Sunday, October 5, 2014

Replace Or Repair?

Welcome to the new look!  It's fall in New England, the trees are turning many colors, and we have some of the prettiest scenery of the year.   It seems fitting to share this view of Mount Kearsarge from Kezar Lake.  In a few months, the lake will be iced over and the hills will be bare.

Today's topic is a common problem: we're surrounded by appliances (everything from a mobile phone to a refrigerator to an automobile is just an appliance), and sooner or later, the appliance isn't working or isn't working well enough. Do we replace it, or do we repair it?

Case 1: HTC Eris droid phone. This is a nice little android phone, now about 5 years old and still working, using a better set of widget than most newer phones, but only capable of running Android version 2.2. Unfortunately many of my favorite apps no longer work, and app vendors are not releasing updated versions for Android 2.2 phones.   My wife just bought a new Android phone, and I will replace my HTC Eris with her Razr Maxx.

Case 2:  Kodak C875 camera.  The C875 was Kodak's top-of-the-line point and shoot digital camera seven years ago.   It suffered a drop on the driveway when it was two years old, but it continued to work for another five years.  But the camera quit working two days before vacation, and there was no time to get it repaired.  I purchased a replacement camera with better zoom, a faster processor, and image stabilization for about half the cost of the Kodak.

What to do with the old camera?  On one hand, it was a top-of-the-line camera.  On the other hand, cameras have gotten much better and less expensive. So, the camera sat forgotten in a desk drawer for several months, until I figured it was time to repair it or get rid of it.  I quickly learned that the large service centers were no longer repairing this particular model.  But I found one on ebay,  Gerald's Camera Service, that would repair the camera for $39 with a 30-day warrantee.  For $39, I will have a better camera if I get the Kodak fixed than if I buy a new camera.

$39 later, I have my old camera back, working perfectly, just in time to take the panoramic view of Mount Kearsarge.   The new camera doesn't take panoramic shots, a nice feature of the old Kodak.

In fact, there are many things to admire about old appliances.  Our other camera is an old film Pentax K-1000.  The K-1000 is a beautifully simple camera.  There are only four controls:  set the film speed, set the shutter speed, set the f-stop, and focus on the subject.   The controls are easy to learn, and the photographer can set them more quickly than the PASM/C controls on a digital camera.

Simplicity is a big advantage of older appliances.  Last week I had my Austin-Healey out late.  Fans of old British cars know the Lucas moniker "A gentleman does not drive after dark".  But I was out late attending a Linux group meeting, and I found that my headlight switch would not work.  In a modern car, the stranded motorist would call AAA for a tow to the dealership.  In my 50-year old car,  I connected the headlights through the front-panel switch, and I was on the road in 20 minutes.   In a modern car, the rescued motorist would face a thousand-dollar repair bill to replace the combination switch.  In my 50-year old car, I will disassemble the switch and fix it for no cost.  If I can't fix the switch, I will replace it for $40.

Sometimes it's time to say good-bye to the old appliance.  The HTC Eris will sit in desk drawer, like a spare tire, in case I drop or lose the Razr Maxx.  Sometimes, the repair cost is reasonable and the appliance is worth repairing.  I expect to get another 5 years of use from the Kodak camera. And sometimes the simplicity of an older appliance makes them easier to use, and easier and less expensive to repair.  

Update

I spent half an hour removing the headlight switch, disassembling it, lubricating it, re-assembling it, and re-installing it in my car. I expect the switch will function for another 50 years.