660
submitted 5 months ago by boem@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] ___@lemm.ee 0 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

My uncle bought a used car built in communist east Germany. He always emphasized how it was built like a tank to last. Capitalism is great and all, but it promotes waste. Companies have an incentive to make products that fail and need to be repurchased. Planned obsolescence is fine if it was only about people craving something better. As it stands, it’s more of a forced switch with breakable parts.

[-] AnalogyAddict@lemmy.world 13 points 5 months ago

Communist West Germany? You mean East Germany?

Because I lived there when the Wall came down, and I can tell you based on the huge influx of Eastern Germans who had floorboards you could see through that quality was not a priority.

[-] KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 months ago

they don't mean quality as in nice. They mean quality as in it still exists.

Those wooden floor boards are probably still there, to this day. Still shitty, but there.

[-] turmacar@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

It's not a mystery which of the car might've been available in East Germany.

Trabants aren't exactly known for being long lasting.

[-] Ullallulloo@civilloquy.com 1 points 5 months ago

More it still exists because they were literally incapable of replacing it. They weren't good quality; people just didn't have any other options. I'm sure we can make our cars last just as long if we clamp the screws tighter and ensure no one can afford to buy a new car.

[-] KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 months ago

I’m sure we can make our cars last just as long if we clamp the screws tighter and ensure no one can afford to buy a new car.

doubtful, if you look at the differences between a lot of soviet engineering and a lot of western engineering, the western engineering is often much nicer, but also rather temperamental in terms of long term maintenance. It's certainly possible, but it's just a different design meta. Especially if we're talking modern western equipment, which is designed to be "service life only"

[-] Chadus_Maximus@lemm.ee 1 points 5 months ago

Sometimes you stuck gold. Got one of those amazing Philips electric kettles 20 years ago. Works like new still. Of course they don't make them anymore.

[-] bc93@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago

capitalism is most definitely not great in any way

this post was submitted on 09 Jun 2024
660 points (97.7% liked)

Technology

59583 readers
2398 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each another!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS