Suzuki Samurai was Re: [geeks] SPARC proprietary (waaaay

[Mike F]

On Wed, 22 Oct 2003 13:17:55 -0400
Kurt Huhn <kurt at k-huhn.com> wrote:

> I've been trying my best to stay out of this one, but I just have to
> comment.
> 
> Y'all are missing the point of NASCAR.
> 
> NASCAR isn't about using the latest and greatest technologies.  It's
> about *identification*.  Joe Sixpack can identify with the racing
> teams on a very personal and down-to-earth level *because* of the
> technology they use.  Pushrods, carburetors, tube chassis, it's all
> something that anybody could build in their back yard with enough time
> and money. That's a good thing- it allows people to dream a dream
> that's not totally unattainable.

True, it's easy to understand and get into. But my point is that
if you're going to spend millions on R&D and employ hundreds of
people on each race team, it's no longer anything like a backyard
operation. NASCAR is big bucks. And it's all about big bucks.
That's a bit of a dichotomy IMO.

> Look at it in this way: do you drive a car that, redlines at
> 18,500RPM, is 10 cylinders but only 3 liters, shifts with paddle
> things on the wheel, and is drive-by-wire?  Almost nobody does.  But
> if you ask how many people drive, or have driven, a V8 - the
> population segment goes*way* up.

Good point. I guess it all depends on your point of view. I tend to
be interested in things that are at a high level. That's why I
consider them worth my attention - because they are extraordinary.
Call me elitist for thinking that, but all of us feel the same way
about computing; if this was the "x86 Rescue" list none of us would
be interested - x86 machines are, at best, boring and mundane. But
this is the "Sun Rescue" list (well, this thread is on Geeks now)
and we are interested because we prefer to focus our attention on
systems that are vastly superior to the garden variety PCs Joe
SixPack is familiar with. See the parallel?

> The people that like NASCAR racing like it for reasons that y'all may
> never understand - but that doesn't make it bad or worthy of
> denigration.  It just means that you don't understand - that's all.

Well, I _can_ see your point. And the same applies to NASCAR fans as well - they just don't understand other forms of racing. I think it's
just particularly frustrating because in this country NASCAR gets 99%
of the media attention when it comes to racing, and so many people
think it's the *only* form of racing.

> And just to clear something up - the NASCAR cars are *fast*.  Maybe
> not exotic, but they're fast.  You can't make a 750+hp car and have it
> not be fast.

Yup, there's no denying that - they're sure faster than anything I've
ever driven or probably will ever drive :)