Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/06/14
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Sometime ago in these threads - I mentioned about the BATA ( Buy
And Throw Away)
syndrome of modern consumer goods also about built in
obsolescence
That's what happened to your equipment - my Maytag open top
washer is spinning
merrily after more than 10 years - a mere teenager compared to
yours!
JosephLow/Singapore
-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+joelct=singnet.com.sg@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+joelct=singnet.com.sg@leica-users.org]On Behalf Of
Richard S. Taylor
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2006 10:05 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: Consumerism [was RE: [Leica] Digital Leica M]
Don - Economics always rules. Thanks to largely automated production
processes it's often cheaper to build new than stock replacement
parts and repair the old. Repair always involves labor and time.
I've followed this unfortunate path myself. When my five-year old
dehumidifier died recently the choice was either to spend $100
minimum to repair it or $200 to buy a new, better one. I went for
the new, just like most of us would do, but it still rankles.
There's something seriously out of whack here.
On the other hand, if my now 35-year old Maytag washer or dryer
developed a problem I'd almost certainly repair it. There's
something inherently valuable in those machines, like our Leicas.
(Whew! Back on topic, didn't think I'd make it. :-) )
Dick
>Richard,
>The waste is in the engineering. I have three cordless drills that all use
>different batteries not to mention battery design. We rush designs out
>without thinking through the process because it is too easy to set up
>another factory deeper in China/Indonesia/Mexico to build whatever was
>rushed out the door.
>
>I think that one of the things that most of us liked about Leica's is that
>not that much changed over the decades and that most of it still played
>nicely with the older pieces or younger pieces. There was some serious
>engineering going on behind the scenes.
>
>Don
>don.dory@gmail.com
>
>
>On 6/13/06, Richard S. Taylor <r.s.taylor@comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>>(snip)
>>>I had a friend who had a big screen TV.... it cost him $4K, he had
>>>it for a year, then threw it out when it went bad. His new
>>>replacement was less costly ($2700) and bigger. Made sense to him......
>>>
>>>Obviously not me. I like mechanical cameras.
>>>
>>>Frank Filippone
>>>red735i@earthlink.net
>>
>>(snip)
>>
>>The consumer economy at it's worst - and an astonishing waste of
>>energy (think) oil) to boot. But that's what keeps the economy
>>humming.
>>
>>It makes my teeth grind to think of all the human and physical energy
>>wasted when gear like that screen (or a DSLR, to get back on topic)
>>is thrown out after so little use.
>>
>>End of rant. :-))
>>
>>--
>>Regards,
>>
>>Dick
>>
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>>
>
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