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

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MK14:

--- Quote from: bd139 on March 14, 2020, 08:00:13 pm ---Very true. Incidentally and combining two things, I buy my kids refurb phones from giffgaff: https://www.giffgaff.com/mobile-phones/refurbished/apple

I haven't had any that aren't distinguishable from new yet! They don't get new ones because they can afford to do with the spare Nokia 5 (another topic merged!) for a few days  :-DD

Most of my test gear until recently was as old as me :)

--- End quote ---

I have at times, used Apple products. IOS does seem to be easier, more straight forward to use and more polished and nicer, than Android, in my experience.
Android programs tend (in my experience), to be cheaper or even free, on Android. But again, that is not a deal breaker.
If any of my test equipment, was older than me, it would take too long to reach steam pressure. Look nice (the Victorians were good at that), I'd need to keep a horse to power it. The springs would need winding, before using it. It would have 'valves' that need replacing (NO, not that kind of valve, the much older, mechanical ones).
Also, by now, the Leyden Jar capacitors, would need refilling with liquid.

EDIT: Obviously I'm joking about my age.  EDIT2: Revised, and made shorter, more summarised.


unknownparticle:
Even test equipment suffers the modern blight though.  If you look inside stuff from the 60's, 70's and even the 80's, the quality of construction, components and cabinet engineering is superb. Now it's all plastic click assembly and self tapping screw crap.  Even high end gear now doesn't even approach that of the past for quality.  Obviously functionality far exceeds anything from the classic era, but the new stuff has no substance.  I get a sense of satisfaction when I'm tinkering with old valve stuff using an Avo,  using even a Fluke on anything modern isn't the same.

Zero999:
PCs last longer than they ever used to because it's no longer necessary to upgrade every two years, to run the latest software, like it was 20 years ago. Even though upgrading didn't necessarily mean having to replace the entire computer, most people companies did back then.

Cars might not be as repairable as they used to be but they now do more miles than they used to before completely breaking down, so I don't think it's as much of an issue as some people think. Newer cars are also more efficient, than older ones, so there comes a point when it's more environmentally friendly to replace the car, rather than keep it running.

In the long run I think people should get used to using their cars less. New housing estates could be built with the car parks in land nearby. No garages, drives and no on street parking permitted. I don't see anything unreasonable about people having to walk the first and last half mile or so of the journey. It would definitely cut obesity rates and increase the health of the population, as well as being good for the environment.

MK14:

--- Quote from: unknownparticle on March 14, 2020, 09:10:39 pm ---Even test equipment suffers the modern blight though.  If you look inside stuff from the 60's, 70's and even the 80's, the quality of construction, components and cabinet engineering is superb. Now it's all plastic click assembly and self tapping screw crap.  Even high end gear now doesn't even approach that of the past for quality.  Obviously functionality far exceeds anything from the classic era, but the new stuff has no substance.  I get a sense of satisfaction when I'm tinkering with old valve stuff using an Avo,  using even a Fluke on anything modern isn't the same.

--- End quote ---

You're right, I agree. But there are all sorts of complicated trends, some of which maybe, are actually good.

Because surface mount parts can be ridiculously tiny, I suspect that also means they use very little raw material (and energy to make them hopefully), which is good for the planet. And less stuff/bulk/weight to need recycling or ending up in landfill.
Also, the modern methods of construction, can help stuff work at very high frequencies and have little input capacitance.

E.g. If you consider a modern 1 GHz bandwidth oscilloscope. Then design it to be made like something from the 1960s/70s. Lots of separate PCBs, large over-sized through hole components. Assembled fully with screws, and individual (replaceable/repairable) sections. It could get very difficult to achieve the 1 GHz, considerably more expensive, and possibly use much more power from the mains.
tl;dr
Not all the modern trends, are necessarily bad things.

MK14:

--- Quote from: Zero999 on March 14, 2020, 09:14:28 pm ---PCs last longer than they ever used to because it's no longer necessary to upgrade every two years, to run the latest software, like it was 20 years ago. Even though upgrading didn't necessarily mean having to replace the entire computer, most people companies did back then.

Cars might not be as repairable as they used to be but they now do more miles than they used to before completely breaking down, so I don't think it's as much of an issue as some people think. Newer cars are also more efficient, than older ones, so there comes a point when it's more environmentally friendly to replace the car, rather than keep it running.

--- End quote ---

That's true. In the hay days of the PC revolution, many of us were upgrading or replacing our computers. Every 6, 12 months or more. If you didn't keep up, the next new windows would come out.
E.g. Windows 3.1, Windows 98, Windows XP etc.

You basically had to upgrade/replace your PC, or the latest new windows version, would either refuse or be unable to work on your 'old', bought 2 years ago machine. Or would work, but so slowly, you'd feel the need to upgrade, every time you used it.
The trend in some games, also seemed to need ever more powerful PCs and especially graphics cards. For quite a long time.



--- Quote from: Zero999 on March 14, 2020, 09:14:28 pm ---In the long run I think people should get used to using their cars less. New housing estates could be built with the car parks in land nearby. No garages, drives and no on street parking permitted. I don't see anything unreasonable about people having to walk the first and last half mile or so of the journey. It would definitely cut obesity rates and increase the health of the population, as well as being good for the environment.

--- End quote ---

That sounds like a house that I'd immediately cross off my shortlist, of homes to live in, very quickly.
Although when/if self-driving cars, becomes commonplace. I'd just get my car, to pick me up, in the nearest place to where I live. Problem solved.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Do you think everyone would be happy and choose to buy houses from your housing estate ?

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