I've been having a lot of fun with my SE lately, I can't believe how vibrant and crisp the graphics are, and how fast it runs with only 2MB a ram. Lots of fun games too.
But this got me thinking, how the heck does this computer still run? This things power supply is still functioning! These days when you buy a power supply you consider yourself lucky if it lasts over 3 years! Same goes for hard drives.
The things case makes me believe its been through hell and back, but the internals keep going even after 30 years just about. I know there's no definite answer to this question, but how long do you guys think these computers have before hardware failure is unavoidable?
One of the largest contributing factors to short lifespans of products low, is lead-free solder, that has a well-know reputation for breaking, splintering, spidering, etc., after less than five years.
In contrast, electronics from the last fifty years continue to run in a flawless manner.
Other things to consider are small tolerance mechanics, such as modern HDD mechanisms, that can easily develop faults, versus old drives that have much larger margins for error, a more energetic EM signature used for r/w access, combined with a smaller sector size, and thus, is more resilient overall.
The last problem with modern equipment, is that many of the parts used are pure rubbish. Chinese-made switching transformers are expected to last less than five years, whereas a power supply from 1986 is likely to last another twenty years, and then, only require replacement capacitors.
Cost cutting, is one of the main culprits. Compare the price of an entry-level, a medium-level, and a professional-level system, in 1984, to one in 1994, and again in 2004, and finally, in 2014; then contrast that to inflation. You will not an overall decline of massive proportions, in terms of what a product costs now, compared to what a product of contemporary level did in a previous decade.
A good example for Apple is to take the prices of these series:
Apple //c, the original Macintosh, and the Lisa/Mac XL in 1984/85;
The //c+, Mac IIx (or SE), and Mac IIfx a few years later;
The //gs (or) LCII, Quadra 700 and IIvx;
The LC575, Quadra 610, and Powermac 8100;
the Powermac 5600, Powermac 6500, and Powermac 9600;
The iMac, The G3 Desktop, the G3 Tower
The iMac (2nd Gen), the g4 Cube, the G4 Tower
The eMac, the iMac G4 (20"), and the G5
The iMac Core 2, The Mini, and the Mac Pro
Do an analysis of the cost of each system, ranking the first as an 'entry-level', the second as a 'mid-range', and the third as a 'professional system', and look at the curve over time. The results may shock you, but this reflects the real-world change in price with having products made in China, using
disposable technology.
It's the same reason that the lifetime guarantee, declines to a ten-year, then five year, then three-year, and now a mere one-year (often limited) guarantee. Product quality is usually keyed to cost, and when your cost as a consumer is lower than anticipated, you can bet easily on the fact that the cost to manufacture something is even lower, as companies strive to
increase profit margins, not the reverse.
You can still build, manufacture, or buy equipment designed to last thirty years, but you should expect to pay a fortune for it, or for it not to be as cutting edge as what is elsewhere available that is not as high-quality and has limited longevity, as it is finally important to always remember:
The shorter the lifespan of a product, the higher the turnaround for the manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, and thus, the more profitable avenue to to make products that last just long enough not to anger your customers, and to force them to replace equipment and materials in approximately two-to-three year cycles, which is the industry-accepted term of longevity for electronic and mechanical components today.
You may be shocked at just how long this concept has been around, and practised by large companies.
