Re: Why should apple care?
" ... have I repaired the car? ... "
Yes you have. The car wouldn't start. You replace the defective starter,. You FIXED the car.
You replace parts in a defective starter. You FIXED the starter.
" ... by replacing the whole card ... "
The graphics on your COMPUTER stop working. You replace the graphics card. You have FIXED your computer.
Using Apple as an example. You can't repair your computer. You can't upgrade your memory, or your mass storage. You can't replace either if they become defective. You can't REPAIR your computer.
If you are to lazy or ignorant to do the repairs, that's one thing. But to solder components to the motherboard ( in the case of Apple, the memory and the mass storage ) so that you can't is another. Especially if the only reason you do it is to make more money, well .....
You are not going to get any of my money. Even if you make the best damned product in the entire damned history of the entire damned Universe. And that's just one more of the many, many reasons I haven't bought from Apple. And won't, well, maybe every, buy another one.
" ... At what point does swapping out a damaged part go from "repair" to "parts replacement"? ... "
It never does. Because by definition, "parts replacement" is REPAIR.
" ... tilting at windmills ... "
The only "windmills" being "tilted" at here are the broken ones, that can be repaired.
* Full disclosure: I spent 7 years in the U.S. Army as an electronic tech. Been doing repairs for 45+ years. So I am both competent and capable.
Though I will concede that replacing components on a motherboard is neither an easy nor a reasonable thing to attempt. But that is irrelevant to the "right to repair" question.
I paid for the item in question. I OWN the item in question. Why don't I have the "right" to repair it myself, or have whom ever I choose to do it for me?
That is the question at hand.
Now I'm waiting for someone to give me a reason I don't have that right?