6 ms·
I have the feeling that somehow the actual need has been put aside for phylosophical (or Open Source, etc.) reasonings (nice but not the original issue). More
by jaclaz 10y ago
I have the feeling that somehow the actual need has been put aside for phylosophical (or Open Source, etc.) reasonings (nice but not the original issue).
More or less what the good farmers are asking for (which is not about the code, the kernel or whatever, they are not "hackers" as much as the authorized JD technicians are not computer experts or programmers or software engineers) is just access to the "database" of parts serial number of the machine.
Loosely the way it works (simplified) is a database where the (say) pressure sensor #42 has been registered (authorized) in the operating system as having serial number #0123456789.
When the sensor breaks, after it has been replaced with a new (original or verified third party) sensor, you need to update the database telling it that sensor with serial #0123456789 has bee replaced with sensor serial number #2223334445 and - of course it depends on the specific part - possibly run a "self-test" program to verify that the sensor works properly and maybe tune/regulate it.
The farmers do not want the source code, they don't want to modify it, they don't want to "hack" anything, they simply want to be able to replace a part and have the thingy work.
Going back to software, let's talk of - say - Windows 7 (yeah I know that all the rage is about Windows 10 nowadays) and its activation, imagine that instead of having one month time to activate a new install either through the internet, the automated phone call in case it doesn't work and a support phone call for particular cases where the previous two options do not work, activation was:
1) Immediately mandatory (i.e. the OS wouldn't work until activated)
2) ONLY available through a local visit of a MS agent (9 to 5 , Monday to Friday) at a cost of (say) US$ 100.00/hour + US$ 1.00/mile
- mirimir 10y agoMore like this, following your example. Install a new video card. Windows won't boot until a certified tech comes by, at $100/hour and $1/mile.
- jaclaz 10y agoYes, exactly. And of course you are replacing that video card not because you just fancy it, but because the video card in your 24/7 vital/mission critical PC just burned (and this kind of things - from experience - tend to happen between friday 11:00 PM and saturday 3:00 AM ;))
- mirimir 10y agoActually, I experienced something like that. I had a defective motherboard. The manufacturer sent me one flashed with the wrong reseller code. Windows wouldn't boot. No workaround. Had to wait for a new motherboard.
- gerbilly 10y ago>The farmers do not want the source code, they don't want to modify it, they don't want to "hack" anything, they simply want to be able to replace a part and have the thingy work. One way to fix this would be for a farmer to sue the manufacturer for business interruption for millions of dollars. When planting or harvesting, especially when bad weather is coming in, you are on a tight deadline. Inability to replace a perfectly functional physical part due to this kind of software lockdown could cost a farmer lots of money.
- criddell 10y agoI'm guessing JD has lawyers smart enough to protect the company against something like this. For one, I'm guessing the purchaser / licensee agreed to binding arbitration. As well, the purchaser / licensee probably also agreed to release JD from any responsibility for losses due to malfunction (where malfunction is defined by JD).
- pavel_lishin 10y ago> One way to fix this would be for a farmer to sue the manufacturer for business interruption for millions of dollars. But you'd need to find a farmer who's willing to take a risk and spend a lot of money that they may not have while their crop rots in a field.
- Arizhel 10y ago>ONLY available through a local visit of a MS agent (9 to 5 , Monday to Friday) at a cost of (say) US$ 100.00/hour + US$ 1.00/mile Microsoft really should adopt this approach to customer service. It's been very successful for John Deere obviously, so for MS it should be even more successful. They could increase their profitability greatly. Who cares if it pisses off customers? They're not going anywhere; they'll just pay up and gripe about it. There is literally no reason MS should not treat their customers this way. They're missing out on a lot of revenue here.