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I think the main reason for using activation lock is to make stolen products worthless. If there's a way to use stolen devices, then they'll be worthwhile to st

I think the main reason for using activation lock is to make stolen products worthless. If there's a way to use stolen devices, then they'll be worthwhile to steal.

PrimeMcFly 3y ago
There's a middleground between fully useable and brick though. Not being able to remove or use the main account and having location history always on would go a long way. People can be trained not to buy a device where the main account can't be removed or the device can't be factory reset, and having the location unable to be disabled would deter a lot of thieves.
- newaccount74 3y ago
  I don't want a middle ground, I want stolen devices to be 100% brick until returned to the owner. If you want to buy & sell used Macs, you need to check them first to see if they are locked. Just like you'd check if the keys work before buying a used car.
  - PrimeMcFly 3y ago
    > I want stolen devices to be 100% brick until returned to the owner. Which is just contributing to the ewaste problem. What I proposed has now downsides unless you want to be petty.
    - newaccount74 3y ago
      - A stolen device that is 100% brick has zero value, so there is no incentive to steal it. - A stolen device that can be used with some limitations can be sold for a higher price, so there is a much higher incentive to steal it. Call me petty all you want, but if you steal my Mac I'd much prefer it to end up in a landfill rather than have the thief make money from it. If they can't sell them, they'll stop stealing them at some point.
      - PrimeMcFly 3y ago
        > A stolen device that is 100% brick has zero value, so there is no incentive to steal it. Clearly false. The parts still have value. > A stolen device that can be used with some limitations can be sold for a higher price, so there is a much higher incentive to steal it. A thief has less incentive to use something that is constantly broadcasting its location in a way that can't be disabled. > I'd much prefer it to end up in a landfill rather than have the thief make money from it. Environment be damned, right?
        newaccount74 3y ago
        >> A stolen device that is 100% brick has zero value, so there is no incentive to steal it. >Clearly false. The parts still have value. Yeah, the current implementation of activation lock does not brick 100% of the laptop. But nevertheless, since the video is about locked Macs being scrapped, the value of the parts must be pretty low. > Environment be damned, right? I assume that the environmental impact of stolen Macs being scrapped is going to get lower and lower as thieves realise locked Macbooks have a low resale value.
        PrimeMcFly 3y ago
        > Yeah, the current implementation of activation lock does not brick 100% of the laptop. Even if it did, the part still have value. > the value of the parts must be pretty low. I mean, screens, ram, hard drives etc are worth whatever they are worth. > I assume that the environmental impact of stolen Macs being scrapped is going to get lower and lower as thieves realise locked Macbooks have a low resale value. When they steal they don't often know what type of machine they are stealing as they can't see in bags. The suggestion I made is better for the environment without making things better for thieves.

I think the main reason for using activation lock is to make stolen products worthless. If there's a way to use stolen devices, then they'll be worthwhile to steal.

PrimeMcFly 3y ago

There's a middleground between fully useable and brick though. Not being able to remove or use the main account and having location history always on would go a long way. People can be trained not to buy a device where the main account can't be removed or the device can't be factory reset, and having the location unable to be disabled would deter a lot of thieves.

newaccount74 3y ago
I don't want a middle ground, I want stolen devices to be 100% brick until returned to the owner. If you want to buy & sell used Macs, you need to check them first to see if they are locked. Just like you'd check if the keys work before buying a used car.
- PrimeMcFly 3y ago
  > I want stolen devices to be 100% brick until returned to the owner. Which is just contributing to the ewaste problem. What I proposed has now downsides unless you want to be petty.
  - newaccount74 3y ago
    - A stolen device that is 100% brick has zero value, so there is no incentive to steal it. - A stolen device that can be used with some limitations can be sold for a higher price, so there is a much higher incentive to steal it. Call me petty all you want, but if you steal my Mac I'd much prefer it to end up in a landfill rather than have the thief make money from it. If they can't sell them, they'll stop stealing them at some point.
    - PrimeMcFly 3y ago
      > A stolen device that is 100% brick has zero value, so there is no incentive to steal it. Clearly false. The parts still have value. > A stolen device that can be used with some limitations can be sold for a higher price, so there is a much higher incentive to steal it. A thief has less incentive to use something that is constantly broadcasting its location in a way that can't be disabled. > I'd much prefer it to end up in a landfill rather than have the thief make money from it. Environment be damned, right?
      - newaccount74 3y ago
        >> A stolen device that is 100% brick has zero value, so there is no incentive to steal it. >Clearly false. The parts still have value. Yeah, the current implementation of activation lock does not brick 100% of the laptop. But nevertheless, since the video is about locked Macs being scrapped, the value of the parts must be pretty low. > Environment be damned, right? I assume that the environmental impact of stolen Macs being scrapped is going to get lower and lower as thieves realise locked Macbooks have a low resale value.
        PrimeMcFly 3y ago
        > Yeah, the current implementation of activation lock does not brick 100% of the laptop. Even if it did, the part still have value. > the value of the parts must be pretty low. I mean, screens, ram, hard drives etc are worth whatever they are worth. > I assume that the environmental impact of stolen Macs being scrapped is going to get lower and lower as thieves realise locked Macbooks have a low resale value. When they steal they don't often know what type of machine they are stealing as they can't see in bags. The suggestion I made is better for the environment without making things better for thieves.