on 1/7/01 2:31 PM, Aaron Reynolds at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>>
>> "fredd" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>> Call me old fashioned but I'm to the point that I realy hate to buy anything
>>> new with all the useless electronics, be it camer's, cars, ect.
>>> For me the '90's are remembered as the downfall of quality versus quantity.
>>
>> Agreed.
>>
I agree too, FWIW. I'm beginning to hatch a theory that a lot of products
depend on the consumer's feeling of inadequacy in order to remain salable.
For instance, let's say that 90% of everyone who buys a computer experiences
problems, frustrations, and confusions related to the product. But each
individual person has been conditioned to blame him- or herself for the
shortcomings of the product, reasoning that their knowledge of computers is
inadequate or insufficient, and that, if only they knew more, they wouldn't
be having the problems they're having.
Actually, the problem may be that most computers, ISPs, peripherals, etc.
just don't @#$! work very well. They require too much maintenance and
troubleshooting, they have too steep a learning curve, they fail frequently,
they soak up time and attention they shouldn't. They're relatively poor
consumer products. We're lead to believe they're _good_ products by the 10%
of buyers who actually _are_ expert enough to work through the problems, or
else are rich enough to buy the top-echelon products that don't have so many
problems to begin with. The rest of us blame ourselves. But are we really to
blame? I don't think so. I think computers and the internet may be in the
same state today as automobiles were in, say, 1922. Same endless series of
problems, same unreliability and hassle, that we feel we have to take for
granted.
I love my ZX-5n, but I'd also love to buy a modern camera (with a few common
modern features) built to the mechanical and material quality standards of a
Spotmatic SPII. I did some research on the Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50/1.4
M42 screwmount lens a few years ago. Once source told me that if that exact
lens were made today in Japan, it would have to retail for between $800 and
$1,600, probably at least $1k. Lots of the progress that has been made since
then has been to allow products that are "as good" or "almost as good" or
_functionally_ identical, or better, to be sold for prices the market will
bear--engineering in the service of taking quality _out_ to increase
perceived value. But as far as mechanical and material quality is
concerned, have we really progressed in going from the Super-Multi-Coated
Takumar 50/1.4 M42 screwmount lens to the current SMCP-FA 50/1.4? Don't get
me wrong, I own both and often use the latter. But in terms of so-called
"build quality" we've lost something.
--Mike J.
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