In article , Mark Lloyd wrote:
On Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:08:34 -0500, Steve Barker
wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote:
Bob Larter wrote:
William R. Walsh wrote:
Hi!

The obvious solution to this problem is to buy laundry equipment with
conventional electro-mechanical controls. (Assuming they're still made.)
They most certainly are. It's still quite possible to buy (at least in the
US) a washer or dryer with conventional, non-microcontroller-based
controls.
Even some of these fancy-dancy front loaders are made that way:
http://greyghost.mooo.com/doingthela.../newwasher.jpg (494x691,
20KB).

I've been inside it once, and the internals are what you'd expect of a
machine much older. The timer is a simple mechanical one, water level is
detected by vacuum, and while the drum motor has an electronic controller,
it looks to be well made.

How it's possible to not make the microcontroller-based controls work
reliably for years and years is beyond me. Makers of microwave ovens have
managed to do so for years. I've *never* seen a microwave oven with a dead
control panel.
I have, several times.


Dozens of them.



I've never seen a microwave quit for any reason. AND if it did, i'd get
out another $69 and buy a new one.

My microwave is 23 years old, and everything still works. Would a new
one last that long?

Around 1990 my brother had the family microwave and threw it away
for because it was larger and was in the way. It was the 20 year old
Heathkit microwave I assembled around 1970. Cost about $400, or
$2000 in todays money. I had to keep up with maintenance though, fixing a couple things.

Right now my most expensive unit is a Sears GE mocrowave/turbo oven
which run about $450, and I hope it holds up. Above the stove ventilator model.
I prefer using the powerfull Panasonic 1250 watt inverter to the 900 watt GE
most of the time. I also prefer to use my little turbo oven rather than the GE
because it also works much faster. Good things come in small packages some times.

greg