For some reason, there’s a subculture of consumers that expect to be able to repair computers and electronic gadgets themselves. For most of us, we just don’t have the skills or the special tools. Fortunately, there’s people and businesses like iFixit that provide instructions, tools, and kits for doing relatively simple things like replacing batteries or various broken parts. The comments on my MacNewsWorld column “For Apple, Repairability Rules Don’t Apply,” got me thinking more on this subject, extending it farther and farther.
I’ve repaired or upgraded plenty of things in my life so far, like motorcycles, pickups, bicycles, decks, and too many toilets, but on electronics I’ve only done minor repairs and hard drive/memory upgrades on electronics. I pried apart an old iPod and replaced the battery once. I’m thinking about replacing the battery in my old iPhone 4. But my expectations for being able to do it myself are pretty low, partially because I never studied electronic circuitry. (Installing a new light fixture or ceiling fan is about as complicated as I get with electricity.)
So I was wondering . . . what’s something that I might like to be able to repair myself but wouldn’t bother to even consider repairing?
My hiking boots.
I’ve got hundreds of miles and eight years on a pair of Vasque boots. Sure, I’ve replaced laces and upgraded the insoles, but what if the tread started peeling off? It happens. Would I attempt to glue it back down? Probably not. Why? I’d have to get a heat gun and special glue, plus I’d need to be reasonably sure they wouldn’t fail me as I attempted to scramble along a rocky ridge far from the nearest highway.
So I’d take them to our local boot shop and get them repaired professionally. Wouldn’t think twice about it.
But I do think twice when it comes to my iPods and iPhones.
Hmm.