"Right to Repair" - Potentially great news for DIY!

[rsingler]

The new Executive Order by President Biden may breathe life into the DIY scuba industry!
CNET: Right to repair: What Biden's order means for your broken tech
If accompanied by legislation, scuba manufacturers could be required to provide schematics and service manuals to equipment owners, and sell parts. Though intended for consumers of tech industry equipment, it is not limited to tech. The rule could force a 180° turnaround for companies currently reluctant to sell us parts and manuals.

I'm not holding my breath, but one can always hope!
FACT SHEET: Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy | The White House

• Make it easier and cheaper to repair items you own by limiting manufacturers from barring self-repairs or third-party repairs of their products.

 

[SlugLife]

I'll remain skeptical of any government action, but from a super-high-level, I support the general concept. The devil might be in the details.

• Forcing companies to give out schematics could get into trade-secrets, but if it's just repair manuals, perhaps that's fine.
• The idea that self-repair doesn't void warranties seems odd.
• Companies might resort to making their products more difficult to disassemble and re-assemble, potentially requiring special and expensive tools. Although it's likely some companies do this already anyway.
• This is an executive order that doesn't actually do anything at this time.
• Depending on the wording, it could cause unexpected legal problems in other industries. For example, if poorly worded it might force companies to open-source their software, which I understand would make some people excited, but would allow foreign companies to clone American products with relative ease and pose security risks.

 

[lexvil]

A welcome change, just stopping them from hunting down the online publishing of manuals and schematics would be nice.

a welcome change indeed!

 

[runsongas]

watch msrp of the 1st stage kits from the big brands become like 80 to 100 bucks just to mess with us DIYers

 

[rsingler]

watch msrp of the 1st stage kits from the big brands become like 80 to 100 bucks just to mess with us DIYers

Yeah, but then it'll become open season for aftermarket manufacturers, just like Roche vs the generic drug mfrs. Or computerized ignition "black boxes" at AutoZone. They're not secret any more.

All they have to do is come to ScubaBoard. We've already spec'ed out the oring sizes for them! Trident will have ALL the HP seats, not just Conshelf.

 

[rhwestfall]

Interesting....

 

[coldwaterglutton]

With right to repair will come Captain Butterfingers and his home regulator rebuild and a few more posts in the Accidents & Incidents forum

 

[runsongas]

@rsingler except the aftermarket seats just don't hold up as well based on my experience with the copies of the apeks 1st stage seats. you get to then decide if you want to rebuild more often with aftermarket kits or pay more for oem.

 

[lowviz]

I'm not holding my breath, but one can always hope!

Me too!

Politics aside, (my official standing is "Independent, No Party".) Which means, in Delaware, that I can't vote in either primary.

I totally dismiss the left-wing and right-wing crazies. However, I sure as hell can vote in all local elections, referendums, mid-term elections, and general elections. My past voting is a matter of record. In addition, I'm totally vaccinated wrt covid-19. I will not be the host that allows the pandemic to mutate into the next generation.

And such will happen.

Thanks to whoever you are...

 

[greeniguana]

Right to repair doesn't equate to ability to repair.

In all my time on this earth, I've never had any object that Ive said "gee, I wish I could fix this but I'm not allowed".

The government is just placating whiney morons who probably don't even own a screwdriver.