[X4U] Apple QC slipping?

[zapcat]

On Dec 12, 2008, at 7:12 PM, Nick Scalise wrote:

> Just a thought here, and I am joining this way late, but you say  
> you have some equipment that still works but you have no use for it/ 
> do not want to use it.
>
> If that is the case, why should a manufacturer make equipment last  
> so long that no one will want to use it in it's old age?
>
> Why not just make it good enough to last as long as someone wants  
> to use it?
>
> That way, you don't have to pay a higher price for equipment you no  
> longer want.



Basically, Nick, You nailed what is a major flaw in the modern  
"business model."

Right. Why SHOULD they make things to last? No profit in that, in  
today's business terms. However, there was a time when that business  
model DID work, and made the captains of industry rich in the process.

Including Steve Jobs.

With computers, everyone is salivating for the next faster thing,  
even when they are unwrapping their just-delivered fastest Mac EVER!!

So, we are in aggregate, quite happy to chuck last year's computer to  
make room for tomorrow's because we think that we'll be more powerful  
and able to do cooler things, which might be partly true, but...


the modern "business model" also calls for the ever-cheapening and  
commodification of our skills and talents. the bean counters hope to  
obviate our role with cheap computers and software.

they seem to be making great progress in that.

And mostly everyone appears to be all good with it.


zc