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Apple, Google & Microsoft Have Teamed up to Block the Right-to-Repair Law
Apple, Google & Microsoft Have Teamed up to Block the Right-to-Repair Law:
Bloomberg today released a report on how companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are working together to put a stop to laws that would make it necessary for companies to provide device schematics, genuine repair parts, and repair manuals to independent repair technicians.
Almost 27 states have considered the laws in 2021 alone, but in more than half of them, the laws have been voted down or dismissed. Many lobbyists and trade groups representing tech companies have fought hard against this law with Apple pointing out that such measures could lead to device damage or consumers harming themselves when attempting to repair their devices.
In Washington, for example, Washington House of Representatives Democrat Mia Gregerson sponsored a Right to Repair measure that was fought by Microsoft, Google, Amazon, along with lobbyists representing Apple. Lobbyists later said that Apple would endorse repair programs at local colleges if the bill was dropped.
Also at Bloomberg and MacRumors.
See also: Leaked Apple Documents Inadvertently Helped the Right-to-Repair Movement
Louis Rossmann Starts a GoFundMe to Get "Right to Repair" Legistation Passed Through a Direct Ballot
Summary Louis Rossmann, electronics repairman and YouTuber, has started a nonprofit and GoFundMe campaign to fight to get right to repair legislation passed through direct ballot initiatives. For years Louis has talked about the importance of right to repair and how it has become more difficult t...
Right to repair series - Louis Rossmann
In this series he specifically explains why we need better right to repair laws.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyM7FxEaShI
Original Submission #1 Original Submission #2 Original Submission #3
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Rich on Friday May 21 2021, @11:30PM (1 child)
Just earlier, today, I swapped out the original battery of the 2009 Macbook Pro I type this very message on. Third party replacement: 25,90€ including shipping, works like a charm, including the touchpad clicker, which was stuck from the swelling, too. While the computer was open, a replacement for the broken original DVD drive (13,95€ including shipping, used) also went in. If I feel inclined to, I can now "Rip. Mix. Burn." to my hearts content (remember when that was the in-thing you just had to be able to) from CDs I actually own. :) Economically sound, with a remaining value of around 400€ (with a good SSD, and some people still seem to value Snow Leopard capabilities plus not the disintegrating ATI chips of the years after). Apple already made it a bit difficult with the 1.5mm pentalobe screws, which didn't quite match the tri-wing screwdriver the battery folks kindly included next to a PH00 for the case, but fortunately I had a fitting screwdriver on hand, because I've already had to deal with such crap. I hear the tri-wing might come in handy for some Nintendo gear.
Also, for your earlier post, that non-repairable stuff is more reliable, mileage varies very much here. I have a 2012 RMBP, which was the first to have soldered-in-RAM. Guess what. Precisely that RAM fucked up and the Apple online help had the chutzpah to explain that the startup sound means my RAM is defective and I need to change the modules. A service odyssey ensued that set me back around 800€ and involved a replacement logic board shipped in from Australia (yes. NOT neighbouring Austria.), where a simple 80€ module swap would have done on a model of the year before.
At least for the 2012 RMBP, I have a 2280-SATA adapter on hand that I can plop in a 1TB Samsung stick when the SSD craps out. No such option with the 2020 16" and its soldered-in SSD. If it hadn't been for customer requirements, I would not have bought that box (the price of which at least ended fully on an invoice to said customer..., but hey, to its credit, it has the best sound I've ever heard from a laptop)
You can't even tell them to shove it, because bloody Tim Cook would come out saying that they actually do that, and they like it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 23 2021, @04:09PM
So just because the battery and RAM aren't glued or soldered in doesn't mean the stuff is less reliable.
It's not as fast as the latest and greatest but it works well enough. FWIW I already replaced the spinning disk drive with an SSD many years ago which is probably why it feels fast enough. Then some years later upgraded to a larger SSD.