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I understand where you're coming from and I think there is a middle ground, but there is certainly a decent rationale for locking it down: these machines cost $
by viggity 11y ago
I understand where you're coming from and I think there is a middle ground, but there is certainly a decent rationale for locking it down: these machines cost $750K to $1M and enormously complex. Allowing an owner to inject some jury rigged code could cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to the machine, or worse yet hurt or kill someone.
Honestly, what would happen if the implements you have hitched to the back of the tractor can't receive the proper instructions because the owner bought some counterfeit FTDI chip. You can set up your spray zones to make sure you don't spray pesticides near waterways, who is liable if that gets screwed up? The counterfeiter? The Farmer? Either way you know John Deere is going to get dragged through the mud for it.
- nmrm2 11y agoThis is an argument against allowing self-service, but it isn't an argument against opening things up and allowing certified third party service. Preventing counterfeiting by not releasing source/documentation is a pretty textbook case at an attempt at security through obscurity.
- teddyh 11y agoThe exact same argument could be made about cars. Or a house. Or any large, complicated and expensive modern thing, really. I’m assuming that you don’t believe that similar restrictions are reasonable on cars or houses, etc. So what makes a tractor so utterly different? Is it more dangerous? Cars can certainly be more dangerous. And a house? Where people sleep? Wouldn’t that be even more important to restrict people’s ham-fisted “repairs” or the like? But we don’t. So why are tractors different?
- jcranmer 11y agoBut we do have similar restrictions on a house--you need licensed electricians, etc., as well as approved building permits to do many tasks.
- Phlarp 11y agoCars are similarly locked down, as are many (most?) consumer electronics devices. Buildings have an even more complex system of restrictions placed on them, called fire/building/electrical codes, albeit the enforcement is more nuanced. If you want to advocate for a more open system of published regulations and a licensing/insurance system for professionals that's fine, but don't try to pretend that other facets of life aren't equally regulated.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]