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Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

arstechnica.com

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Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#91

Post by SamuelAdams »

patricius wrote: post #48

I would like, just for once, that a company comes out and straight up says: “We choose how to make our products, you choose whether you want to buy it.” That’s everything there is to it. Don’t use any other arguments like “We do it to protect you.”

That works fine on a consumer level. Most products have competitors. But B2B customers have far less leeway. John Deere is a great example: they have (virtually) a monopoly on the farming business. As a result, farmers cannot purchase a competitors tractors / equipment. They either don't exist or require too many compromises, which ultimately impact profits.

In the case of modern farming, "not buying John Deere" is the equivalent of going out of business.

Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#92

Post by DoctorOetker »

DoctorOetker wrote: post #71
TeMPOraL wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "On the other end, John Deere argues that access to the company’s proprietary software could be used to bypass emissions controls or safety measures" They do have a point on emission controls, though. Pretty much every person I know that owns a diesel car has either ripped out or plans to rip out the particulate filter. Doesn't matter that it's illegal, doesn't matter that it hurts everyone around. People just don'…

I wonder if it could be possible to "film" the particulate emissions somehow, so cameras on highways with an extra setup could identify the offenders?

I suspect those satellites use Raman spectroscopy, but particulates in our context arent molecules, so I think it would be hard to apply?

Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#94

Post by TeMPOraL »

sokoloff wrote: post #89
mulmen wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Would be great. In my state any vehicle under 25 years old must go in for emission testing every few years or the tabs can't be renewed. > If it weren't so easy to get away with not having that filter, then what would happen is a secondary market that sells replacement filters for old cars, just like it happens for every other car part. Assuming owners have a right to repair of course.

Many states have gotten away from tailpipe sniffer inspections (more expensive and less convenient) and gone to visual and car ECU inspections (hook up the scanner, if there are no emission related codes and the car reports “ready”, you’re good).

> visual and car ECU inspections

The rideshare driver I mentioned elsewhere in this thread[0] also told me that he knows people who tune engine firmware for diesels, and that they do disable error codes related to their tuning and the missing filter - and that it's important to be aware of this when getting the car repaired for unrelated issues, because the tuning hacks may mask problems in diagnostics and confuse the repair people.

--

[0] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20235002

Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#95

Post by sokoloff »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #64
_Codemonkeyism wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You got a dirt cheap printer because you're paying with supplies. Printer heads are the normal price.

> You got a dirt cheap printer because you're paying with supplies. Give me one good reason why this particular business model - base subsidized by consumables - shouldn't be straight up banned. I can't think of any.

Freedom of choice on consumers and suppliers. Why should supermarkets be able to offer discounted products, sometimes below their cost, as loss-leaders to get people into the store? Why should airlines be allowed to give away free flights via frequent flier programs?

If Gillette wants to sell me a $5 razor handle for $2 because it can only use $1 blades from them, why should that be barred as an offer on their part that I accept?

Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#96

Post by 867567838694 »

Zak wrote: post #77
radcon wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

She explained that in these two lines: > I write all of this because the prevailing theory in our industry is that this is Apple's way of fighting against right to repair. > If only Apple authorized service providers are allowed to advertise on Google for repair-related keywords, Apple will have taken more teeth out of "right to repair."

That doesn't explain how it's Apple's fault. Google is unlikely to restrict advertising just because it's in Apple's interests. If Google didn't have a reason to do so in its own self-interest, Apple would have to use a threat or a bribe to get Google to reduce its own advertising revenue in this way. The comment provides no evidence of that.

You trust google more than I do. I'm sure there was a tit for tat exchange or back room deal if it went down. It wouldn't be the first time for these companies.

Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#97

Post by busterarm »

bonestamp2 wrote: post #81
ericabiz wrote: post #18

Here's another way Apple may be killing "right to repair": I own a chain of independent cell phone and computer repair shops. Last year, Google unilaterally took away AdWords in our industry. The day after Thanksgiving, we woke up to find none of our ads were running. Google claimed this was because "third-party tech support providers" were scamming customers--i.e. people were buying AdWords for virus removal and tec…

Why would Google give up all that ad revenue to help Apple?

Because Google sells phones too.

That nearly everyone in this thread has missed this fact so far is baffling.

Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#98

Post by hyperbovine »

ericabiz wrote: post #18

Here's another way Apple may be killing "right to repair": I own a chain of independent cell phone and computer repair shops. Last year, Google unilaterally took away AdWords in our industry. The day after Thanksgiving, we woke up to find none of our ads were running. Google claimed this was because "third-party tech support providers" were scamming customers--i.e. people were buying AdWords for virus removal and tec…

> If independent repair shops can't be found on Google, is that Google and Apple's way of muting third-party repair?

Disappearing from Adwords is not the same as disappearing from Google.

Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#99

Post by sokoloff »

cyrksoft wrote: post #58

Does it violate the terms of use of the phone? iPhone, for example. If the terms make it clear you can't fix it outside their approved shops then there is no "right to repair". It's part of the contract you get into when buying the phone. I can't seem to find the terms of the iPhone anywhere.

If you tried and couldn’t find the terms that preclude that, isn’t it reasonable to conclude that those terms are not being effectively communicated as part of the sale (regardless of whether those terms do or do not exist)?

Re: Support for right-to-repair laws slowly grows

#100

Post by judge2020 »

hyperbovine wrote: post #98
ericabiz wrote: post #18

Here's another way Apple may be killing "right to repair": I own a chain of independent cell phone and computer repair shops. Last year, Google unilaterally took away AdWords in our industry. The day after Thanksgiving, we woke up to find none of our ads were running. Google claimed this was because "third-party tech support providers" were scamming customers--i.e. people were buying AdWords for virus removal and tec…

> If independent repair shops can't be found on Google, is that Google and Apple's way of muting third-party repair? Disappearing from Adwords is not the same as disappearing from Google.

People can still find the business by searching " repair shop" as well as possibly "repair ship " but the issue is not being able to advertise on terms like "fix iphone 8" or "ifixit iphone".
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