Comments on: Creative Columns #9: WARNING: Fragile! http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm Designers' point of view Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:39:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Jan http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3716 Jan Mon, 07 May 2007 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3716 true true. adding to this is the ever-clever-profit-gaining-idea of making products that last long enough to survive the warranty period. as Guus once told me: after having moved to a new home and having bought a lot of new kitchen appliances, they all started braking down one year later. some time ago a representative from hewlett packard, who had worked there many years ago, decided to celebrate the end of his secrecy agreement by showing the world how good old HP deals with durability. he said if cartridges cost more than the printer, don't buy the printer. it'll probably break down soon. they purposely used certain cheap parts to get more money on new printers or repairs. if you want more details on this you need to use google, i have no recollection of this story whatsoever. thanks for the comment Yorick. /me does not do lame-ass /jokes... true true. adding to this is the ever-clever-profit-gaining-idea of making products that last long enough to survive the warranty period.

as Guus once told me: after having moved to a new home and having bought a lot of new kitchen appliances, they all started braking down one year later.

some time ago a representative from hewlett packard, who had worked there many years ago, decided to celebrate the end of his secrecy agreement by showing the world how good old HP deals with durability. he said if cartridges cost more than the printer, don’t buy the printer. it’ll probably break down soon. they purposely used certain cheap parts to get more money on new printers or repairs.

if you want more details on this you need to use google, i have no recollection of this story whatsoever.

thanks for the comment Yorick.

/me does not do lame-ass /jokes…

]]> By: Yorick http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3713 Yorick Mon, 07 May 2007 14:00:06 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3713 In reaction to Brian: As you may be aware of, you can allready buy warranty-upgrades on products. However, this is a big hoax. If a manufactor claims a 2 year warranty on a product and gives you the ability to extend this with another year or more, it only makes the legal proces easier. It does not in itself extend the warranty. I'll explain this further: If the technical lifespan of a product is for example 10 years, your warranty is for a period of 2 years, your product breaks down after 3 years and you didnt extend you waranty, you can still claim a free reparation or replacement due to the expected technical lifespan. The fact that you don't have an explicit warranty makes no difference. You should be able to expect a decent product. In addition to that, a 1 year warranty is not a garuantee that your product will spontaniously combust after that time. Although, that does seems to be the case with Acer :p /me waves at Jan :p In reaction to Brian:

As you may be aware of, you can allready buy warranty-upgrades on products. However, this is a big hoax. If a manufactor claims a 2 year warranty on a product and gives you the ability to extend this with another year or more, it only makes the legal proces easier. It does not in itself extend the warranty. I’ll explain this further:

If the technical lifespan of a product is for example 10 years, your warranty is for a period of 2 years, your product breaks down after 3 years and you didnt extend you waranty, you can still claim a free reparation or replacement due to the expected technical lifespan. The fact that you don’t have an explicit warranty makes no difference. You should be able to expect a decent product.

In addition to that, a 1 year warranty is not a garuantee that your product will spontaniously combust after that time. Although, that does seems to be the case with Acer :p

/me waves at Jan :p

]]> By: Brian http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3656 Brian Fri, 04 May 2007 13:55:43 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3656 How about when you buy your new product you get to choose different life spans plans... including their warranties, the lifetime products will be made of more expensive material while the product that only have 6 months of warranty will be made of simple materials short lasting materials. If the manufacturers would add sustainability to this process... the world would be a better place How about when you buy your new product you get to choose different life spans plans… including their warranties, the lifetime products will be made of more expensive material while the product that only have 6 months of warranty will be made of simple materials short lasting materials. If the manufacturers would add sustainability to this process… the world would be a better place

]]> By: Jasper Dekker http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3636 Jasper Dekker Thu, 03 May 2007 19:16:45 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3636 yeah, I agree...products should break! how am I gonna find an excuse to get that newer, nicer looking, better performing, slicker, sweeter piece of electronics otherwise??? OR...(no Jan, not a "but" this time...) from a manufacturer's point of view: design and build a product that actually lasts for ages and costs a fortune, and believe me, people will pay for durability... The manufacturer makes a fortune and doesn't even have to bother about making money on upgrades or replacement-products...How about that...? yeah, I agree…products should break! how am I gonna find an excuse to get that newer, nicer looking, better performing, slicker, sweeter piece of electronics otherwise??? OR…(no Jan, not a “but” this time…) from a manufacturer’s point of view: design and build a product that actually lasts for ages and costs a fortune, and believe me, people will pay for durability… The manufacturer makes a fortune and doesn’t even have to bother about making money on upgrades or replacement-products…How about that…?

]]> By: Guus http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3600 Guus Wed, 02 May 2007 12:43:27 +0000 http://www.studio469.com/blog/2007/05/creative-columns-9-warning-fragile.htm#comment-3600 I totally agree that things should break, eventually. The only thing I hate is the timing... Just when you don't have any money, all your belongings break down, and you're even in deeper sh*t... I think I just need to invent a lifespan calculator for products... I totally agree that things should break, eventually. The only thing I hate is the timing… Just when you don’t have any money, all your belongings break down, and you’re even in deeper sh*t…

I think I just need to invent a lifespan calculator for products…

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