#ShowerThoughts: one simple way to reduce the flood of #eWaste would be to say to vendors, you can't sell new computers (including anything that runs an OS) in our country without a 10 year full replacement guarantee, or more. That way hardware companies would have an incentive to make devices that last, and provide at least 10 years of software updates.
I've kept desktops and laptops running for about 10 years. It requires a lot of preventative maintenance and often replacing the OS with GNU/Linux, but it can be done with existing hardware. There's no technical reason hardware companies can't supply that level of durability for all computers sold.
@strypey totally agree with you. However, from "simple users" perspective, installation of an alternative OS is hard procedure, even if it is not.
Moreover, companies don't even try making installation of alternative OS easy at all, making Boot locks and things like that. That is very sad IMO
@alexcleac right. That's why I'm saying the user ought to have a legally mandated right of replacement (with a newer device) if the vendor doesn't maintain the default OS well enough to keep the device usable.
