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Agreed that for-profit relationships are inappropriate, and I also think iFixit’s business selling repair tools and parts is inappropriate. The whole thing com

Agreed that for-profit relationships are inappropriate, and I also think iFixit’s business selling repair tools and parts is inappropriate. The whole thing comes across as self-promotion for their tools/parts business. Add in their dabbling in lobbying for regulations to force manufacturers to make devices that you can buy ifixit (and other) kits for… and it starts to feel as disingenuous as Epic’s “pro-consumer” interest in outlawing the razors/blades business model that game consoles use.

bayindirh 2y ago
Unfortunately finding high quality repair tools for these class of devices is very hard, and iFixit provides pretty high quality sets with great reusability. While working on small screws like torque or pentalobe, you either have crappy drivers or Wera. iFixit is the provider of "good but not Wera" class tools which most DIYers and even professionals can use without any problems. Wera is "The Purveyor of Top Notch Tools", so that even companies like Apple and BMW use/supply their tools in their factories and repair centers, however they're out of reach for many people.
- mauvehaus 2y ago
  This 100%. Common tools you can at least find in a couple different grades. Klein, for example, makes Philips screwdrivers that are hugely better than commodity ones and are available anywhere that sells to electricians (hint: go to the electrical aisle at Home Depot for the Kleins). Allen wrenches are easier to screw up than you might think, but you can usually find some with a cut end rather than a sheared end if you look. Get into Torx, and you still have choices in the sizes used for construction screws. Get beyond that and you've got very little. iFixit fills that void. You're ordering anyway, and it's nice to have some options that are quality without being super expensive professional grade. Like, I'll use a pentalobe screwdriver a couple times in my life. I need it to work, but it doesn't have to be Wera levels of good or ergonomic. Interchangeable bits are totally ok for my use case; I don't need dedicated drivers in every size.
indymike 2y ago
> dabbling in lobbying for regulations to force manufacturers to make devices that you can buy ifixit (and other) kits... feel as disingenuous Availability of parts and tools is critical to being able to repair anything and iFixit's entire business is based on repair. Strategies restricting parts and tools as a moat protecting repair and secondary (used) markets should rightfully be illegal. Lobbying for this, especially when your business is repair and repair supplies, is self-preservation, and not lobbying against forces trying to put your business out of business is... irresponsible.
tempfile 2y ago
What is disingenuous about being a repair parts company that lobbies for devices that are easier to repair? From where I'm standing they are being completely genuine: They profit when people are able to buy repair parts, and they advocate for more repairability in electronics. To me that seems like just good alignment of values.
- MadnessASAP 2y ago
  I agree with you, iFixit is a tool & parts company for personal electronics that targets DIYers and independent shops. They have a strong interest in ensuring they're target market is as large as possible. That means cooperating with and occasionally coercing OEMs into playing ball.
lupusreal 2y ago
> I also think iFixit’s business selling repair tools and parts is inappropriate. Good grief, I hope you phrased that poorly and don't actually mean what you seem to mean.
- talldayo 2y ago
  [flagged]
  - robertlagrant 2y ago
    Confirmation bias confirmed!
    - talldayo 2y ago
      It only correlates!
jccalhoun 2y ago
> iFixit’s business selling repair tools and parts is inappropriate. But isn't that why they exist? I have always seen the teardowns and repairability scores as advertising. If they didn't sell repair tools then what would they make money on?
- addandsubtract 2y ago
  The same way Wikipedia makes money. I would donate to a crowd sourced repair wiki.

bayindirh 2y ago

Unfortunately finding high quality repair tools for these class of devices is very hard, and iFixit provides pretty high quality sets with great reusability. While working on small screws like torque or pentalobe, you either have crappy drivers or Wera. iFixit is the provider of "good but not Wera" class tools which most DIYers and even professionals can use without any problems. Wera is "The Purveyor of Top Notch Tools", so that even companies like Apple and BMW use/supply their tools in their factories and repair centers, however they're out of reach for many people.

mauvehaus 2y ago
This 100%. Common tools you can at least find in a couple different grades. Klein, for example, makes Philips screwdrivers that are hugely better than commodity ones and are available anywhere that sells to electricians (hint: go to the electrical aisle at Home Depot for the Kleins). Allen wrenches are easier to screw up than you might think, but you can usually find some with a cut end rather than a sheared end if you look. Get into Torx, and you still have choices in the sizes used for construction screws. Get beyond that and you've got very little. iFixit fills that void. You're ordering anyway, and it's nice to have some options that are quality without being super expensive professional grade. Like, I'll use a pentalobe screwdriver a couple times in my life. I need it to work, but it doesn't have to be Wera levels of good or ergonomic. Interchangeable bits are totally ok for my use case; I don't need dedicated drivers in every size.

indymike 2y ago

> dabbling in lobbying for regulations to force manufacturers to make devices that you can buy ifixit (and other) kits... feel as disingenuous Availability of parts and tools is critical to being able to repair anything and iFixit's entire business is based on repair. Strategies restricting parts and tools as a moat protecting repair and secondary (used) markets should rightfully be illegal. Lobbying for this, especially when your business is repair and repair supplies, is self-preservation, and not lobbying against forces trying to put your business out of business is... irresponsible.

tempfile 2y ago

What is disingenuous about being a repair parts company that lobbies for devices that are easier to repair? From where I'm standing they are being completely genuine: They profit when people are able to buy repair parts, and they advocate for more repairability in electronics. To me that seems like just good alignment of values.

MadnessASAP 2y ago
I agree with you, iFixit is a tool & parts company for personal electronics that targets DIYers and independent shops. They have a strong interest in ensuring they're target market is as large as possible. That means cooperating with and occasionally coercing OEMs into playing ball.

lupusreal 2y ago

> I also think iFixit’s business selling repair tools and parts is inappropriate. Good grief, I hope you phrased that poorly and don't actually mean what you seem to mean.

talldayo 2y ago
[flagged]
- robertlagrant 2y ago
  Confirmation bias confirmed!
  - talldayo 2y ago
    It only correlates!

jccalhoun 2y ago

> iFixit’s business selling repair tools and parts is inappropriate. But isn't that why they exist? I have always seen the teardowns and repairability scores as advertising. If they didn't sell repair tools then what would they make money on?

addandsubtract 2y ago
The same way Wikipedia makes money. I would donate to a crowd sourced repair wiki.