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To: Deaf Smith

Sure. In household machines some software could expire certain functions after a certain date. Normally small things like illumination of control panels or power lights staying on all the time. Annoyances to make people replace the item. Modems and switches that would slow down or disconnect until rebooted.
The customer would justify such things as safety issues due to heat or meeting federal energy conservation goals.


71 posted on 12/26/2025 11:49:35 AM PST by Semper Vigilantis (Always remember - the cold war was US against a bunch of countries with 'Democratic' in their name.)
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To: Semper Vigilantis
Thanks.

Back when I had my shop, I wondered if some automotive computers had a built in life span.

Example would the Lincoln Mark VII air suspension modules of 1984-92. They had a peculiar way of failing that on my open forum I described as Demon Possession; as if Linda Blair was in control of the system.

Any module from 1984-92 could be interchanged, but did a new 1984 module sitting in a FoMoCo warehouse somewhere have that same ticking clock? So only the latter dates were purchased for replacement until all NOS were gone.

Had three customers that were geeks that each said they fix the programming in the modules so I sent each five units to play with…none could resolve the issue.

76 posted on 12/26/2025 1:34:22 PM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's for sure.)
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