Re: Planned obsolescence

[joso3 joso3@xxxxxxxx]

David Auerbach wrote:

> On 11/25/97 at 10:19 AM,
>  Leslie Bialler  said (in so many words):
>
> <- Thanks. I don't consider myself to be in league with the Luddite
> <- movement, either. I simply happen to believe that just because
> <- something _can_ be done it _needs_ to be done.
>
> I realize that Luddite, used like this, is just a tag. But the
> historic
> Luddites deserve better than what their enemies said about them. They
>
> had it more right than wrong--you can read Hobshawn on them. I use
> Luddite as a term of praise.

We should get off-topic more often. These XY Luddite's are really an
interesting bunch.

  "The ensuing fluctuations in industrial activity were incompatible
with the
  harmonious expansion of commerce. Thus the poor still possessed
considerable
  leverage, which they permanently exercised. The rerouting of raw
materials
  was common practice, and fed a parallel market. Above all, those who
worked
  at home could exert pressure on their employers: the frequent
destruction of
  looms was a means of "collective bargaining by riot" (Hobshawn).
Come up
  with the bucks or we'll break everything. "

  http://www.hrc.wmin.ac.uk/campaigns/EF/dt/inddom.html

The problem with the modern Luddite is that **s/he** owns the means of
production
and hence cannot thwart the bosses by breaking the typewriter. eh?

It's also worth noting that some of this thread describes public
perception of
technological advances - as distinct from real advances.

  "If the media would refuse to hype Win98, THAT might have
  some effect."

"'A. Joseph Ross'" 

- read this as: "If the media would refuse to hype the Salk vaccine,
THAT might have
some effect... eh? -

Those of us tethered to technology as a means of producing the product
we sell are
obligated to our tools (in the sense that we have to understand the
equipment, maintain
it, improve it, etc etc) and have a real stake in the advances which
take place, BUT
we also have to be able to discriminate between the things that advance
our cause,
and the things that entertain our children.

What ever became of those orthodox Jewish concubines?

Joe Solla