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planned obsolescence

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gg_got_a_tesla

Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
Jan 29, 2010
6,534
789
Redwood Shores, CA
As Outsider said it will all come down to build quality. If the rest of the vehicle is built to take advantage of the potential longer life of the electric motor and components then cars can be long term investments. If the idea of planned obsolescence is continued then nothing will change, though I argue that entire concept is not sustainable in the long run. Our disposable society is a dead end. Worth watching if you're interested in the topic Lightbulb Conspiracy

Wow! What an eyeopener! Thanks! It applies to every little purchase we make in our lives - from the big (a car) to the smallest of things. I do hope that I can make my Model S last a long long time; having gone through 5 cars in 12 years between my wife and myself, I badly need to make amends...

Edit: link to the full video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1xt4nEvipg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
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Wow! What an eyeopener! Thanks! It applies to every little purchase we make in our lives - from the big (a car) to the smallest of things. I do hope that I can make my Model S last a long long time; having gone through 5 cars in 12 years between my wife and myself, I badly need to make amends...

Edit: link to the full video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1xt4nEvipg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'm almost as guilty gg (but not quite! lol). I kind of hope that that can change with Tesla though. If they offer upgrades to the new "cool stuff" in their older cars (batteries, software, HUD stuff etc), like they did with the Roadsters, then there's more reason to keep the current car vs trading up.
 
Wow! What an eye opener. We have all run into the fact that you can’t get things repaired anymore. I recently had a 3 year old flat screen Samsung fail. Luckily, like the printer guy in the video, I was able to find guidance on the internet. Looked on a circuit board, the failed capacitor revealed itself by its swollen top and for a couple of dollars, the TV was back in service. Otherwise, I would have had to buy a new one.
I once dismantled and old Western Union teletype machine. I don’t know what year it was made but it was easily the best made machine I have ever encountered in my 66 years of working on things. All the parts were beautifully finished, every wear point either had a ball bearing or a lubrication cup. There was no obvious wear anywhere after a lifetime of service. This was a machine that was intended to be used by the company that built it, not a consumer device. For themselves, they wanted durability. I still have all the salvaged 6-40 screws and nuts used in its assembly.
I usually keep cars for 10+ years. I am splurging on the S because I hope to keep it even longer. I see it as likely to be my last car.
 
My first car lasted a year or so, my last, a JCW MINI I had for five because it was like new after five years and I loved it! I think the Roadster will be with me for longer still as there's simply no car like it to replace it and I think that, as it ages it'll get updates and refreshes to keep it new and interesting as I did with the MINI. It's already a quieter car, with better seats and it that looks better than it did when I took delivery.
 
I don't know about planned obsolescence, but modern technology (much more accurate machines, computer aided design, many breakthroughs in physics and chemistry, etc) has allowed manufacturers to built things with much, much lower tolerances and drastically less materials. There's also a lot more competition to drive prices lower and volume higher (with a strong drive to find cheaper materials and labor). That probably has a lot more to do with some older machines lasting longer than new ones, than with planned obsolescence (although some of that might exist).

In terms of electronics repairmen, my dad used to work as one, but switched fields because there's not much business anymore. Part of it has to do with the fact electronics nowadays tends to be cheaper (and if the price didn't go down much, the capabilities goes up), so some people rather buy a new one than to fix it (esp. true for computers, where the repair cost can easily be more than half the original purchase price). Part of it has to do with, for example in TV repair, most problems today tend to be software which requires mainly factory support (the circuit boards are getting much smaller; lots of functionality is put into microprocessors and other ICs, so much less electrical stuff to break/fix).
 
Wow! What an eyeopener! Thanks! It applies to every little purchase we make in our lives - from the big (a car) to the smallest of things. I do hope that I can make my Model S last a long long time; having gone through 5 cars in 12 years between my wife and myself, I badly need to make amends...

Edit: link to the full video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1xt4nEvipg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I have an HP laser printer that works perfectly since I try not to print much- maybe a hundred pages a year. I am furious that they are not supplying a new driver for it to work on Windows seven. The idea that I would have to buy an new printer is more than wasteful, it's criminal.

A great book I give as gifts that covers this subject: http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-So...7467/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321147479&sr=8-1
 
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Edit to correct part number

For the record it's a HP 3100 laserjet printer (though I remember the last driver being 3150 or something) . It's dusty now as I refuse to throw it in a landfill or take it to the hazardous waste days with my batteries and paint cans.

About this time I expect Doug to make a new thread on this with a sardonic title.

I suggest: Planned Obsolescence
 
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Use an old XP machine as a print server. And consider getting back on topic...
I_See_What_You_Did_There.jpg
 
Thanks to those who PM'd me with suggestions. None are working though. The XP print server idea is beyond me.

It's not hard at all, assuming you have a network for your computers (if not, buy an ethernet hub and hook them together).

  1. Dust off an old XP machine, and set it up so it can print.
  2. On the XP machine, select Start menu Printers and Faxes.
  3. Right-click on your printer, and select Sharing. Select Share this printer and give it a name. Click OK.
  4. On the Windows 7 machine, select Start menu Printers and Faxes, and click Add a Printer
  5. Select Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer
  6. It will search for printers on the network. When you see the shared printer come up, select it and click Next. Follow any remaining instructions
  7. Done!