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> Right to Repair applied broadly is dictatorship of minority Feel more like a democratic decision made by the majority, after all, the users are the majority

> Right to Repair applied broadly is dictatorship of minority Feel more like a democratic decision made by the majority, after all, the users are the majority and the makers are the minority.

webmobdev 4y ago
If you put it like that, the other side will then disingenuously argue that this is "tyranny of the majority" and "democracy is designed to protect the minorities". This law just seeks to correct the imbalance of power between 2 groups - the consumers and the corporates - that has developed in modern society. That's the whole point of democracy - the continued negotiation of power between the groups that make up the society. Consumer rights is not a radical new concept in any democracy. Right to Repair is just a necessary extension of consumer rights, and will evolve depending on how the political leadership successfully negotiates between the affected parties.
ribit 4y ago
That’s not what I mean. What a I mean that the majority of users don’t care about repairs. Personally, I think it’s good if manufacturers are made more accountable and parts are available for the few users who want to tinker, but shouldn’t happen at the expense of overall product quality or convenience. For example, a law might mandate that all basic computer components are modular and user-replaceable. This will essentially outlaw technical solutions like high-bandwidth or low-power laptop memory since it is not feasible to make it modular. Or another example, requiring that all smartphones have easily replaceable battery will interfere with waterproofing. But I think we can at least agree that customers should have same access to parts and tools as dedicated service centers. But I would like that manufacturers retain the right to choose technical solutions that might sacrifice repairability unless it can be reasonably shown that the only reason for that feature is planned obsolescence.

> Right to Repair applied broadly is dictatorship of minority Feel more like a democratic decision made by the majority, after all, the users are the majority and the makers are the minority.

webmobdev 4y ago

If you put it like that, the other side will then disingenuously argue that this is "tyranny of the majority" and "democracy is designed to protect the minorities". This law just seeks to correct the imbalance of power between 2 groups - the consumers and the corporates - that has developed in modern society. That's the whole point of democracy - the continued negotiation of power between the groups that make up the society. Consumer rights is not a radical new concept in any democracy. Right to Repair is just a necessary extension of consumer rights, and will evolve depending on how the political leadership successfully negotiates between the affected parties.

ribit 4y ago

That’s not what I mean. What a I mean that the majority of users don’t care about repairs. Personally, I think it’s good if manufacturers are made more accountable and parts are available for the few users who want to tinker, but shouldn’t happen at the expense of overall product quality or convenience. For example, a law might mandate that all basic computer components are modular and user-replaceable. This will essentially outlaw technical solutions like high-bandwidth or low-power laptop memory since it is not feasible to make it modular. Or another example, requiring that all smartphones have easily replaceable battery will interfere with waterproofing. But I think we can at least agree that customers should have same access to parts and tools as dedicated service centers. But I would like that manufacturers retain the right to choose technical solutions that might sacrifice repairability unless it can be reasonably shown that the only reason for that feature is planned obsolescence.