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That's because even people in industry have a hard time determining total lifetime cost and salesmen are paid commission based on shifting the product rather than supporting the customer over the lifetime of the product. This is a problem even in heavy electrical engineering companies where products can be expected to be used for fifty years or more and still be repairable at that age.

Sometimes it makes sense but often we should as a society sacrifice a little upfront convenience and price in service of reducing total lifetime cost. Very often, perhaps always, this will only happen if governments step in and set enforceable targets.



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