Electronics That Last: How I Built an Heirloom Laptop

Re:Electronics That Last: How I Built an Heirloom Laptop by keithpeter on Saturday January 16, 2016 @02:57AM (#10914660)

Brooches and rings. In UK in some families these will be passed down to couples marrying as a gesture of continuity. In Birmingham, we have a 'quarter' that has many small workshops that make and repair/alter jewellery. Some of the older companies have design patterns/dies going back to the Victorian era.

I agree with your basic point: we all buy so much that is basically landfill.

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Re:Electronics That Last: How I Built an Heirloom Laptop by Symbiote on Saturday January 16, 2016 @06:11AM (#10914997)

I think we can go a fair bit older than that.

The Imperial Regalia of Japan, if it still exists, is... really old. I can't find a date.

The anointing spoon of the British crown jewels dates from the 12th century, and is still used [2].

If we don't need something to be in continual use, then bronze age jewellery, or stone age flint knives.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Regalia_of_Japan

[2] https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/31733/the-coro...

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Re:Electronics That Last: How I Built an Heirloom Laptop by pbhjpbhj on Saturday January 16, 2016 @08:40AM (#10915239)

Ceramics and glassware can and do last generations. They're functional too but use is likely inverse proportional to longevity.

Leather goods last well, I have my father's belt but it's not in a state to pass down further.

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Re:Electronics That Last: How I Built an Heirloom Laptop by nascentmind on Saturday January 16, 2016 @03:45AM (#10914744)

Fountain pens. I have some fountain pens come down to me from my mother's student era.

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