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[–]bobbobbybob 9 insightful - 3 fun9 insightful - 2 fun10 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

your laptop is almost 6 years old.... and you think that is old.

Because you have no idea what real longevity looks like.

your car is 15 years old. Yay. Mine is 19 years old, and I should get 10 more years out of it.... That's not good. They could be built to LAST, not decades, but the better part of centuries.

Light bulbs? They could last human lifetimes. Batteries? they could last generations.

I have tools made in the 19th century, and they are some of the best (non electric) tools I own. Why is that?

The engineering discipline of 'optimization', where cents are shaved off each component of a device, is a major driver in the lifetime of modern equipment, with a careful balance between warranty length and time to failure.

I'd prefer a return to over engineering.

[–]UnexpectedTransmissi 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

I have tools made in the 19th century, and they are some of the best (non electric) tools I own. Why is that?

Because the simple inventions are the low hanging technology and they generally have few moving parts.

Most people don't want a car that lasts forever, they want ones with the latest and greatest features.

My biggest gripe with these kinds of complaints is, well, if longevity is so important to people, go start a company and sell cars and lightbulbs that last 1000000 uses... And you'll be a zillionaire. Just give me 10% ok?

[–]bobbobbybob 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Indeed, the capitalist model does not create longevity.

[–]UnexpectedTransmissi 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

At least it creates.