kaarme

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kaarme
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  • Minnesota passes a right to repair bill that actually matters

    kaarmekaarme
    chasm said:
    This law will probably be struck down fairly quickly in a court challenge, since the state overstepped its jurisdiction by mandating that manufacturers must provide the same parts, tools, and documentation to unqualified people *for free* (state governments cannot mandate business to give stuff away for free), and mandating that this must be provided outside Minnesota also (Minnesota has zero authority to dictate this outside Minnesota).

    I’m not against amateur/enthusiast repair for certain kinds of repair that can be done safely, but as usual the zealots of this movement go too far. Most people are 100 percent *not equipped* if they puncture a swollen battery while trying to remove it, and it explodes or starts a fire. Do you think they’ll sue *themselves* for being incompetent, or the *lawmakers* who allowed them to engage in risky repairs? Oh hell no, they’ll sue *Apple* of course.

    Apple has little choice but to fight this in court. This law as written is incompetent and dangerous.

    Here's what the actual bill says about the cost:
    " costs that are fair to both parties;"
    "costs that are equivalent to the lowest actual cost for which the original equipment
    manufacturer offers the tool, software, or documentation to an authorized repair provider,
    including any discount, rebate, or other financial incentive offered to an authorized repair
    provider;"
    Where exactly in the bill does it say that you have to provide the parts, tools and documentation for free? Because I sure can't find it.

    You're wilfully ignoring the core purpose of the bill; to enable independent repair professionals, not amateurs, to do their job. People with professional experience and training. These repair professionals are often far more skilled and educated than the average apple tech, and have better equipment, enabling them to do things like board level repair and data recovery.

    A car is a far more dangerous piece of equipment to repair and people aren't suing car companies because they blew up their own car or drove one off a cliff. Yes, frivolous lawsuits are possible, anyone can sue anyone for any reason. You can use almost any everyday object in a self destructive way. The idea that that somehow removes personal agency is nonsensical, there's a lot more risky things you can do in life than change a battery.

    Even if we decided that we should restrict repair, it should be the job of an actual legal authority not the manufactuer. Especially Apple, with their history of leaking nudes of repair customers.

    muthuk_vanalingamwilliamlondon

  • Minnesota passes a right to repair bill that actually matters

    kaarmekaarme
    kaarme said:
     Especially Apple, with their history of leaking nudes of repair customers.
    Your comment points seemed reasonable but then you suggest that this one case represents an Apple SOP. Earns a double face palm...

    Where did I say that it represents an apple SOP? The point is that apple, like any other repair provider is capable of making mistakes, so there is nothing that makes them holy or special compared to many other repair providers, and in a free market the consumer is free to make a purchase decision based on any arbitary whim. An arbitor shouldn't have a conflict of interest, and it especially shouldn't be possible for it to also be the plaintiff. And that's what apple is in this situation: an entity that decides who is competent to repair, but also potentially capable of being an incompetent repair service itself.

    muthuk_vanalingam