Windows 95:
- The can looks a lot like Mac Beer's can, but tastes more 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 beer, even though the manufacturer claims that this is an entirely
new brew.
- Windows NT:
- Comes in 32-oz. cans, but you can only buy it by the truckload. This
causes most people to have 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 just like Windows 95 Beer's. Touted as an "industrial strength" beer,
and suggested only for use in bars.
- Unix:
- Comes in several different brands, in cans ranging from 8 oz. to 64 oz.
Drinkers of 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 those occasions, in which case you either need a complete set of
instructions, or a friend who has been drinking Unix Beer for several
years.
- AmigaDOS:
- The company has gone out of business, but their recipe has been picked up
by some weird German company, so now this beer will be an import. This beer
never really sold very well because the original manufacturer didn't understand
marketing. Like Unix Beer, AmigaDOS Beer fans are an extremely loyal and loud
group. It originally came in a 16-oz. can, but now comes in 32-oz., cans too.
When this can was originally introduced, it appeared flashy and colorful, but
the design hasn't changed much over the years, so it appears dated now.
Critics of this beer claim that it is only meant for watching TV anyway.
- VMS:
- Requires minimal user interaction, except for popping the top and sipping.
However, cans have been known on occasion to explode, or contain extremely
un-beer-like contents. Best drunk in high pressure development environments.
When you call the manufacturer for the list of ingredients, you're told that
it's proprietary and referred to an unknown listing in the manuals published by
the FDA. Rumors are that this was once listed in the Physicians' Desk
Reference as a tranquilizer, but no one can claim to have actually seen
it.