> A modern Mercedes can’t even be tuned without special software. And these trends are a tragedy, for all kinds of products not just computers and cars. Sure,

> A modern Mercedes can’t even be tuned without special software. And these trends are a tragedy, for all kinds of products not just computers and cars. Sure, most people didn't care to repair their widget even in the 70s they just took it an applicable professional. Which is fine. But some people wanted for various reasons. Some of these people got so interested that it became their career and went on to great developments. Nearly every engineer can tell stories of tinkering with some products as a kid and it drove their career. A lot of that is lost when products are un-tinkerable. Think of the generations growing up today for whom a computer is a hermetically sealed device from apple where they can't do anything but consume, tightly within the guardrails apple enforces. That's not bringing up a generation of computer tinkerers.