Of course I have heard about Planned Obsolescence. This is wickedness, because the corporations damage Mother Earth this way as well. I saw a film about planned obsolence some years ago - The light bulb conspiration. What you did with your printer, is great! You outsmarted them, hahaha :))) It is worth to follow.
Other examples?
- Nylon stockings! The first nylon stockings were very strong and durable. Once it was buyed, there was no need to buy a new one for a long time. Today's nylon stockings are for just one occasion.
- Cellphones - especially Android phones! I have a Samsung with Android, and it's going slower and slower, just to buy a new model. But I'll not buy new. I want to root it and reinstall, if it doesn't work anymore.
- Windows - with every update it's getting worse. I turned to open source Ubuntu Linux.
- Cars - they are so complicated, especially the electronics. Only a specialist can repair them and that's very expensive. Old cars, like the East German Trabant is so simple, that you can repair it in your garage. Parts are still available at very low prices. Loud and uncomfortable, but carry you anywhere.
- Household devices: Washing machine, refrigerator, frying oven, mixer - they go wrong in an unexpected moment, and cannot be repaired.
Now, what can I do? I'm looking for old things that can be repaired, whether in furniture, clothing or anything else.
P.S:
I did not tell you that I was learning design (Hungarian Academy of Applied Arts), and there was a task, where an object had to be made of cardboard, which could carry 50 kilograms but had to be broken at 51. Needless to say, my object haven't broke at 51, just 60. I missed the exam :))) Thought provoking...
I love your examples they are all so true! When it comes to the stockings my wife tells me that often they rip while putting them on for the FIRST time!
I like your example from design school. I also studied industrial design and our project was to build a chair that would hold our own weight and not a kilo more!
Very cool comment. Thanks!
Thanks so much! Are you working as a designer in industry? I got a degree in glass design, and then worked in a glassfactory. But glass industry has ceased over the years, and I had to find a new job. Some artists are doing it as an entrepreneur, but starving as well! There is no market of art glass here! No more glass, this is so expensive to maintain a glass melting furnace. And my father, who was a builder of many glass furnaces, died in 2013.
By the way, glass! Breaks easily, but this is not planned obsolescence, but due to natural property of glass.
I worked in the field in Toronto for many years mostly designing custom furniture and store interiors. When I moved to a small town in Switzerland 22 years ago there was no work for me and I started my property maintenance/facility services business (that's a fancy way of saying cleaning business). This has given me a lot of freedom and I still love design!
That's great! Cleaning? Sometimes I go cleaning renovated and new houses and apartments. Not too much money but fun. And a great training to get slimmer (Lol)