Modern items have stickers about warranty void if you open it, etc, other warnings like that. My 100% user serviceable coffee machine recommends you send it to

Modern items have stickers about warranty void if you open it, etc, other warnings like that. My 100% user serviceable coffee machine recommends you send it to them, cars encourage you to go to dealers. I don't see how that sticker is different in the 50s and now. There's a profit motive for them to fix it for you even if they don't charge it's still reputational (they stand behind their work). Having this sticker on my device doesn't make me think that I need to send it in often, it's more that they're covering their ass. The rest of your comment I'd agree with but a lot of things were designed around needing tight tolerances and using tight tolerances when you don't need them is not always a good idea. My earbuds won't charge if there's the tiniest bit of dust in the little recesses the charging pins go into or in the bottom of the well. Lower precision there would make them more reliable.