Live data from Hacker News

Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

github.com

81–90 of 360 posts

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#81
post #14

I am, more and more, deliberately choosing boring technology. Knobs in the car and on appliances. No screen interfaces. Low-tech where possible. We just replaced our "high tech" Maytag dryer and its "advanced" feature set for a low tech SpeedQueen, the same dryers you find in most Laundromats. Why? Repairability. While we could _technically_ replace the burnt out fuse in the Maytag, it would take at least two hours f…

I bought a Whirlpool washer and dryer set in 1982 based on Consumer Reports testing. In 2017, I replaced the washer with a Speed Queen. It was recommended by a friend who owns a few rental houses. The Whirlpool dryer is still running.

Anyone else use Consumer Reports?

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#82
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

SpeedQueen owner here as well. Even more important than repairability is that the SpeedQueen actually cleans my clothes . In the 80s I remember coming home with mud caked on my clothes, shaking them off and throwing them in the washer. I'd even throw my muddy sneakers in the wash. If I try that with a modern low-water unit there's still dirt on them after a wash. The SpeedQueen will handle this kind of heavy soiling.…

This is about dishwashers, but I once read about regulation-enforced water/energy-saving cycles resulting in ineffective cleaning, which backfired, as people then got in the habit of always selecting the heaviest cycle or even re-adopted pre-rinsing. Searching for the concept now, I can only find this article: https://www.wsj.com/articles/make-dishwashers-that-clean-aga...

Exactly. I read "Eco mode" (which can be found on virtually any product today) as 'ignore entirely'.

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#83
post #3

>Detergent DRM The industrial revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race. (...) The continued development of technology will worsen the situation.

>The industrial revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race. I'll take detergent DRM any day over being a medieval serf.

It’s a prescient manifesto by Ted Kaczynski (an MKUltra’ed domestic terrorist). I often show it to friends who doubt that todays state of mass manipulation and over socialization could have been predicted.

I highly recommend reading it. His killing people to get it published put me off reading it, but a friend recommended it so I relented. I found it a good read.

I should point out that the consequence he was warning about was being made into a techno serf and that the danger was so great that it was worth abandoning technological comforts to prevent it.

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I worked in San Francisco I lived in a quiet suburb a few miles from BART. I couldn't hear much of anything. In any event, nowadays it's extremely easy to get a full time remote gig and live in a truly remote location - especially factoring in lower cost of living. This doesn't seem like an actual problem. Actually, it seems like the industrial revolution has provided an idyllic outcome for people in your situat…

That's a good point, and one I have considered many times. It has its tradeoffs. I suppose right now it's much more important for me to be close to humans and to learn and develop myself, so it's a necessity for me to be here. Once I get a good enough remote job I will definitely move somewhere far away from everything.

Sure. I think that's a really reasonable choice.

Regarding the original point, I think it's important to highlight that without the industrial revolution humans wouldn't be able to live closely together in cities. Living in a city is a choice, and you've chosen the modern option because it's superior.

This doesn't seem like a disaster as much as a net-positive with some fairly mild tradeoffs.

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#85

Wow. So I'm watching the Techmoan review and it's just amazing. You've got this pretty awesome product.... up until you can clearly see the business types shoving their grubby hands in the way of UX and good engineering. Oh no no no. We can't just sell a product. We need recurring revenue. So we'll make DRM proprietary detergent pods that require electronics in each one. Ah, but people will reject that because they k…

Well, is it perhaps the case that the device would cost a ton more if consumables weren't DRM'd?

I'd say the problem here is disingenuous marketing. If producers honestly communicated beforehand that it is not really a sale, but rather a sort of pay-as-you go leasing, it would be clearer for everyone.

Even HP -- for all its faults -- have started selling honest ink subscription services and unless they DRM the printers to reject after-market refills and refuse to sell unlocked ones for a premium, I would accept it as fair.

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#86

Wow. So I'm watching the Techmoan review and it's just amazing. You've got this pretty awesome product.... up until you can clearly see the business types shoving their grubby hands in the way of UX and good engineering. Oh no no no. We can't just sell a product. We need recurring revenue. So we'll make DRM proprietary detergent pods that require electronics in each one. Ah, but people will reject that because they k…

> you should feel unceasing shame and failure

I care about music, the details, the style.. others know that, but only care about selling the tickets, the cash and the control. It has been this way always.

Your call to shame is not only naive, it is sheep leading sheep to slaughter. Economic Darwinism is only a shade of the Horesman called War. Do not forget, your countrymen might let you starve, it has happened before and it will happen again.I will stop there, but there is more to that...

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#87
post #14

I am, more and more, deliberately choosing boring technology. Knobs in the car and on appliances. No screen interfaces. Low-tech where possible. We just replaced our "high tech" Maytag dryer and its "advanced" feature set for a low tech SpeedQueen, the same dryers you find in most Laundromats. Why? Repairability. While we could _technically_ replace the burnt out fuse in the Maytag, it would take at least two hours f…

I did the same thing with my range hood. Just no reason for those things to have electronics in them.

There’s a Canadian company Victory that sells a couple PCB-free models at prices that are reasonable.

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#88
post #14

I am, more and more, deliberately choosing boring technology. Knobs in the car and on appliances. No screen interfaces. Low-tech where possible. We just replaced our "high tech" Maytag dryer and its "advanced" feature set for a low tech SpeedQueen, the same dryers you find in most Laundromats. Why? Repairability. While we could _technically_ replace the burnt out fuse in the Maytag, it would take at least two hours f…

Can it be that we are just getting old? The new generation will have their brains wired to ignore ads, will be ok with devices spying on them (it will be called something else). And we will be something like that grandpa that can't unblock the mobile phone. (for example, use that new blockchain smart contract to open the fridge and order some food NFTs)

I've justed installed 5 years' worth of Revit on my new laptop today, and with each year the UI on their installers are getting worse. On Revit 2022, some of the splash screen prompts are not resizable and not MOVABLE, ie they don't respond to alt+space for windows menu. This is not OK. On one of them, I had to answer input prompts that they rendered OFF SCREEN. I solved that by changing display resolution.. Another showed a clipped path of a missing install file, which thus couldnt be identified.. I solved that by moving the install files to c:/2/ (to get a shorter path it could display). No, things are getting worse, today's ui is made with crayons :-/

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#89
post #14

I am, more and more, deliberately choosing boring technology. Knobs in the car and on appliances. No screen interfaces. Low-tech where possible. We just replaced our "high tech" Maytag dryer and its "advanced" feature set for a low tech SpeedQueen, the same dryers you find in most Laundromats. Why? Repairability. While we could _technically_ replace the burnt out fuse in the Maytag, it would take at least two hours f…

Can it be that we are just getting old? The new generation will have their brains wired to ignore ads, will be ok with devices spying on them (it will be called something else). And we will be something like that grandpa that can't unblock the mobile phone. (for example, use that new blockchain smart contract to open the fridge and order some food NFTs)

> Can it be that we are just getting old?

That's rich, considering that I'm 18 and I have the same views.

Re: Bob Cassette Rewinder: Hacking Detergent DRM

#90
post #14

I am, more and more, deliberately choosing boring technology. Knobs in the car and on appliances. No screen interfaces. Low-tech where possible. We just replaced our "high tech" Maytag dryer and its "advanced" feature set for a low tech SpeedQueen, the same dryers you find in most Laundromats. Why? Repairability. While we could _technically_ replace the burnt out fuse in the Maytag, it would take at least two hours f…

Can it be that we are just getting old? The new generation will have their brains wired to ignore ads, will be ok with devices spying on them (it will be called something else). And we will be something like that grandpa that can't unblock the mobile phone. (for example, use that new blockchain smart contract to open the fridge and order some food NFTs)

If depression rates in children and young adults are anything to go by, younger people absolutely cannot ignore adds.

--for example, use that new blockchain smart contract to open the fridge and order some food NFTs.

So in this instance grandpa would be using the smart contract to buy ledger space for a NFT about food? Because NFT's arn't food.

Post reply on HN