Hello,

I'm a journalist writing a story for Mobile PC Magazine on the decline of
quality in consumer electronics. I sent Sam Wasserman an e-mail regarding
this topic this morning and he recommended posting to the newsgroup. I'd be
interested in the thoughts of sci.electronic.repair readers about whether
the quality of electronics is genuinely on the decline and if so, why?

Here's some of the questions I hope to answer with this article.

Has there been a quantifiable decrease in the life span of consumer products
over the last fifteen years?
What segments of consumer electronics seem to be hardest hit?How long are
consumer electronics meant to last?
Are they any documented cases of electronics being intentionally crippled to
reduce shelf-life?
Does the concept of a manufacturer's warranty mean anything anymore or has
point-of-purchase warranty become expected of consumers?

I appreciate your input.

Jim Conley