It all sounds good until you realize the companies aren't interested in making something that can be repaired or sold second hand. They would rather you buy new every couple of years, appliances included. Society as a whole would need to change to the point where people would rather buy something that's repairable than the latest and greatest.   

i agree with you on that SB.  the problem isn't the obsolescence, as obsolescence is inevitable over a long enough time line.  the problem is the PLANNED obsolescence, which artificially shortens the time line.   my idea would be to require the software of OBSOLETED devices to be open-sourced....or to "open source the hardware".  If the device is obsolete, by definition it has been replaced with something new, improved, and/or better; so I don't see the problem with making the older, lesser quality devices available for 2nd lives or alternative uses.  If that was a legal requirement, 1 of 2 things would happen....either the obsoleted devices would be "handed over" to open source communities (here's the junker, and here's the keys...good luck and have at it) OR companies would be reluctant to drop support for obsoleted devices so quickly.  I'd be willing to bet the 2nd outcome is more likely, but either would be a good thing, IMO.    

It's not that at all. Software hasn't caught up with the software. I was just pointing out that its another way to make the product fail.