From: jeffj@panix.com (Jeff Jonas)
Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking misc.consumers.frugal-living sci.electronics.repair alt.home.repair misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Planned Obselescence....A Good Thing?
Date: 15 Jan 2007 02:12:00 -0500

>> Companies are setting up the situation that you are forced to buy new
>> versus repair the used applicance ...

>Only partly true.  Do you want to keep your computer forever?  Do you think
>you'd be on line here if you still had that 286 processor?

That's opening up a can of worms:
some PCs were upgradeable, with socketed CPUs and even
daughterboards for the CPU, but with raised expectations of our computers
and evolving motherboard chipsets and faster peripherals,
it's really hard to truly salvage much from a PC
other than disks and some peripherals.

BUT: some specialized applications require the "legacy" interfaces
that are being phased out, such as custom interface cards with the ISA interface,
or RS232 serial interfaced peripherals.
There are often items that have no equivalent in current production
so you can't just buy the PCI or USB version.

I still have some Z80 based single board computers
because they're now "old enough" to become embedded systems.
Many '486 systems /could be used again/ if anyone gave a damn
to find lightweight (NON-M$) operating systems to make them
dedicated devices, such as a digital answering machine, print server, etc.

-- 

-- mejeep deMeep ferret!