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To: RC one
That's a good point about durability. The flip side of this is that durability has very little value when you are buying a product that will become functionally obsolete long before it wears out.

I have a TV with a built-in VHS system that was probably considered "state-of-the-art" back when it was new. It still works just fine, but it's gathering dust right now while I wait for the next electronics recycling date in my town.

22 posted on 03/20/2016 11:25:37 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("Sometimes I feel like I've been tied to the whipping post.")
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To: Alberta's Child

That’s true generally with techy stuff.
But a lot of products are just plain old boring useful and there is not much need to change their design. A can opener, broom, toaster.

Even with more advanced electronic stuff, like say a washing machine and dryer, I’d rather have durability and reliability than techy features like computer displays. I just want the damn thing to wash and dry my clothes. I really don’t need a lot of the gadgetry they add on that will probably disable the machine if it goes out. I’d rather have manual analog controls and know the thing is going to work for at least 10 years. My grandmother’s machine worked for at least 20 years, and if it needed fixing my grandfather could fix it.

Example: My first HP no frills copier worked for 15 years. Never had a problem with it. My latest one worked for 18 months and probably would still work except the tough display screen went out so I can’t use the controls from the machine. To replace the display is almost as much as a new printer. This simply should not be.

I also tried to by a high end toaster oven with manual controls but could not find one that not only wasn’t made in China, but that did not have fancy (unneeded) LED display panels.

Some things just need to work well and for a decent period of time. Most of the bells and whistles added just contribute to planned obsolescence.


27 posted on 03/20/2016 11:46:07 AM PDT by Lorianne
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To: Alberta's Child

I was just out shooting my Ruger 22/45 with my Huntertown Arms suppressor. the pistol was made in Arizona. The suppressor was made in Indiana. Both items will outlive me. a few years ago, we got rid of some old US made appliances- washer,dryer,stove. They came with house when it was built 35 years previous. These appliances lasted about 35 years. I don’t think you’ll ever see that kind of durability again in appliances again.


30 posted on 03/20/2016 11:59:44 AM PDT by RC one
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