Re: Price of Professional Edition

On Sat, Sep 28, 2002 at 02:00:04PM +0800, John wrote:

> On Saturday 28 September 2002 12:02, James Durkin wrote:

>> which model / trim-level of a particular model of car to purchase, or

> Hardly a fair comparison. Last time I chose a new car, the
> differences between models and makes were somewhat more apparent.

No, not at all.  Suppose you want a car-based SUV (best compromise for
some of use with particular hobbies that need to haul stuff about but
don't want to kill off the ozone-layer any faster than the sedans next
to us on the road).  So, do you want a 4X4 or a 4X2?  Well, in this
class of vehicle, 4X4 doesn't mean "4-wheel drive" in the conventional
truck and off-roader sense, but rather all-wheel drive as in Audi, VW,
Subaru and the like.  If you want "4X4", would you like that with an
anti-slip differential or with computer-based traction control,
neither of which is actually labeled that plainly in the materials
for the consumer to review.  bout the only thing clear in the
purchasing exercise was that leather was a bad idea (not to bring the
vegans into it, but then I can't imagine a vegan driving :-) ).
Leather and damp boating shorts/pants don't get along well.  Of
course, not leather, then no this, that or the other thing.  Cars are
no less a mess than software, when it comes to picking options and
selecting value.  Some makers to better than others, but the industry
as a whole makes it needlessly confusing.

> Actually, the make was preselected by prejudice (and variety of
> choice, given that my employer was footing the bill),

It's always easier to spend someone else's money :-)

> and specifying options was easy as I _knew_ the advantages of wider
> tyres, more horses.

I was speaking to options somewhat more widespread in their impact on
the vehicle.  A wider tyre is a wider tire.  A different drive train
is a whole 'nother story.