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> Consider the availability of schematics for MacBooks, for example. They are not available officially. But it is possible to get them via shady channels. The o

> Consider the availability of schematics for MacBooks, for example. They are not available officially. But it is possible to get them via shady channels. The operation of such channels is risky because it is often illegal. But it is nevertheless being done because there is a large demand for it. If you buy a BMW, you drive all around town and get told by auto places, "Hey I don't work on BMWs." You end up taking it to a dealer, or an approved repair place. I don't see why a phone or tractor or anything else should be different. If you want something that's got modular parts / open schematics... make that a consideration when buying. It comes off as, "We want a premium product, but we don't want to pay a premium repair price or use approved parts... rather just sort of have it be an Apple case with Bubba's MacBook Repair & Tackle Shop approved parts... and Bubba can warranty the labor." Oof. Apple is pretty up front with their products, if you buy an Apple product odds are if it ever needs to be serviced you'll have to take it to an Apple Store. AND... the kicker... they have great service. A schematic isn't enough. Like you'd have to provide order of operations for disassembly (at least some training), odds are tolerances for glue / tape removal, etc. Doesn't seem unreasonable for Apple to say, "Hey we make a premium product, and we're the only ones with expertise in the care of that product. If you don't want an Apple laptop, you're free to buy Bubba's DIY Laptop built with 100% Organic Duct Tape!" And plenty of PCs went that route in the 90s / 00s. Open architecture was a selling point.

pbasista 6y ago
> they have great service Apple typically does not perform component-level repairs. They tend to replace larger parts like motherboards, display assemblies or cases piece for piece, which is cheap and quick for them and expensive for the customer. And it also typically means that the customer will lose their data. I am not sure on what basis can such a service be considered "great". On top of that, Louis Rossmann has published multiple videos showing the sheer incompetence of Apple's official Genius Bar service. For example: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2_SZ4tfLns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2_SZ4tfLns (Apple's suggested "solution" to a bent pin issue was to replace the logic board and the top case) * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RlVC3xwJN0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RlVC3xwJN0 (Apple is unable to resolve an issue with the SSD, bends a display cable pin in the process and tells the customer that there might be a motherboard issue) * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyxmFucVy7M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyxmFucVy7M (Apple spends $ 10,000 while troubleshooting an "issue" of backlight being turned all the way down)
- dbg31415 6y ago
  > And it also typically means that the customer will lose their data. If they don’t back up, that’s on the customer. Look, I’ve never had a bad go with Apple. Other than once I walked in and tried to buy 25 laptops for a startup and they wouldn’t sell me that many without an appointment. I’ve had great experiences with Apple Care where they replaced a 3 year-old laptop with a brand new one because a part failed. Are there bound to be people who had bad experiences, sure. But like… if they are all the sort of people who don’t backup their data… kind of hard to take that seriously. You have to be a realist. In any event, if you think the ability to repair is so important then you should only buy products that you know are easy to repair. I don’t necessarily care about this, and I don’t really want a phone with a battery flap to make it easier to remove, or that isn’t water proof. I vote with my wallet, and you should too. And that said, you shouldn’t try and circumvent my ability to vote on with my wallet and I shouldn’t try and circumvent your ability to vote with your wallet. Apple has done ok by me, rather they keep doing what they are doing - following the market and building the best quality devices (in my opinion) out there.

pbasista 6y ago

> they have great service Apple typically does not perform component-level repairs. They tend to replace larger parts like motherboards, display assemblies or cases piece for piece, which is cheap and quick for them and expensive for the customer. And it also typically means that the customer will lose their data. I am not sure on what basis can such a service be considered "great". On top of that, Louis Rossmann has published multiple videos showing the sheer incompetence of Apple's official Genius Bar service. For example: * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2_SZ4tfLns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2_SZ4tfLns (Apple's suggested "solution" to a bent pin issue was to replace the logic board and the top case) * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RlVC3xwJN0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RlVC3xwJN0 (Apple is unable to resolve an issue with the SSD, bends a display cable pin in the process and tells the customer that there might be a motherboard issue) * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyxmFucVy7M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyxmFucVy7M (Apple spends $ 10,000 while troubleshooting an "issue" of backlight being turned all the way down)

dbg31415 6y ago
> And it also typically means that the customer will lose their data. If they don’t back up, that’s on the customer. Look, I’ve never had a bad go with Apple. Other than once I walked in and tried to buy 25 laptops for a startup and they wouldn’t sell me that many without an appointment. I’ve had great experiences with Apple Care where they replaced a 3 year-old laptop with a brand new one because a part failed. Are there bound to be people who had bad experiences, sure. But like… if they are all the sort of people who don’t backup their data… kind of hard to take that seriously. You have to be a realist. In any event, if you think the ability to repair is so important then you should only buy products that you know are easy to repair. I don’t necessarily care about this, and I don’t really want a phone with a battery flap to make it easier to remove, or that isn’t water proof. I vote with my wallet, and you should too. And that said, you shouldn’t try and circumvent my ability to vote on with my wallet and I shouldn’t try and circumvent your ability to vote with your wallet. Apple has done ok by me, rather they keep doing what they are doing - following the market and building the best quality devices (in my opinion) out there.