Ford and Microsoft Sync

[David Ostrom]

What's this, a crap company calling another crap company to help save it? The Microsoft Sync is exclusive only to Ford, Lincoln/Mercury. Just curious, if I purchase a Ford will I have to take the engine and transmission out to re-install the Microsoft Sync software after it becomes corrupt? If Ford would focus on quality engineering and design it wouldn't have to go down this road. What do you think.

[cyclefiend2000]

i wonder if you are locked into using some proprietary formats like wma for the audio files?

[p_quarles]

What's this, a crap company calling another crap company to help save it? The Microsoft Sync is exclusive only to Ford, Lincoln/Mercury. Just curious, if I purchase a Ford will I have to take the engine and transmission out to re-install the Microsoft Sync software after it becomes corrupt? If Ford would focus on quality engineering and design it wouldn't have to go down this road. What do you think.
I wanted to post a witty remark here, but I'm undecided between:

1) The Ford Exploder meets Internet Exploder

or

2) UAC + DRM + your car = "I'm sorry, Dave, I can't let you do that."

Take yer pick.

[hanzomon4]

I think it's neat, I guess oss developers were not interested...

[tgalati4]

What's the hardware that runs Stync and can you run Linux on it?

[n3tfury]

wow, great thread.

[n3tfury]

also, Sync is apparently a $400 option. if you're going to cry about it, don't get it. pretty simple.

[prizrak]

1) The Sync is an entertainment system NOT an ECU.
2) That is a great idea and there have been aftermarket solutions for a couple of years now.
3) MS's exclusive deal with Ford (which is quite a bit more than just Mercury and Lincoln) means that if other companies want to compete they will need to offere a similar option. As MS is already tied to Ford other companies will more than likely go with custom created solutions that will likely be FOSS based.

[hanzomon4]

wow, great thread.

hehe, yeah...

Really though MS makes some good products. Xbox 360/live is nice and windows ain't that bad, surfaces anyone? True they make dumb decisions like wga and the get the faqs campaign, but to compare their products to crappy American cars!?! ridiculous.. Joking, I like mustangs...

[lordofchaos1984]

i just hope someday soon you can get the Sync setup and reinstall the software to use linux. would be nice to have all the same abilities WITHOUT being tied to m$

[jai_mantravadi]

Looks like you're not going to need to worry about using Sync on linux. It looks like microsoft is *actually supporting* using sync on linux. I'm building an ubuntu-based carpc (using linux ICE), and would love the sync features on a linux box. What do you guys think?

See: http://forums.microsoft.com/sync/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2568583&SiteID=75

[TeaSwigger]

It strikes me as Microsoft using an already developed niche and attempting to change it into a proprietary field, much like they did with Windows. Your PC in the office. Your PC in your home. Your laptop on the go. Your mobile devices. Now your car as well. Tomorrow the world, huh?

After NASA gets us onto the moon, it'd become Longflight by Microsoft on the transports and Microsoft Lunar on the stations.

Red Rover by Microsoft on Mars...


1) The Sync is an entertainment system NOT an ECU.
2) That is a great idea and there have been aftermarket solutions for a couple of years now.
3) MS's exclusive deal with Ford (which is quite a bit more than just Mercury and Lincoln) means that if other companies want to compete they will need to offere a similar option. As MS is already tied to Ford other companies will more than likely go with custom created solutions that will likely be FOSS based.

Jaguar, once SS, then Jaguar, then Jaguar of Leyland, then Jaguar again, currently of FORD and soon likely to be of TATA, India, was / is a leader in such electronics; ubuntu users would be happy to know they chose BlueTooth. Wonder if this deal between FORD and Microsoft will bump Bluetooth out of Jag before Jag is sold to India. If not, I wonder whether Bluetooth, et al, is going to fail or flourish after Microsoft starts securing the car.


I think it's neat, I guess oss developers were not interested...

All about marketing. Developers have nothin' to do with it. Although this is very easy for Microsoft, since yet again they can take a platform already built by others and start staking claims and selling shares.

[TeaSwigger]

Looks like you're not going to need to worry about using Sync on linux. It looks like microsoft is *actually supporting* using sync on linux. I'm building an ubuntu-based carpc (using linux ICE), and would love the sync features on a linux box. What do you guys think?

See: http://forums.microsoft.com/sync/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2568583&SiteID=75

Too sketchy, no actual support yet, and require$ licen$e if done no matter the os, if I read that correctly.

[Quillz]

i just hope someday soon you can get the Sync setup and reinstall the software to use linux. would be nice to have all the same abilities WITHOUT being tied to m$

It's called, don't buy the Sync and wait for a competitor to embrace FOSS? There's a difference between not liking Microsoft and just being dumb.