5 ms·

> Much, much more profitable to simply drag your customers along forever and use every whale-milking technique ever designed. That's true of many industries. I

by hgs3 4y ago

> Much, much more profitable to simply drag your customers along forever and use every whale-milking technique ever designed. That's true of many industries. If a light bulb manufacturer invented a light bulb that lasted 100 years they'd go out of business. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence

29083011397778 4y ago
Respectfully, I think you have the wrong wikipedia link for your lightbulb example [0]. Certainly for describing lightbulbs dying earlier than necessary to fuel replacement purchases. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel
bombcar 4y ago
What's interesting about that is at some point the device lasts longer than it is in service for. According to the internet, the "average kitchen" is remodeled every 10-15 years, so once your LED lights last longer than that, they're likely to get thrown away still working.
- metadat 4y ago
  I've never met anyone who remodels their kitchen every 10 years. That'd get expensive quick, a lame way to spend a million dollars over the course of a lifetime.
  - bombcar 4y ago
    > In 2017, two million kitchens were remodeled (https://www.forbes.com/sites/reginacole/2020/11/08/stop-the-wasteful-cycle-of-kitchen-remodeling/?sh=208ffdfa7b68 https://www.forbes.com/sites/reginacole/2020/11/08/stop-the-...) There are about 70 million single family homes. If we count all dwelling units, we're at 140 million or so. So the average kitchen lasts 35 years by that metric, to 70 years. I suspect the 10-15 year number counts "refreshes" and not just tear-down/rebuilds. Cabinets these days don't often last 35 years without some work.
LorenPechtel 4y ago
Incandescent bulbs that last longer run cooler and thus are less efficient. Long life bulbs are a bad deal except in situations where changing them is a problem.

by hgs3 4y ago

29083011397778 4y ago

Respectfully, I think you have the wrong wikipedia link for your lightbulb example [0]. Certainly for describing lightbulbs dying earlier than necessary to fuel replacement purchases. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_cartel

bombcar 4y ago

What's interesting about that is at some point the device lasts longer than it is in service for. According to the internet, the "average kitchen" is remodeled every 10-15 years, so once your LED lights last longer than that, they're likely to get thrown away still working.

metadat 4y ago
I've never met anyone who remodels their kitchen every 10 years. That'd get expensive quick, a lame way to spend a million dollars over the course of a lifetime.
- bombcar 4y ago
  > In 2017, two million kitchens were remodeled (https://www.forbes.com/sites/reginacole/2020/11/08/stop-the-wasteful-cycle-of-kitchen-remodeling/?sh=208ffdfa7b68 https://www.forbes.com/sites/reginacole/2020/11/08/stop-the-...) There are about 70 million single family homes. If we count all dwelling units, we're at 140 million or so. So the average kitchen lasts 35 years by that metric, to 70 years. I suspect the 10-15 year number counts "refreshes" and not just tear-down/rebuilds. Cabinets these days don't often last 35 years without some work.

LorenPechtel 4y ago

Incandescent bulbs that last longer run cooler and thus are less efficient. Long life bulbs are a bad deal except in situations where changing them is a problem.