Michael Feldman wrote:

> [said Bruce]
>
> > I think it is nonsense to think consumers won't insist on quality once they
> > realize there is an option.  Look at the history of the US auto industry (as has
> > been mentioned earlier).
>
> But that is because Americans voted with their feet when the Japanese
> produced a mass-market alternative that proved Detroit stuff was junk.
> Detroit finally reacted only when it hit them - hard - in the wallet.

It is even worse than that.  Americans keep looking for the easy way.  The Chevy
Chevette (sp?)
and the Toyota Corollo (sp?) are were one and the same car, both being assembled at
the Toyota Fairmont, CA plant.  Chevrolet couldn't give the Chevette away.  Everyone
said it was a low quality, American made pile of junk.  Most of them were shipped back
to the Ferment plant and rebadged as Corollos, which Toyota could not produce enough
of because they were high quality, Japanese made marvels.

It is not "real" but rather perceived quality that matters.  What ever rests on the
current software buzz word pedestal is put at the top of the pile of perceived
quality.


Phil Johnson