Because broken isn't the end.

Whoops. Did you spill water on your laptop? Does your desktop get slow after a few Chrome tabs? Did you drop your phone and break the screen? Just because your electronics don't work doesn't mean that you should throw them away and get a replacement!

Many devices, like desktops and most laptops, are designed with serviceability in mind! That means, if something breaks or needs upgrading, that part can easily be repaired and replaced, instead of having to throw away the whole computer and get a new one. In fact, with proper documentation and tools, any layperson can easily work on computers!

An epitome of this is the Framework Laptop. Thin, light, small, and packed with powerful components, it earns a perfect 10/10 on iFixit's repairability scale due to guides and parts allowing every single component to be user-upgradeable. It's a joy to use, repair, and upgrade. A capable multi-tasker of a laptop and a fun electronics project all in one.

Thing is, a lot of manufacturers don't go nearly as far with repairability. Some manufacturers like Apple explicitly discourage third-party repair by incorporating hostile design, proprietary fasteners, and software blocks. That means, once your device cooks itself to death (because Apple's thermal paste is so bad that their laptops are the single most-commonly repaired series of devices we work on), you're forced to purchase a new one, giving Apple even more money.

But things don't have to be this way. Take Microsoft, for instance. Their Surface line of devices was once even worse than Apple--impossible to open, let alone repair, with impossible amounts of adhesive and literal welds that made the mere act of replacing a battery a death-defying act. But, with recent advancements like their Surface Laptop 3 and Surface Pro 9, and Surface Pro X, they've shown that even some of the world's thinnest devices can still retain their sleek form factor and functionality while being feasible to repair.

What are we waiting for? Let's turn those Apples into Microsofts, and those Microsofts into Frameworks. It's good for the consumer, good for business, and good for the environment. Let's get started!

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