Daring Fireball

It’s hard to work the concept of a ‘software update’ into a cow analogy, but here goes: …

Maybe it’s because I’m a PhD student in genetics, but when I first read “cow analogy to the iPhone”, here is what popped into my head:

You purchase a cow from someone that is world-renowned for selling cows that make delicious milk. Later on, you decide that milk is nice, but what you really want is a cow that produces orange juice. Now this isn’t something that a cow is designed to do, but since this is the 21st century, you genetically alter your cow to produce orange juice.

Later on the neighborhood vet stops by and tells you that he has a vaccine available to fix some problems with your cow. As a side effect, your cow will gain some other health benefits as well. He warns you however, that if you have genetically modified your cow in any way, the cow might die when you administer the vaccine.

You now have a choice, do you want the benefits of the vaccine or do you want a cow that produces orange juice. The vet of course can’t force you to administer the vaccine, its your cow after all.

The point is that you can’t have a vaccinated cow that produces orange juice. Nor is the vet under any obligation to provide you with one.