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New UK plan "could spell end of throwaway culture" (BBC News)

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MK14:

--- Quote from: james_s on March 13, 2020, 01:36:55 am ---I don't know why it's fortunate (or matters) that tower PCs are getting rarer, I still find it hard to beat a traditional tower if one needs a powerful and easily expandable machine, though obviously with components shrinking these don't have to be as massive as they used to be.

--- End quote ---

Fortunate, because tiny computers, should take much less resources to produce, than full sized ones.
If you want to have a 64 core monster (AMD threadripper) computer, with water cooling, multiple oversized graphics cards, many disk dirves/SSDs, and huge potential for expansion. Then, a large tower case is still the way to go. (I know even threadrippers can be achieved in small cases, if you want to go that route).

But these days, a mini sized computer can still be rather powerful, for most things, people do, 99% of the time.
I'm NOT clear, if a really tiny mini-itx computer, can be as reliable and long lasting, as the full sized desktop equivalents. But, if it achieves decent cooling, and you don't go for too high a wattage cpu (these days even 8 cores, can be rated for 65 Watts, or less), it can theoretically be done.



--- Quote from: james_s on March 13, 2020, 01:36:55 am ---Cars are a bit different though, to a point the physical size of a car is dictated by the stuff you want to fit inside it. For a commuter car or for a single person without a lot of stuff a very small car is probably fine. Many of us need something a tad larger, I don't need or want a gigantic SUV but I love my station wagon and I utilize it very frequently for transporting large objects, camping gear, materials and supplies, etc. My little brother has a Fiat Abarth which is a great little car but since he has gotten more heavily into photography he's finding that he can't fit all his gear in it. Somebody with a few kids is going to need something larger than a subcompact to comfortably haul around the family, especially if the kids are into sports, band, or other common things that require some cargo space. Very, very few people need a huge SUV though, I'd love to see the return of proper station wagons, they are the perfect practical car for people like me. Loads of interior space, highly versatile, yet no larger footprint than a regular sedan. Sadly they are all but extinct.

--- End quote ---

I agree. Some people, need certain capabilities, from their vehicles. But many people, seem to have giant vehicles, without any real life NEED as such, and don't even go off-road, ever (as regards what we call 4 wheel drive, in the UK or 4 X 4's). I.e. Range Rovers etc. (SUV in US terminology).

Even if you need the massive vehicle, perhaps the planet can't sustain the resources needed to create it and keep it on the road. So we need to limit, who has them.

tl;dr
Somehow, we need to keep people 'free' and choose how they go about their lives. Yet keep planet Earth running in a smooth, efficient and sustainable way.
Maybe there is a Nobel prize, for the person who can solve that problem.

bd139:
I think the issue of vehicles is down to misinterpretation of the word “need”. A lot of people build a straw man around necessity to build a case for what they really just want. I don’t actually really “need” a car. It’s just a convenience that can drag me to a few places that are inconvenient to get to without one. I’m guilty too :)

As for tower PCs I have one, a 100W TDP Ryzen, and it’s an energy drinking nightmare of a machine. Unfortunately I need some grunt for what I do. But at the same time I work from home so I’m having less of an impact on the environment as far as transport goes.

We all need to look at our impact. Perhaps you don’t need a Mercedes E class to drop the kids off at school. That’s probably most of the problems around here summed up at least....

Psi:

--- Quote from: james_s on March 12, 2020, 02:44:33 am ---I don't see the issue with retrofit LED bulbs. I retrofitted my entire house from 2011-2013 and can count on one hand the bulbs I've replaced since then. Even the ones that have run dusk till dawn every night in my porch lights and other outside lights are still going strong. I bought quality bulbs from Philips and Cree and they have served me very well, and I didn't have to throw away all my nice fixtures. Additionally since they all use standard sockets, changing the light output, color temperature, or other characteristics is as simple as changing a bulb.

--- End quote ---

Yep, a quality LED bulb with psu should last 10 years, even up to 15 years if they design it properly and pick the correct parts.
True, the light output and color temp will change as the LED ages, but it should still work.

The primary reason you see store bought LED lamps dying within a year or two is simply planned obsolescence, they're engineered to run way to hot so they can sell the replacements. The caps and semiconductors just cannot handle the heat they're run at.

SilverSolder:

--- Quote from: MK14 on March 13, 2020, 12:16:02 am ---
[...]
What we need to save the planet, and to get from A to B,  in the way of a car. Is a simple, small/tiny modern day version of the Ford Model T, 'any colour you like, as long as it's black'.
E.g. Like the original UK Mini, a getting from A to B car, with nothing extra. Modernised, of course, not like the old one in the picture.
[...]

--- End quote ---

That's not what "they" want you to do...   they want you to keep paying high monthly payments on a much fancier car than you actually need, to keep the economy going!

MK14:

--- Quote from: SilverSolder on March 13, 2020, 01:09:40 pm ---That's not what "they" want you to do...   they want you to keep paying high monthly payments on a much fancier car than you actually need, to keep the economy going!

--- End quote ---

Yes, that's true.

One of the very famous (in electronics circles) people, Bob Peace (Robert Allen Pease). Famously, always drove round in an ancient (and probably battered), old beetle car (despite being rather wealthy). I.e. He was probably immune to the 'buy an expensive flashy car' syndrome, despite being able to easily buy an expensive car.

Sadly, with double irony, when he drove to the funeral (technically speaking, it was actually just AFTER the funeral, on the way back home) of another famous electronics gurus (Jim Williams (analog_designer) ). He crashed (some said his old beetle would not be safe in an accident). Unfortunately they were right, and he went to the same place the magic smoke goes, when electronic components reach an untimely death, through massive overload.

People do seem to buy/get flashy/excessive cars, due to some psychological effect. Paying excessive amounts of money.

Yet with other things. E.g. LED lights, they are happy to buy a 'get 2 for a $1 pack'. Then, complain when it doesn't last the 35,000+ hours it says on the pack.

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