On 2017/02/02 3:06 PM, whit3rd wrote:
On Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 11:47:27 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Thursday, February 2, 2017 at 2:11:07 PM UTC-5, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
This might be of interest. A farmers group is leading a movement to
require manufacturers to supply service information, parts, etc.

I think it will ultimately die out. It's a great idea, but manufacturers will say it's a safety issue or a proprietary issue.

So? Let 'em document a safety issue. Iindustrial safety is NOT a closed-book issue,
it's a matter of public interest.
Sponsor a reverse-engineering session on any proprietary technology (and
publish everything). Customers, unlike employees, are not barred from disclosure.
...

No current production line can replicate a 30-year-old engine computer.


I would disagree with your last statement.

If there is sufficient demand then some bright person will MAKE a
replacement computer for the 30 year old machine. In my industry
(pinball and other coin-op games) there are multiple suppliers of
circuit boards and computers for pinball games as far back as the early
70s. I am working on a replacement PCB for a 1975 motherboard that used
three 6530s (Rockwell) with a FPGA.

John :-#)#
--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
(604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."