[spragl]

Manuals are fairly easy to find, but in my experience they are dumbed-down. They mostly contain simple Ikea-like instructions and a lot of legalese CMA warnings. That is not a dig at Ikea. Their instructions are great for assembling flatpack furniture. But servicing a faucet, a garage door or a lawn mower is on another level.

This state of affairs is partly due a change in the nature of products. They are in general more complex and no longer meant to be repairable. They are meant to have shorter life spans, and if serviceable are meant to be serviced by professionals. How much that is an improvement for the consumer, is questionable IMO.

[Aurornis]

> Manuals are fairly easy to find, but in my experience they are dumbed-down.

I just linked to the full CAD library for the modern version of these parts, though. It’s not dumbed down.

Use the search phrase “service manual” and you can find documentation for every appliance in your house. I frequently fix appliances for friends and even neighbors and have yet to be unable to find the service manual.

Same for cars.

I’m so confused by this comment section. Why is everyone convinced that the situation is so much worse today?