From: James Sweet 
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: Tue, 16 Jan 2007 04:08:58 GMT


> 
> And I want to add something about "planned obsolescence" because it
> is often misused.  If people are choosing to buy cheap, it's hardly
> that the manufacturers are making things so they will break.  The
> consumer often wants that cheaper tv set or VCR.
> 


Rather than planned obsolescence, it's normally more a case of how many 
cost reducing corners can they cut and still have it last "long enough". 
It's hard to blame the manufactures, they're supplying what the average 
consumer is demanding.


> 
> If my computer from 1979 had been intended to last forever, it would
> have been way out of range in terms of price.  Because they'd have to
> anticipate how much things would change, and build in enough so upgrading
> would be doable.  So you'd spend money on potential, rather than spending
> money later on a new computer that would beat out what they could
> imagine in 1979.  And in recent years, it is the consumer who is deciding
> to buy a new computer every few years (whether a deliberate decision or
> they simply let the manufacturer lead, must vary from person to person.)
> 


There's been various attempts over the years at marketing easily 
upgradeable computers, but invariably by the time you were ready to 
upgrade, the cost of a new CPU module was a sizable portion of the cost 
of a whole new PC, as well as the rest of the major components were 
showing their age.