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

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

#121

Post by stephenr »

ravenstine wrote: post #8

Sadly, you and I watch a different YouTube than probably 95% of people. Almost nobody I've talked to has heard of Lex or Louis, or Bret Weinstein, or Sean Carroll, and so forth. Just open youtube.com in a private window and you'll understand. Even if the average person watched some of Louis Rossmann's videos on the right to repair, I just don't think the importance of the issue would compute with them. Almost nobody…

> By the way, I sent my Macbook to Louis for repair last year. His team did a great job! Easy to communicate with too. I got it back in the mail really fast once the repair was complete.

Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of what you’re claiming to want?

Or is the guy you’re talking about more interested in this for his own reasons: wanting the repair money, not wanting to have to actually get certified to do authorised repairs.

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

#122

Post by wsay »

Applejinx wrote: post #52
foldr wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I've seen very little of him, and didn't know he was 'The Right To Repair Guy', but I saw him freak out over an Apple laptop because he took the back off and the fan was not directly over the chip like in gamer PCs. This, in a machine that's been designed for generations to have a fan pull air aggressively THROUGH a channel, the only path the air can go, that goes directly across the CPU heatsink. This is not a 'circ…

Sounds like you misunderstood the criticisms of that laptops cooling design (which was abysmal to the point where it pretty much had to be deliberate). I would suggest refraining from calling people dumber than yourself, until you're totally sure how dumb you actually are.

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

#123

Post by rubyist5eva »

stephenr wrote: post #121
ravenstine wrote: post #8

Sadly, you and I watch a different YouTube than probably 95% of people. Almost nobody I've talked to has heard of Lex or Louis, or Bret Weinstein, or Sean Carroll, and so forth. Just open youtube.com in a private window and you'll understand. Even if the average person watched some of Louis Rossmann's videos on the right to repair, I just don't think the importance of the issue would compute with them. Almost nobody…

> By the way, I sent my Macbook to Louis for repair last year. His team did a great job! Easy to communicate with too. I got it back in the mail really fast once the repair was complete. Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of what you’re claiming to want? Or is the guy you’re talking about more interested in this for his own reasons: wanting the repair money, not wanting to have to actually get certified to do authorised…

Right to Repair is not just about repairing things yourself, it’s about the freedom to choose who you would like to repair something for you. I can’t repair my own MacBook but I don’t think I should be forced to pay outlandish prices to Apple for the privilege if I don’t want to.

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

#124

Post by bradlys »

bogwog wrote: post #92
me_me_me wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Strange how it's still the top comment in this thread, even though it's a personal attack that has nothing to do with the actual topic, or make any attempt to discuss his arguments. Seems like the type of tactic you'd see from those lobbyist groups that pay money to release commercials claiming right to repair will lead to rape: https://youtu.be/EozPi1qmH44?t=59

Top comments on HN are usually ones that counter the post itself or are self-congratulatory in some congratulatory/celebration post. It's pretty obvious as to why. For people who want to read something that could have any sense of controversy - people who don't like the person or some of their content then others will read the comments and upvote the comment that aligns with them (which is counter to the content). Whereas people who upvoted the story (and maybe align with the story) will not upvote all the comments supporting the story - they might upvote one or two but might spread it out. Dissent isn't universal. It takes more effort and isn't relevant to them - also more people might just read the content and upvote it and not participate in the discussion. Upvotes are basically finite resource and tend to be spread out over majority positions, whereas minority positions are spread over fewer posts... Thus, they get to the top easier even if they're a minority.

It's not really surprising at all if you're on here enough. It's standard practice. It's not like it takes as many upvotes as the story gets to be the top comment on the page. Usually 20-40 is enough even for modestly popular posts like this. Larger ones will require over 50. A few people don't like some of his content or thumbnails and there you go - easy to reach the top.

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

#125

Post by Nextgrid »

stephenr wrote: post #121
ravenstine wrote: post #8

Sadly, you and I watch a different YouTube than probably 95% of people. Almost nobody I've talked to has heard of Lex or Louis, or Bret Weinstein, or Sean Carroll, and so forth. Just open youtube.com in a private window and you'll understand. Even if the average person watched some of Louis Rossmann's videos on the right to repair, I just don't think the importance of the issue would compute with them. Almost nobody…

> By the way, I sent my Macbook to Louis for repair last year. His team did a great job! Easy to communicate with too. I got it back in the mail really fast once the repair was complete. Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of what you’re claiming to want? Or is the guy you’re talking about more interested in this for his own reasons: wanting the repair money, not wanting to have to actually get certified to do authorised…

> not wanting to have to actually get certified to do authorised repairs

There is no such thing as "authorized repair" when it comes to Apple. It's authorized "overpriced parts-changing" at best. Their "independent repair programme" is a bullshit PR tactic that thankfully seems to have failed.

Apple's IRP is absolutely not viable for a repair shop. You can't even stock parts in advance (so the minimum turnaround time becomes the parts delivery time), have to provide customer details to Apple and the prices don't work for either your or the customer's favour (in essence, it becomes just as expensive as an "authorized" repair at an Apple Store).

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

#126

Post by prezjordan »

mardifoufs wrote: post #86
kingTug wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those IDW characters have shown themselves to be pretty fraudulent. The Weinsteins especially.

How come? Got a link to any article on this? Because as far as "IDW" characters are (and I agree most of them are either shady or outright shallow intellectual frauds) Brett seemed to be pretty genuine and less full of himself. But it wouldn't surprise me considering just how intense and widespread political gifting is (across pretty much the entire political spectrum though to be honest).

Bret’s claim to fame is making a novel discovery about telomeres that was supposedly stolen by another author after an email exchange. He, of course, has yet to show any proof of this claim (a simple email would do).

See also: Eric’s Theory of Everything that he won’t publish for some reason, claiming the entire system of peer review is rigged against him.

Very good podcast on this history: https://decoding-the-gurus.captivate.fm/episode/eric-and-bre...

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

#127

Post by eganist »

defaultname wrote: post #114
eganist wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yikes. Distilled into its abstract, you're saying his primary motivation isn't right to repair; it's to extract cash from his viewers. I'm not a fan of hit jobs especially when presented as extensive prose to veil the attack. Please reconsider and assume the best intentions in people. Unfortunately, I can't assume the same of your comment because there was no reason for you to author it except a personal distaste for…

This tact has been plied by a dozen different replies in a dozen different but similar ways (some talking about prose, while others claim it's incomprehensible). Groan. A large number of the replies I have gotten would normally be deleted by mods, for good reason. If you're rewording to conjure up flamebait or attacking by conspiracy because you don't like a position, better to not post it. "you're saying his primary…

> This tact has been plied by a dozen different replies in a dozen different but similar ways (some talking about prose, while others claim it's incomprehensible).

> Groan.

defaultname, I'm sorry you took offense. I'll see if I can present it a bit differently.

The GP comment reads as if its author added fluff to distract from the true nature of the comment — an entirely unsolicited rant that acts as flamebait on HN.

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

#128

Post by webmobdev »

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…

    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.
Oh, please - as if only an Apple fan can have legitimate concerns about an iDevice.

I am typing this on an iPad. I am a vocal Apple critic. (Go through my post history here). Apple has turned a section of their customer base against them because of their unethical business tactics. Right to privacy and data protection is intrinsically linked to your Right to Repair. Those of us who have invested in a product want to own it completely, like we do our car or house.

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

#129

Post by II2II »

dijit wrote: post #40
gambiting wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I get your point, but even your car mechanic would be able to tell if a component they worked with previously has changed only to make it more difficult to replace. You might argue "how do you know that was the only reason" - well, Rossman has a video on a USB-C charging controller embedded into the macbooks, previously if that burnt out(and they do burn out) he could just buy the chip itself online for a dollar. But…

For the little it’s worth: cars are mostly computer now. I come from a family of mechanics, my grandfather lamented new cars and their electronics because it’s harder to repair, he doesn’t try to understand the reason why, just that it’s harder now because the manufacturers “did it to him” to prevent third party repairs. You can argue that the electronics are to prevent cheaper repairs, but there is another truth the…

Rossman has also made it clear that right to repair is concerned with things like access to replacement parts, and has stated that it is not about things being more difficult to repair due to technological change. An example he gave is that he may grumble about having to reball a chip, but people can still do that. On the other hand, there is very little they can do if they need a repacement chip they are denied access to. (Their only recourse are doner boards, and even that has limits.)

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

#130

Post by bogwog »

mardifoufs wrote: post #118
bogwog wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you can’t attack their arguments, resort to personal attacks. The amount of childish personal attacks about Rossman in this thread I think is a good indicator of how right he is. Makes me feel good about that money I donated to his Gofundme.

I'm not sure why you would say that. Some critics on this thread have given pretty good reasons for why they "dislike" Rossman. while it may seem like some (not most) of those points are attacking Rossmans character, I don't see how some of his character doesn't have a direct impact on his arguments. If he always goes for clickbait titles, has a tendency to exaggerate, prefers to perpetually rant/glorify himself or l…

Bob says "2 plus 2 is 4"

> Look, I think Bob is a smart person and knows a lot about math, but personally I don't like him. He's balding, he collects plastic folding chairs in his garage, and he has a Youtube channel with clickbaity titles.

Why does that matter? He's right, `2 + 2 == 4`. Why are you posting personal attacks instead of debating his argument? It's impossible to have a productive discussion like that, and it's childish.

> I'm not sure why you would say that. Some critics on this thread have given pretty good reasons for why they "dislike" Bob. while it may seem like some (not most) of those points are attacking Bob's character, I don't see how some of his character doesn't have a direct impact on his arguments. If he always goes for clickbait titles, has a tendency to exaggerate, prefers to perpetually rant/glorify himself or likes to talk about things that he clearly does not know a lot about that can obviously taint the core of his message to some.

> FWIW, personally I've watched Bob since the very beginning and he knows a lot about repairing electronics. But I also think the way he kept getting more and more attention as he ranted about Apple really changed the channel and his character at least on video.

> Also, I honestly think it's more childish to use the "if x is getting criticized it means it's probably right" trope here than it is to criticize the personality of a public figure.

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