This is being a bit disingenuous. While the USPS is getting screwed via mandates, there are deeper issues too.
http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/10k-reports/fy2008.pdfhttp://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/10k-reports/fy2010.pdf
If you look at the USPS financial statements, their revenue was $72.7B in 2006 going up to $74.9B in 2008 but then dropping to $68.0B, $67.0B, and $65.7B over the next three years. Even assuming they funded retiree accounts at the 2006 level ($1.6B) they still lose $2.0B, $2.3B and $4.2B over 2009, 2010, and 2011. Falling revenues and being restricted from lowering costs matter just as much.
How many people can maintain their own car? Not that many. Most people don't even know what a piston is.
Why are there not more problems with cars? Because most cars are designed with that in mind. Cars are durable and even go so far as to have lights that come on to remind you about routine maintenence. And those that aren't durable are abandoned for competitors products.
So the question becomes, how has microsoft avoided that?
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This is being a bit disingenuous. While the USPS is getting screwed via mandates, there are deeper issues too. http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/10k-reports/fy2008.pdf http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/10k-reports/fy2010.pdf If you look at the USPS financial statements, their revenue was $72.7B in 2006 going up to $74.9B in 2008 but then dropping to $68.0B, $67.0B, and $65.7B over the next three years. Even assuming they funded retiree accounts at the 2006 level ($1.6B) they still lose $2.0B, $2.3B and $4.2B over 2009, 2010, and 2011. Falling revenues and being restricted from lowering costs matter just as much.
Anyone interested on reading the official Science description of what has happened/is happening can read their press release here.
e _statement_v2.pdf
http://www.sciencemag.org/sciext/hwang2005/scienc
The info here should be updated regularly.
How many people can maintain their own car? Not that many. Most people don't even know what a piston is. Why are there not more problems with cars? Because most cars are designed with that in mind. Cars are durable and even go so far as to have lights that come on to remind you about routine maintenence. And those that aren't durable are abandoned for competitors products. So the question becomes, how has microsoft avoided that?