If Operating Systems Were Beers...

[DeanCollins]

DOS Beer:

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.

Mac Beer:

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 trashcan.

Windows 3.1 Beer:

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 Beer:

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 Beer:

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 Beer:

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 - after Windows95

beer starts shipping. Touted as an "industrial strength" beer, and

suggested only for use in bars.

Unix Beer:

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 Beer:

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.

OpenWindows Beer:

Tastes a lot like Unix Beer, but comes in a flashier can. This beer pours

very easily, but then suddenly becomes the consistency of molasses for

a few seconds, and then returns to its normal consistency. The manufacturer

keeps trying to discontinue this brew, but so far hasn't succeeded.

VMS beer:

32-ounce, well balanced ale, not self-opening can but always drunk from

a single hole on the top; proprietary recipe was not shared among other

brewers so style fell into disuse; can never explodes; beer only becomes

skunky with third-party chasers.

Next beer:

32 or 64 ounce lager using single-cell yeast; extremely smooth and stable;

sophisticated taste unappreciated by most inexperienced drinkers and

greedy, short-sighted executives; often used by contract brewers;

prototype of beers to come