Is this really a year old post? It was a good read regardless.
To comment on the topic, this is going to happen more and more, especially as proprietary stuff becomes more and more complex. With implants it’s obviously more serious, but this also applies to anything from cars to game consoles.
I’m no stranger to scrounging junkyards for car parts or ebay to replace components from an old console. However that cannot go on forever, as parts get more rare. This is somewhat remedied with eg. nintendo consoles, where some reproduction parts are available (cartridges, screens etc.). With more niche and increasingly complex products this option is often not available.
Let’s say I need a new microwave oven, and I have two options: a regular dumb box that heats up my food and goes “ding” at the end or a smart device that relies on a mobile app. I have always selected the dumb option, because I just can’t be sure that the app will continue to work after 5 years. What if the company goes bankrupt or simply decides it’s time for me to buy a new microwave? I want to keep on using that machine as long as it works and mobile apps don’t seem to be compatible with that idea.
This is infuriating
