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The author, @ShaneMorris, says "Sound familiar?" and links to the Doctorow "Unauthorized Bread" short story[1]. But you don't need hypotheticals! The defunct J

by SilasX 7y ago

The author, @ShaneMorris, says "Sound familiar?" and links to the Doctorow "Unauthorized Bread" short story[1]. But you don't need hypotheticals! The defunct Juicero required a wifi connection to "check the packet's expiration", but was enforcing use of their proprietary fruit packets. (Can't find an authoritative source atm but it was what everyone assumed and what their business model effectively required[2].) And IIRC Keurig seriously considered doing this or had already implemented it. [1] https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-near-future-tale-of-refugees-and-sinister-iot-appliances/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/01/unauthorized-bread-a-... [2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15154723 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15154723

chipperyman573 7y ago
keurig has been doing this for a long time
- gigs 7y ago
  The Keurig 2.0 have been discontinued a while now and the new ones don't have the DRM anymore.
  - pergadad 7y ago
    Biding their time until the controversy is forgotten...
donmcronald 7y ago
The CatGenie is even worse. https://jorgelo.co/the-future-a-cat-litter-and-drm-6dbda26428f8 https://jorgelo.co/the-future-a-cat-litter-and-drm-6dbda2642... The cartridge system adds a consumable part for the sake of having a consumable part. I'm sure it's only a matter of time until they try the same thing on dishwashers and washing machines. "The Wash Master 4000 is optimized to work with a range of certified detergents. The following cartridges are compatible with your new Wash Master 4000..."
- gimmeThaBeet 7y ago
  That does make me think, I've only thought to look at it in my parents' old and new dishwashers, but they both had basically 'ads' that the detergent slot had cascade branding on it. I always wonder how much P&G pays for that sort of placement.
ansible 7y ago
Cory Doctorow book "Radicalized" has the "Unauthorized Bread" story and more: https://craphound.com/category/radicalized-full/ https://craphound.com/category/radicalized-full/ Buy it, or read it for free.
- Nerada 7y ago
  Don't forget Ubik, written in 1969 by Philip K. Dick. Excerpt below. https://twitter.com/davidbrin/status/754490300140322816 https://twitter.com/davidbrin/status/754490300140322816
TylerE 7y ago
The Juicero thing was so dumb. Even if you believe their reasoning, why not just encode the expiration date in the chip?
- nolok 7y ago
  If people had been willing to ask themselves basic sanity question like that, the entire company / product would have never existed in the first place
- hcs 7y ago
  Recalls, I think? But a mailing list ought to be able to handle that.

by SilasX 7y ago

chipperyman573 7y ago

keurig has been doing this for a long time

gigs 7y ago
The Keurig 2.0 have been discontinued a while now and the new ones don't have the DRM anymore.
- pergadad 7y ago
  Biding their time until the controversy is forgotten...

donmcronald 7y ago

The CatGenie is even worse. https://jorgelo.co/the-future-a-cat-litter-and-drm-6dbda26428f8 https://jorgelo.co/the-future-a-cat-litter-and-drm-6dbda2642... The cartridge system adds a consumable part for the sake of having a consumable part. I'm sure it's only a matter of time until they try the same thing on dishwashers and washing machines. "The Wash Master 4000 is optimized to work with a range of certified detergents. The following cartridges are compatible with your new Wash Master 4000..."

gimmeThaBeet 7y ago
That does make me think, I've only thought to look at it in my parents' old and new dishwashers, but they both had basically 'ads' that the detergent slot had cascade branding on it. I always wonder how much P&G pays for that sort of placement.

ansible 7y ago

Cory Doctorow book "Radicalized" has the "Unauthorized Bread" story and more: https://craphound.com/category/radicalized-full/ https://craphound.com/category/radicalized-full/ Buy it, or read it for free.

Nerada 7y ago
Don't forget Ubik, written in 1969 by Philip K. Dick. Excerpt below. https://twitter.com/davidbrin/status/754490300140322816 https://twitter.com/davidbrin/status/754490300140322816

TylerE 7y ago

The Juicero thing was so dumb. Even if you believe their reasoning, why not just encode the expiration date in the chip?

nolok 7y ago
If people had been willing to ask themselves basic sanity question like that, the entire company / product would have never existed in the first place
hcs 7y ago
Recalls, I think? But a mailing list ought to be able to handle that.