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It is not like that. People are allowed to do things, but they voluntarily cede the right to do them by agreeing to the terms of the contract, when they buy the
by ivan_gammel 5y ago
It is not like that. People are allowed to do things, but they voluntarily cede the right to do them by agreeing to the terms of the contract, when they buy the hardware and services. So the role of the regulation will be actually to forbid certain types of contracts, that limit the right for repair, not to grant this right.
Also, the right to repair may mean different things: it can forbid exclusive contracts with spare parts suppliers, so that you could shop or repair elsewhere. Or it can regulate the price and availability. Or it can allow you to manufacture replacement parts on your own. The first option would be an equivalent of antitrust regulation in the vendor-specific ecosystem, and it seems pretty reasonable, because it will create a market where it did not yet exist. The second option will be economically destructive, because it would replace free market with planned economy. The last option may result in creating a black market of pirated parts, actually harming manufacturers which invested in R&D.
- SilasX 5y ago>So the role of the regulation will be actually to forbid certain types of contracts, that limit the right for repair, not to grant this right. And to void previous contracts written that way.
- nyxtom 5y ago> So the role of the regulation will be actually to forbid certain types of contracts, that limit the right for repair, not to grant this right. That's actually what I think the title should of been. But that's my own opinion. "Senate introduces bill to forbid farming contracts that limit right to repair" I get that, it's just a titling thing. Even framing the discussion in that way is not only a more accurate description of what's happening (as you've elaborated) but it lands better (if you were looking at this as a libertarian type perspective). Anyway, it's just a thing that irks me is all.
- ivan_gammel 5y agoLet's see what shape it will get when it's passed. As the article says, "The legislation would require agriculture equipment manufacturers to make spare parts, instruction manuals and software codes publicly available". This can go both in option 1 and option 2 direction.
- TheCoelacanth 5y agoContracts would be meaningless without government enforcement, so an even more accurate framing would be "Senate introduces bill to stop helping tractor companies prevent farmers from repairing their tractors".
- jjoonathan 5y ago> voluntarily cede That's the thing about contracts and debt -- they let people who have the advantage today rob you for not just what's in your pocket today, but what will be in your pocket tomorrow.