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WSJ: We Need the Right To Repair Our Gadgets

Posted by Soulskill on from the swinging-that-hammer-is-patented dept.

An anonymous reader writes: An editorial in the Wall Street Journal rings a bell we've been ringing for years: "Who owns the knowledge required to take apart and repair TVs, phones and other electronics? Manufacturers stop us by controlling repair plans and limiting access to parts. Some even employ digital software locks to keep us from making changes or repairs. This may not always be planned obsolescence, but it's certainly intentional obfuscation." The article shows that awareness of this consumer-hostile behavior (and frustration with it) is going mainstream. The author links to several DIY repair sites like iFixit, and concludes, "Repairing stuff isn't as complicated as they want you to think. Skilled gadget owners and independent repair pros deserve access to the information they need to do the best job they can."

5 of 345 comments (clear)

  1. Good example by jez9999 · · Score: 5, Informative

    A good example is removable batteries in mobile phones. I was shopping around a few days ago and the only major Smartphones that still have removable batteries are the LG G3/G4, Samsung S5 (not the S6), and I think the Moto X. Everyone else has jumped on the Apple ship and denied you access to the smartphone battery, preventing a hard reset.

    Stop copying Apple, you lemmings!!

    --
    == Jez ==
    Do you miss Firefox? Try Pale Moon.
    1. Re: Good example by sremick · · Score: 5, Informative

      Wrong

      A typical lithium ion battery will show noted loss of capacity even after 2y. And it's not just about the overall lifespan of the battery: it's about being able to quickly pop in a freshly-charged spare and get on with your day without having to be stuck tethered to a charging cable.

      Or, if you work remotely from charging sources for extended periods, having a handful of $10 charged batteries handy is a lifesaver.

  2. FCC's trying to break improving router firmware by jddj · · Score: 4, Informative

    The FCC is currently trying to end 3rd-party wifi router firmware (think Tomato, DD-WRT, OpenWRT, etc.), by requiring manufacturers to build devices that only accept firmware updates signed with the manufacturer's keys.

    This means you'll only be able to install software the manufacturer has certified comes with their own bugs, embedded backdoors and security #fails, rather than be able to put something better on your hardware.

    It also may mean that router manufacturers will be required to place NSA backdoors in the firmware and be unable to tell consumers about them due to National Security Letters.

    The WSJ is right: We Need The Right To Repair Our Gadgets.

    1. Re:FCC's trying to break improving router firmware by jonnythan · · Score: 4, Informative

      They're trying to end 3rd party *radio* firmware, because so many of them allow you to boost power levels well beyond what is allowed by current regulations.

      They don't give a whit about router firmware. Of course, the end result will probably be manufacturers locking down router firmware entirely, but all they would need to do is lock down the radio itself.

  3. Spectrum and interference by xtal · · Score: 4, Informative

    Blame people using frequencies and EIRP they're not supposed to and interference generated as a result. That's the downside to the software defined radio approach; the software needs to be locked to maintain compliance with FCC regulations.

    Has nothing to do with networking or repair.

    You can always get a router that takes a FCC-approved wireless card and route to your heart's content.

    --
    ..don't panic