Why We Can't Have Nice Software - Andrew Kelley
andrewkelley.me
  • @[email protected]
    2•7 months ago

    I insisted my dad on buying a Moser last week, the best corded electric hair trimmer that has ever existed. Why? It never fails. Easy to repair. German technology.

    The new fad is already making portable electric trimmers with non-replaceable batteries and horrific ways to prevent repairs. No brand is safe – Philips (Netherlands), Braun (USA), Xiaomi (China), whatever you pick. Picked a Braun for daily use as it was the best compromise, and better than any brand these days.

    Same way, bought a Victorinox Swiss knife. Could have bought the cheap Chinese ones, but most of them break or become non-functional in few weeks or months. A Victorinox lasts a lifetime. Swiss craftsmanship speaks volumes.

    Same goes for smartwatches that die in 2-3 years. Invented planned obsolescence. I bought a steel Casio 15ish years ago for about $120. An absolute monster and a beauty I use everyday.

    Oh, while this is the topic, let us not forget about cheap earbuds versus IEMs with replaceable 2-pin or MMCX cables. Last month replaced a cable for $10 on IEMs I got 3 years ago.

    And let’s not forget the $1 Staedtler mechanical pencil I have since school days, that still works to this day. It does not even have metal parts, which is better to have. Picking a Pentel P205 this month since it lasts a lifetime.

    I can rant about this for ages. Repairability, user serviceability, common service parts and common standards are the real key to sustainability of this planet and us creatures, and only “traditional” companies/brands stick to it.

    • ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆OP
      -1•7 months ago

      This dynamic illustrates how capitalism goes through different stages. Early on, companies compete on quality trying to attract customers with better products, and you end up with quality things that work well, last a long time, and so on. However, eventually you get to the point where the same volumes of the product are no longer needed, and that’s when you start seeing things like planned obsolescence creep in because the logic of capitalism is that you have to keep selling and growing indefinitely.

      • @[email protected]
        1•7 months ago

        Alwyas try and get products that last long and are user repairable, with easy third party parts availability. Some things like smartphones may be a lost cause for now, but most things are not. Smartphones have stagnated, so eventually we will see progress in this direction.

        Capitali$m is on its last knees anyway, so I am not too worried about this intermediate turbulent phase of shitty products we will go through.