I remember back when I was young opening up an older stereo my parents had and right inside was the schematic and wiring diagram for the whole machine. My father had a shop manual for his 1962 Ford Thunderbird and not only did it tell you how to fix it but it also showed how to make any needed "special tools" for the car.

I am not saying every single thing in the world is going to be user serviced...but it is a shame that in such a high tech world with access to just about any hardware/information needed we are increasingly not being "allowed to".

If we continue to allow qualified users to be stifled by DRM for the sake of increasing profits through planned obsolecence we are going to see greatly increased levels of ecological damage and waste.

I remember a time where the worst case scenario of working on your own devices was simply voiding a warranty.

It may seem like a modern tractor is a $500k machine which "simple folk" shouldn't work on...but don't forget the tractors of 50 years ago were viewed by outsiders the same way. Farmers have always been innovators of varying levels of skill...but they all have one thing in common, they don't seem to be scared of fixing stuff. IMHO, a well connected forum of tractor owners likely knows close to as much about their tractors as the company that made them...even without access to manuals.

Limiting those who tinker and innovate can do no good. It is high time we change the slogan to "reduce, reuse, repair, recycle". The very last option should be recycling...not the second.