The Right to Repair

[dogcat]

By now everyone should be aware of how corporations actively sabotage repair efforts of equipment they have sold to you. It is one of the main reasons >everything< (it seems) has a computer chip in it, the chip can thwart device repair efforts or require some type of paid authorization to the corporation for the repair to be recognized by the device.

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin- ... ifferently

[tammi806]

I wouldn't have working computers now if I didn't repair the computers I use now.

I'm old and on fixed income and can't afford to buy a new computer even if I wanted.

I use old computers I get from others or that I've purchased for cheap from thrift stores.

They're old but they work good enough for Linux and I'm happy with them.

[wiak]

By now everyone should be aware of how corporations actively sabotage repair efforts of equipment they have sold to you.

A subtle nasty trick is the selling of computers with only say 4GB RAM nowadays - big computer stores for consumers often do that. In a year or best two that often proves to be too little and normal consumers, knowing nothing about computers more generally, end up buying a newer machine in order to get sufficient RAM (not that they understand what RAM is... just that their old machine is running 'slow' or browser is crashing on a few tabs being opened, or similar...).

Eventually, old RAM types stop being readily available (or high priced because of scarcity) so even upgrading can become difficult anyway. Buy extra RAM and upgrade old machines whilst you can find suitable RAM for sale! Oh, and another nasty trick is for store/manufacturer to fill up all RAM slots with lowest-sized RAM sticks to get the total too-low overall RAM, so you might have two by 2GB RAM occupying two slots rather than the better one 4GB RAM occupying only one slot.

[Grey]

A one-year warranty means that the product will break exactly on day 366
If we take it as a whole. When buying, I am always ready for the fact that if I can't fix it myself, then there will be no repair.

[mikewalsh]

@wiak :-

This is why I always "max-out" any machine I have - whether new, or second-hand/refurb'd - while that generation of RAM/hardware is still readily available.....and is why this current HP desktop rig - which came with "just" 4 GB DDR4 - got upgraded all the way to its supported maximum of 32 GB during the first year of the pandemic.

I'd had too many years 'stuck' at just 4 GB of DDR1 with the old Compaq desktop. I wasn't going to be in that position again, not if I could help it..!

The refurb'd Dell Latitude I replaced the ancient Inspiron with last year had, fortunately, already been "maxed-out" by its previous owner, so there was no need to mess around with that one.....

(*shrug...*)

Mike.

[tammi806]

By now everyone should be aware of how corporations actively sabotage repair efforts of equipment they have sold to you.

A subtle nasty trick is the selling of computers with only say 4GB RAM nowadays - big computer stores for consumers often do that. In a year or best two that often proves to be too little and normal consumers, knowing nothing about computers more generally, end up buying a newer machine in order to get sufficient RAM (not that they understand what RAM is... just that their old machine is running 'slow' or browser is crashing on a few tabs being opened, or similar...).

Eventually, old RAM types stop being readily available (or high priced because of scarcity) so even upgrading can become difficult anyway. Buy extra RAM and upgrade old machines whilst you can find suitable RAM for sale! Oh, and another nasty trick is for store/manufacturer to fill up all RAM slots with lowest-sized RAM sticks to get the total too-low overall RAM, so you might have two by 2GB RAM occupying two slots rather than the better one 4GB RAM occupying only one slot.

Have you guys never heard of Ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/

I can find sticks of pulled ram (like new) from working systems DDR2 and DDR3 for cheap and I'm talking $5,00 per stick most sizes.

As for the average user not knowing or understanding ram and upgrading of ram that's on them for lacking the desire to learn new things.

[wiak]

Have you guys never heard of Ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/

I can find sticks of pulled ram (like new) from working systems DDR2 and DDR3 for cheap and I'm talking $5,00 per stick most sizes.

As for the average user not knowing or understanding ram and upgrading of ram that's on them for lacking the desire to learn new things.

Well of course. I've often bough secondhand RAM sticks on such markets. However, with Linux we can often keep machines running far longer than even ebay supports the older RAM technology. I've been in that position where suddenly what was available on such markets is suddenly so scarce it pretty much vanishes from supply. So really important to upgrade before that happens. All old technology dies and items can become scarce. Whilst some may find a supply of CDs and DVDs time comes when that is also gone. Same with once readily available tape cartidges of various types now obsolete.

As for not being able to upgrade their computer - only techy geek types waste their life learning such tricks. People like you and me no doubt - but why should a human being have to go to such lengths simply because a manufacturer or computer shop left them so quickly in the position that what they bought was only fit for the dump other than knowing these repair mechanisms. I suppose my granny should have learned how to do it all, but surprisingly she didn't...

[tammi806]

@wiak

You're spot on.

Linux does give older computers extended life to us users who still have them around.

I sometimes forget and take a lot of things I learned for granted because I've had to being old and poor and having to make what I have usable as long as I can.

I'll usually grab what I can as far as usable old technology such as CDs and DVDs when I find them unopened in thrift stores.

Yeah I'd like to have a new powerful computer and monitor but money for that just ain't there so I happily get by with the old computers I have.

[mikewalsh]

@tammi806 :-

I can sympathise with you, wholeheartedly. This current desktop rig is the first NEW machine I've had for the whole of my computing 'career'. Everything else was a hand-me-down from other family members who knew nothing techie-related at all; when their Windows needed upgrading, they - like so many others - bought new, with Windows pre-installed. Often the 'hand-me-down' had several years of useful life remaining, so.....thank you very much!

The only reason I went new was for two reasons:-

• One, capable hardware - that would leave my old desktop rig in the dust - was now so cheap it was within reach.....and for Puppy, you don't NEED ridiculously expensive top-end hardware. What others consider just 'average' is like a powerhouse where Puppy is concerned..!

• Two, with the pandemic setting-in and the whole business of extended lockdowns becoming a stark reality, I suddenly had a fair chunk of cash building-up in the bank.....cash that would otherwise have been 'wasted' on petrol & outings in the normal course of events. Since that wouldn't be back any time soon - as far as any of us knew - I figured I might as well take the opportunity to make use of some of it, and treat myself to new hardware for the first time in ages, so.....

.....that's what I did. And haven't regretted it at all. And while I was at it, I "future-proofed" it as far as I was able; that first year of the pandemic, there were some brilliant bargains to be had on new components, IF you knew where to look. I took FULL advantage of every one I could find, and put together a Puppy 'powerhouse' for barely a third of what it would have normally cost.

And that'll be my lot for the next several years, I think..!

Mike.

[bigpup]

Rule number one in manufacturing anything.

If you build it so it never fails.

They will only buy it one time!

Only reason automobiles are so good as they are.
No loan company is going to give you a long term loan on one, if it falls apart before the loan is payed off.
But when do things start braking on a car.
About the time you would normally pay off the loan on it.

[mouldy]

Whats truly annoying about modern cars in USA, they now have more wiring than a battleship or fighter jet. And ultra automated. This is fine for the first well heeled buyer paying out the wazoo at current crazy prices and has factory warranty. But heaven help the guy or gal needing a $1000 car to get by for couple years. Good luck finding any used car that will legally go down the road for less than $2500. And then its going to be pretty iffy, especially if you live where there is mandatory emissions inspections when your ride that still runs and drives becomes a lawn ornament. People supporting the ultra strict emissions want to pretend everybody can buy latest greenest model. Wont even mention that failure of an automatic transmission in a car is the death knell as they either have dozen speeds or are CVT, both super expensive to rebuild. The engines are made for rich folk and highly complex multi cam for last ounce of power, majority now probably come with turbo chargers. And this makes them far beyond most backyard mechanics, even if they can find and afford the parts. Oh and the messiah-mobile electric cars, they have limited lifespan due to limited life of the batteries. Very expensive to put new batteries in one after ten year life expectancy. Meaning off to the junk yard and more pollution building new ones and more debt for the buyers. Yea the bankers always win, the system is set up by bankers for bankers.

Back in the day you could Rube Goldberg something, especially something with a manual transmission (extinct species in USA) that would keep on keeping on, could replace clutch cheap in a day or less, though you might go through literally cases of oil. Least oil was less than 50cents a quart back then. Ah the days of getting the miracle cure that thickened the oil to slow burning. Modern engines cant deal with thick oil.

And thing is, in most of USA, a car is not optional. We dont have extensive passenger train service except locally in densely populated areas and only couple cross country routes. Even long distance buses now only stop in higher population areas, so you need a car to get to a bus station 50 miles away.... LOL Yea people in charge in USA not great long term thinkers/planners. Encourage cars as expensive as houses needing a 30 year mortgage and then not providing a realistic alternative unless you live in very large city. And no affordable housing in those large cities, least for the rabble. Now if you are an aspiring billionaire, hey its all tall cotton for you. But then it always was.

[wizard]

@tammi806

Yeah I'd like to have a new powerful computer and monitor but money for that just ain't there so I happily get by with the old computers I have.

Ironically (and happily for us who are extending old hardware) when you start comparing cpu benchmarks and upgrade ability of the new "entry/budget" level computers you'll find you can't upgrade either the the CPU or the RAM (one of those dirty tricks). My 10-12 year old desktops and laptops can out perform them easily. So a free or $50 used computer can be your best choice.

My current daily development desktop has a "trash bin" motherboard.

wizard

[mikewalsh]

@mouldy :-

I agree with you. You're absolutely right. And even though I live in the UK, we've long been able to 'read between the lines'. Despite that the average Joe over your side of "the Pond" has the same set of financial troubles as we do over here, American administrations have for decades liked to pretend to the rest of the world that the U.S of A truly IS the "land of opportunities", and that the entire population consisted of self-made billionaires to whom expense was nothing.

We just shrug, laugh our heads off, and go back to what WE have to do to survive. Some of the stuff journalists in your country throw together is better than the best comedy shows! Nobody could dream this stuff up if they tried.....

Mike.

[Grey]

But now users can also use THEIR tricks to buy something good at a good price. For example, you can not buy a new "cool XYZ" processor, but buy Xeon E5450. This is for socket 771, but after a small modification it works in socket 775. In general, there are ways to save money.

Even long distance buses now only stop in higher population areas,

This is a problem of any country (with a relatively large territory) nowadays. It's easier to move people to the nearest medium-sized town than to stop the bus for a few people. Or not to relocate, but simply not to stop. Economy

[Grey]

A truly IS the "land of opportunities", and that the entire population consisted of self-made billionaires to whom expense was nothing.

For some reason, I remembered the famous American writer John Steinbeck. It is interesting that in the USA he was sometimes glorified, then scolded. But even in the USSR, he was first glorified, and then scolded Now there is quite a good attitude towards him everywhere (it seems).

So he seems to have an idea that socialism will never be able to take root in America. For the simple reason that poor Americans do not see themselves as oppressed peasants. They are sure that they are millionaires... who are just temporarily poor
And here is the main difference from the USSR. I don't take modern Russia into account, it's a different country.

[mouldy]

@mouldy :-

I agree with you. You're absolutely right. And even though I live in the UK, we've long been able to 'read between the lines'. Despite that the average Joe over your side of "the Pond" has the same set of financial troubles as we do over here, American administrations have for decades liked to pretend to the rest of the world that the U.S of A truly IS the "land of opportunities", and that the entire population consisted of self-made billionaires to whom expense was nothing.

We just shrug, laugh our heads off, and go back to what WE have to do to survive. Some of the stuff journalists in your country throw together is better than the best comedy shows! Nobody could dream this stuff up if they tried.....

Mike.

Least you have national health insurance. Here its one big corporate scam to maximize profits. Healthcare costs two or three times as much per capita here as UK. And serves far fewer people. Pretty easy to become unemployed and homeless if you ever get sick or injured.

[mikeslr]

Over one third of those who file for Bankruptcy do so because of medical expenses they never will be able to pay. That estimate can't be more exact because about a third of Bankruptcies are occasioned by divorce: two can't live as cheaply as one; but two living together can do so more frugally than two living apart. About a third of bankruptcies are a consequence of the involuntary loss of employment. It's hard to gauge to what extent divorces might be lessened if two people who once loved and respected each other were not forced into having to cope with unmanageable financial circumstances.
FYI, I was a Bankruptcy Attorney for 30 years. The above reflects both my own experience as well as sociological reports.

[Geoffrey]

Hi guys been awhile, in the process of building a small house on my sons property so haven't a lot of time to do much computer wise with everything packed in storage, have just recently moved in and unpacking stuff, still have things to finish so have to save money like crazy to complete the build.

I still have an old ACER Aspire 5310 with 1.5gigs of ram that my son had for work 13 years ago, he was going to throw it out because the HDD died and his kids broke the keyboard and the battery was on it's last legs, I told him I'll have it then, replaced the keyboard with a new one, fitted an old HDD I had on hand, I have since upgraded that to a SSD, the battery replaced with a Ebay cheap one that was faulty, would only charge to 80% so repaired that with a couple of new/old cells from another battery pack.

I'm currently using it at this minute to post this running XTahr 32bit, I'm only on a pension so every cent counts, I do have other computers, an HP EliteBook 8440p with 4gigs of ram, it runs the latest Windows 11Pro even though it's not supported, runs fine, originally it was a windows 7 machine but with a few hacks gave it a new lease of life, my main computer is a MSI motherboard with a AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 3.8 GHz 12-Core, 16 gigs of ram, 2gig NVIDIA video card running windows 11Pro which is a pain to dual boot to linux.

All in all though, if it wasn't my ability to be able to repair devices I wouldn't be able to pursue it as a hobby.

[wizard]

Welcome back @Geoffrey , wondered where you were off to. I'm another old hardware hack. Thanks for the photos, those are some really big rabbits.

wizard

[Grey]

Thanks for the photos, those are some really big rabbits.

The rabbits are really great I wonder if they eat carrots and if so, how much ? Or adapted and eat everything, just everything

[mikewalsh]

@Geoffrey :-

Nice to see ya again, Geoff. Thought we'd lost ya for good....

Mike.

[Geoffrey]

Thought we'd lost ya for good

Na Mike, I pop in from time to time to see how things are on the forum.

Once I get settled in I'll find more time to delve back into things, I need to brush up on my scripting as it was always a bit rough.

The bathroom next on the list.

[stevie pup]

I would love to know what Microsoft's official stance is on recycling. I assume they've got one due to all the politics surrounding such issues these days. Or do they just close their eyes and pretend it doesn't exist? We all know what their real thoughts are, they would probably ban it if they could.