[21echoes]

Design as crafty/minimalism/apple's aesthetic is irresponsible in that it refuses to acknowledge that things can break. Design which pays attention to the reality of a thing's environment and usage patterns, and which does not prompt conspicuous consumption of every brand new version after even the slightest failure of the old, is better.

[arrrg]

Nah, it’s just realistic about the extent to which most users will want to repair their devices …

[technomancy]

Well, let's call that out then--folks should be honest that they buy un-repairable hardware at least partly because they enjoy having an excuse to get the latest model two years down the line.

[arrrg]

I don’t think two years is the average life time of a current MacBook. I would guess maybe three, four years, maybe even longer. Most problems will crop up during the first year and be fixed on warranty.

Mechanically the devices are very solid and will survive for many years.

The biggest issue is the battery, really, and probably the power supply, both of which are costly (maybe 25% or so more than a replacement battery for another laptop, plus you have to bring in the MacBook to get it replaced, you can’t do it yourself), but can be replaced. Most people will just not do that, though, and live with diminished battery life and fraying power supply cables.

I think you are stuck in your filter bubble if you think people want to buy a new one quickly. Many will live happily with a current MacBook for many years. A decade ago the situation was a bit different (and performance crummy), but nowadays the speed is there.