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I think anything publicizing "right to repair" in mainstream media is a good thing. Agreed that for HN denizens, it's nothing new, but most people are just una

by lsllc 5y ago

I think anything publicizing "right to repair" in mainstream media is a good thing. Agreed that for HN denizens, it's nothing new, but most people are just unaware of this topic. Glad to see the BBC running this.

judge2020 5y ago
Maybe, but it’s all over the place and thus might cause confusion for readers who will later see 'right to repair' and think it means that Apple should be forced to send iOS 14 to their iPhone 4S.
- joshspankit 5y ago
  Exactly my point as I read down this thread: For this type of legislation push it is very important to keep the narrative focused on what’s morally and technologically reasonable. Very few people agree that a manufacturer should be forced to spend time and money on supportting a product for life, many (I hope) agree that we should force manufacturers to give us the ability to repair all functions ourselves (or at least not stand in our way), but almost everyone can agree that you should be able to replace something as trivial as a button, a cable, or a screen.
- LocalH 5y ago
  Maybe they should have to open iOS signing to all versions a device ever received when it becomes EOL? That also has implications with regards to preservation - if you can never install a given version of the OS again, then how can you trust it is properly preserved?
  - judge2020 5y ago
    You can always install the old version, Apple just doesn't think they can optimize new iOS versions to make old phones work well with the new software (and the bloat/feature creep within).
    - EvanAnderson 5y ago
      Without circumventing protections you cannot install old versions of iOS. Many phone models have flaws in the protections that allow you to circumvent the protections, but officially installing old iOS versions ends when Apple decides.
    - LocalH 5y ago
      No you can't, and you haven't been able to in some time. Apple devices that need restoring post-EOL are generally restricted to the last-released version. I think you have to go back to the original couple of iPhone models to be able to ignore SHSH and APTicket. There are ways around this with some models, but it's been a long time since it was even "save SHSH blobs and replay them" easy.
hilbert42 5y ago
"I think anything publicizing "right to repair" in mainstream media is a good thing." Absolutely, the more the merrier. Also, I believe that lay people are now becoming aware of the fact, as I've seen many articles both in the daily press and on the television news about it (where I live the Government's current inquiry into the matter seeking public comment has been reasonably well covered).

by lsllc 5y ago

judge2020 5y ago

Maybe, but it’s all over the place and thus might cause confusion for readers who will later see 'right to repair' and think it means that Apple should be forced to send iOS 14 to their iPhone 4S.

joshspankit 5y ago
Exactly my point as I read down this thread: For this type of legislation push it is very important to keep the narrative focused on what’s morally and technologically reasonable. Very few people agree that a manufacturer should be forced to spend time and money on supportting a product for life, many (I hope) agree that we should force manufacturers to give us the ability to repair all functions ourselves (or at least not stand in our way), but almost everyone can agree that you should be able to replace something as trivial as a button, a cable, or a screen.
LocalH 5y ago
Maybe they should have to open iOS signing to all versions a device ever received when it becomes EOL? That also has implications with regards to preservation - if you can never install a given version of the OS again, then how can you trust it is properly preserved?
- judge2020 5y ago
  You can always install the old version, Apple just doesn't think they can optimize new iOS versions to make old phones work well with the new software (and the bloat/feature creep within).
  - EvanAnderson 5y ago
    Without circumventing protections you cannot install old versions of iOS. Many phone models have flaws in the protections that allow you to circumvent the protections, but officially installing old iOS versions ends when Apple decides.
  - LocalH 5y ago
    No you can't, and you haven't been able to in some time. Apple devices that need restoring post-EOL are generally restricted to the last-released version. I think you have to go back to the original couple of iPhone models to be able to ignore SHSH and APTicket. There are ways around this with some models, but it's been a long time since it was even "save SHSH blobs and replay them" easy.

hilbert42 5y ago

"I think anything publicizing "right to repair" in mainstream media is a good thing." Absolutely, the more the merrier. Also, I believe that lay people are now becoming aware of the fact, as I've seen many articles both in the daily press and on the television news about it (where I live the Government's current inquiry into the matter seeking public comment has been reasonably well covered).