Re: [tlug] Laptop and Macbook related query

[Benjamin Kowarsch <trijezdci@example.com>]

Hi

On Tue, 29 Sep 2020 at 04:13, J. David Beutel <jdb@example.com> wrote:

If you only ever use your notebook/laptop as a desktop replacement and the power cable is never moved, it will last many many years, but if you use your notebook/laptop as a mobile device, packing and unpacking the thing when commuting between home and work, it will likely break after about one year. [...]

This is so true, but not a problem with new MacBooks, which use a USB-C cable from the power adapter.

Indeed, this is a very positive development.

But it is not because all of a sudden, shareholders have started to genuinely care about the environment.

Instead, we have the European Union to thank for this. The EU commission understands that shareholders do not care about anything but profits and consequently fear loss of profits. The commission uses this as a stick to reign in these leeches of society.

Back in 2009, the EU commission forced mobile phone manufacturers to agree to settle for a universal charger for smartphones or else face very very painful fines that would completely erode their profits. As a result, the evil manufacturers had no other choice but to sign an MoU committing themselves to work together on a universal charger and only ship new smartphones with universal chargers after 2010.

https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/electrical-engineering/red-directive/common-charger_en#:~:text=The%20European%20Commission%20facilitated%20an,phones%20sold%20in%20the%20EU.&text=As%20a%20result%2C%20Europe's%20major,phones%20sold%20in%20the%20EU.

The EU is now taking steps to turn this into legally binding regulation ...

https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-law-and-publications/publication-detail/-/publication/c6fadfea-4641-11ea-b81b-01aa75ed71a1

... and to include tablets and laptops !!!

https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/new-rules-external-power-supplies-will-enable-household-energy-savings-2020-mar-31_en

Apple acted because they saw this regulation coming, not out of environmental concerns.

If they had had any environmental concerns, they would have introduced an eco friendly power supply already back in 2010.

regards

benjamin