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That requires pressuring manufacturers (whether legally or otherwise) to make their products more modular and standardized and less integrated and proprietary.
by mtgx 10y ago
That requires pressuring manufacturers (whether legally or otherwise) to make their products more modular and standardized and less integrated and proprietary.
For instance, Apple's latest Macbooks get a 1/10 repairability score [1], when years ago it used to be higher. Now Apple is even fighting against legislation that would require it to make iPhones easier to repair [2].
This is not a clear-cut issue, though. I'm sure such regulations will impede innovation to some degree (less thinner devices, potentially lower battery life, etc). But as you said, we as a society need to decide on that compromise.
[1] https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Retina+Macbook+2015+Teardown/39841 https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Retina+Macbook+2015+Teardown...
[2] https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/source-apple-will-fight-right-to-repair-legislation https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/source-apple-will...
- valuearb 10y agoNo, "we as a society" don't need to decide on anything. Customers need to decide what they want/like. Apples trying to make devices appliances, because that's what most of the world wants. Many customers don't want to repair their own devices, and by the time most of the devices stop working they are close to obsolete anyways. I have a 2014 Macbook Pro, it also scores 1/10 for repairability, but I've dropped it numerous times and it has never broke. All the adhesives and soldering Apple uses make for a very tough device and I value that far more than any ability to crack it open and replace stuff. If it breaks I'm happy giving it to the Apple store to repair.
- adrianN 10y agoI think the easiest way to achieve better repairability is forcing manufacturers to pay for repairs and extending warranties to at least five years, better ten.