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Farm equipment is more important than everything else combined IMO. I don't understand how most countries aren't terrified of having their ability to repair fa

Farm equipment is more important than everything else combined IMO. I don't understand how most countries aren't terrified of having their ability to repair farm equipment, which is essential to food production, locked behind parts serialization with the encryption keys controlled by a foreign company. Keeping repair prices in check should be viewed as a beneficial side effect of right to repair legislation. The real win is diversifying knowledge and maintaining the ability to repair equipment domestically.

masukomi 4y ago
Is it accurate to say they're terrified of having the ability to repair farm equipment? I think it's probably more accurate to ask "How come we have a political system where the politicians are more beholden to the large companies who 'donate' to their campaigns than the people they represent?" or "how come so many politicians are terrified of loosing the donations of the farm equipment manufacturers" & "why don't we regulate politician's incomes such that they can't profit from campaign 'donations'?"
smolder 4y ago
Exempting motor vehicles is also pretty terrible in my opinion, as someone who knows how to build one from parts but needs to go get fleeced by dealers thanks to all the obstacles they create for self repair.
bberenberg 4y ago
Wouldn't the opposite argument be easier given past history? \They\ want it to be hard to repair so only the country that has authority over the manufacturer has power over the food production of countries that don't have power over the manufacturer.
macNchz 4y ago
> I don't understand how most countries aren't terrified of having their ability to repair farm equipment, which is essential to food production, locked behind parts serialization with the encryption keys controlled by a foreign company. One possible explanation is that the people who hold the power here are geriatric, utterly out of touch with the state of modern technology, and periodically have lunch at the country club with the emeritus chairman of the board of XYZ farm equipment company, who reminds them in casual conversation that these right-to-repair bills are frustrating and bad for business.

masukomi 4y ago

Is it accurate to say they're terrified of having the ability to repair farm equipment? I think it's probably more accurate to ask "How come we have a political system where the politicians are more beholden to the large companies who 'donate' to their campaigns than the people they represent?" or "how come so many politicians are terrified of loosing the donations of the farm equipment manufacturers" & "why don't we regulate politician's incomes such that they can't profit from campaign 'donations'?"

smolder 4y ago

Exempting motor vehicles is also pretty terrible in my opinion, as someone who knows how to build one from parts but needs to go get fleeced by dealers thanks to all the obstacles they create for self repair.

bberenberg 4y ago

Wouldn't the opposite argument be easier given past history? \They\ want it to be hard to repair so only the country that has authority over the manufacturer has power over the food production of countries that don't have power over the manufacturer.

macNchz 4y ago

> I don't understand how most countries aren't terrified of having their ability to repair farm equipment, which is essential to food production, locked behind parts serialization with the encryption keys controlled by a foreign company. One possible explanation is that the people who hold the power here are geriatric, utterly out of touch with the state of modern technology, and periodically have lunch at the country club with the emeritus chairman of the board of XYZ farm equipment company, who reminds them in casual conversation that these right-to-repair bills are frustrating and bad for business.