Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

columbianewsservice.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

71–80 of 562 posts

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#71

Post by WesolyKubeczek »

foldr wrote: post #7
henriquez wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> “The horrible truth about Apple’s repeated engineering failures” This is totally in his wheelhouse and expertise since he does circuit board repair for Apple devices. You can thank YouTube’s algorithm for the inflammatory title.

It’s not really. There’s a big gap between knowing how to repair circuit boards (which is mostly about part sourcing and being good with a hot air station) and understanding the design of a modern motherboard, which is highly complex. He has loud opinions about laptop design, but it’s worth bearing in mind that he’s never designed even a simple piece of electronics in his life.

If only everyone on the HN really adhered to the "ne sutor supra crepidam" principle, I bet an entry with a dozen comments would be considered crowded.

Just saying.

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#72

Post by wayneftw »

defaultname wrote: post #3

Rossmann is an important voice in the right to repair, however I do feel like he leaned into a certain audience, pandering to them a bit as a reliable target for ad impressions, and it has undermined his credibility. I hear about Rossmann most now when some vicious Apple detractor uses him as an authority on things having nothing to do with repair. For instance Rossmann did a video titled "Apple watching & logging EV…

Which statement that you quoted was untrue?

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#73

Post by Greek0 »

Terretta wrote: post #60

I genuinely do not want repairability anywhere near the top of the list of performance and design trade offs. Ruggedness, longevity, sure. Avoiding need to repair, definitely. Repairability? Other concerns, things that change the day-to-day use of the device, should weigh more. Spent too many years as a full service PC network support small business to ever again want to deal with parts that aren’t actually attached…

The repairability Rossmann is talking about is not user-replaceable components. His repairs usually require soldering to replace components.

One of his main critique points is that Apple makes it hard to repair their products, even for electronics professionals. In the past, Apple has also altered designs so that small electrical problems suddenly fry the most expensive component on the board, the CPU. Either this is an embarrassing, junior-level oversight or a deliberate anti-repair-buy-new-hardware tactic.

See, for example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jahtu1_idVU

As such, it seems you are arguing against an idea that no one is suggesting.

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#74

Post by CPUstring »

me_me_me wrote: post #67
defaultname wrote: post #3

Rossmann is an important voice in the right to repair, however I do feel like he leaned into a certain audience, pandering to them a bit as a reliable target for ad impressions, and it has undermined his credibility. I hear about Rossmann most now when some vicious Apple detractor uses him as an authority on things having nothing to do with repair. For instance Rossmann did a video titled "Apple watching & logging EV…

Is this a character assassination post? It really feels like it. Rossmann opensourced his repair manuals and has detailed videos of how to repair equipment, you can literally start your own repair business of that. If that is not being for right to repair I don't know what is. Reading your post again it is a character assassination post. Shifting goalpost and attacking personal characteristics instead of the point.

A character assassination would be something like "He does something morally reprehensible (cheating, selling ads to three year olds, etc". The above post is more like "He harps on multiple things he maybe shouldn't, and has an outraged user-base he keeps stoked, so that should be taken into account."

If I said, "I find his voice really grating and his outrage mostly makes me dislike him" that isn't a character assassination- just my opinion he is unlikeable.

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#75

Post by m55au »

slver wrote: post #41

More accurate title, just in interest of facts: > One Mac repair shop's fight to repair Macs. Apple can do a lot to make their hardware more repairable. But also I've seen Rossman outright demand their hardware changes just so it's easier to repair, without regard to things like weight, water resistance, and overall UX.

> But also I've seen Rossman outright demand their hardware changes just so it's easier to repair, without regard to things like weight, water resistance, and overall UX.

This is just a blatant lie and in fact complete opposite of what he is saying:

https://youtu.be/RTbrXiIzUt4?t=959

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#76

Post by bogwog »

Terretta wrote: post #60

I genuinely do not want repairability anywhere near the top of the list of performance and design trade offs. Ruggedness, longevity, sure. Avoiding need to repair, definitely. Repairability? Other concerns, things that change the day-to-day use of the device, should weigh more. Spent too many years as a full service PC network support small business to ever again want to deal with parts that aren’t actually attached…

Right to repair isn't "obligation to repair devices yourself", or "force manufacturers to redesign hardware so repair shops jobs are easier".

It's about preventing certain business practices that hinder the repair industry. Like when Apple forces their suppliers to not sell components to anyone but them.

"Component level repair" is a thing that's done today. It involves replacing individual components on a motherboard with a microscope and soldering iron, special equipment, and smart and well-trained people. That's what Rossman does regularly on his Youtube channel.

But even if you have the skills and tools to replace a tiny burned out IC on a motherboard, where do you get a replacement? Apple doesn't allow suppliers to sell them to anyone.

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#77

Post by Seirdy »

Terretta wrote: post #60

I genuinely do not want repairability anywhere near the top of the list of performance and design trade offs. Ruggedness, longevity, sure. Avoiding need to repair, definitely. Repairability? Other concerns, things that change the day-to-day use of the device, should weigh more. Spent too many years as a full service PC network support small business to ever again want to deal with parts that aren’t actually attached…

I upvoted you because you presented an alternate view I hadn't heard before, but I disagree.

After a few years, a laptop's battery degrades. In well under a decade, Wirth's Law kicks in to make devices seem slow.

This attitude unintentionally suggests that people should turn their entire computers into e-waste instead of just swapping the battery or upgrading the RAM.

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#78

Post by drumhead »

defaultname wrote: post #3

Rossmann is an important voice in the right to repair, however I do feel like he leaned into a certain audience, pandering to them a bit as a reliable target for ad impressions, and it has undermined his credibility. I hear about Rossmann most now when some vicious Apple detractor uses him as an authority on things having nothing to do with repair. For instance Rossmann did a video titled "Apple watching & logging EV…

This feels like one of those x is great but.... posts that you see you in NSA or GCHQ manuals about influencing the narrative in an online discussion. I saw a lot of it during the Israeli/Palestinian conflict last week. This post feels the same.

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#79

Post by lmilcin »

defaultname wrote: post #3

Rossmann is an important voice in the right to repair, however I do feel like he leaned into a certain audience, pandering to them a bit as a reliable target for ad impressions, and it has undermined his credibility. I hear about Rossmann most now when some vicious Apple detractor uses him as an authority on things having nothing to do with repair. For instance Rossmann did a video titled "Apple watching & logging EV…

> Rossmann is an important voice in the right to repair, however I do feel like he leaned into a certain audience, pandering to them a bit as a reliable target for ad impressions, and it has undermined his credibility.

I don't see how pandering to your audience or making money on ad impressions is undermining credibility.

Every politician is pandering to their constituents counting on their votes.

> When you see someone posting a Rossmann video, 9 times out 10 if you look at their history it isn't some guy concerned about repairing his iPhone or MacBook.

You are barely comprehensible.

Louis literally owns a company that repairs MacBooks. And if you cared to watch his channel a little bit over the years as I did, he build his user base not on ire for Apple but on his expert knowledge on how to repair their products.

The channel is not just for people who want to repair their MacBooks. The channels are for people who maybe at some point were interested in MacBook repair (I went in for board diagnosis) but then stayed because Louis had something more to say.

> The guy is monetizing a certain base. Probably doing pretty well out of it.

Is this jealousy I am hearing?

Is this a proof he isn't right?

EVERY channel on youtube with large userbase is earning some money.

Re: One man’s fight for the right to repair broken MacBooks

#80

Post by have_faith »

me_me_me wrote: post #67
defaultname wrote: post #3

Rossmann is an important voice in the right to repair, however I do feel like he leaned into a certain audience, pandering to them a bit as a reliable target for ad impressions, and it has undermined his credibility. I hear about Rossmann most now when some vicious Apple detractor uses him as an authority on things having nothing to do with repair. For instance Rossmann did a video titled "Apple watching & logging EV…

Is this a character assassination post? It really feels like it. Rossmann opensourced his repair manuals and has detailed videos of how to repair equipment, you can literally start your own repair business of that. If that is not being for right to repair I don't know what is. Reading your post again it is a character assassination post. Shifting goalpost and attacking personal characteristics instead of the point.

OP seemed quite open that he sees his right to repair work as important and is simply commenting on the direction his YouTube channel is taking. Not sure what goal posts are being shifted exactly and I can't see what "personal characteristics" are being attacked in any way in what reads as a simple personal opinion.
Post reply on HN