5 ms·

Even if you are right, what would be your solution? I mean, the problem is not that we lack transparency, but that we have run out of options to fight the bott

Even if you are right, what would be your solution? I mean, the problem is not that we lack transparency, but that we have run out of options to fight the bottlenecks. Having some stockpiles as buffers would be one options to fight the problem.

urthor 5y ago
Is there even a better solution than to let the current supply chain issues play out? The status quo with supply chains and manufacturing is there for a reason, silicon in particular reflects its boom bust cycle as well as the absurd costs of CapEx. I think people are reaching when they table the hypothesis that current supply chain issues are due to mistakes or mismanagement of some middle manager, in some corporation somewhere. Maybe, just maybe, the cost of having a bunch of spare infrastructure for a once in a lifetime rearrangement of the supply chain due to Covid isn't worthwhile?
- arendtio 5y ago
  Sure, waiting is an option. But I wonder which other options are available in the long term. We talked about stockpiling. But how about rearranging the supply chains? Distribute the production of products? Shortening the supply chains? Estabilishing multiple cheap transport routes? etc.
Gigachad 5y ago
The solution is to wait. It's better to wait out very rare events than to waste constantly during normal periods. Very few people _need_ to have their new GPU or PS5 right now.
- greedo 5y ago
  Waiting might be the best option, but inaction might also kill the patient. Think of it as a patient with arrhythmia. Sure the patient might simply have sinus tachycardia that goes away when the patient's fever dissipates. Or it might be ventricular fibrillation that can easily kill the patient.
- arendtio 5y ago
  Well, as long as it is just about luxury goods like the PS5 waiting is certainly an an option. But what about healthcare equipment? Would you still argue that waiting is the solution if it would mean that people die in hospitals because the hospitals cant get the required equipment? In addition, the supply chain problems are not just about chips. To my knowledge, they affect nearly every product that is being produced in the far east (China, Bangladesh, etc.). A few weeks ago I wanted to buy a blue suit and I got lucky: I could choose from a wide range of exactly one suit. So yes, who cares about suits? But I wonder which essential things are unavailable currently.

urthor 5y ago

Is there even a better solution than to let the current supply chain issues play out? The status quo with supply chains and manufacturing is there for a reason, silicon in particular reflects its boom bust cycle as well as the absurd costs of CapEx. I think people are reaching when they table the hypothesis that current supply chain issues are due to mistakes or mismanagement of some middle manager, in some corporation somewhere. Maybe, just maybe, the cost of having a bunch of spare infrastructure for a once in a lifetime rearrangement of the supply chain due to Covid isn't worthwhile?

arendtio 5y ago
Sure, waiting is an option. But I wonder which other options are available in the long term. We talked about stockpiling. But how about rearranging the supply chains? Distribute the production of products? Shortening the supply chains? Estabilishing multiple cheap transport routes? etc.

Gigachad 5y ago

The solution is to wait. It's better to wait out very rare events than to waste constantly during normal periods. Very few people _need_ to have their new GPU or PS5 right now.

greedo 5y ago
Waiting might be the best option, but inaction might also kill the patient. Think of it as a patient with arrhythmia. Sure the patient might simply have sinus tachycardia that goes away when the patient's fever dissipates. Or it might be ventricular fibrillation that can easily kill the patient.
arendtio 5y ago
Well, as long as it is just about luxury goods like the PS5 waiting is certainly an an option. But what about healthcare equipment? Would you still argue that waiting is the solution if it would mean that people die in hospitals because the hospitals cant get the required equipment? In addition, the supply chain problems are not just about chips. To my knowledge, they affect nearly every product that is being produced in the far east (China, Bangladesh, etc.). A few weeks ago I wanted to buy a blue suit and I got lucky: I could choose from a wide range of exactly one suit. So yes, who cares about suits? But I wonder which essential things are unavailable currently.