To be honest, the case is still the original one, but almost every other part has since been replaced. Now, I’ve taken it back to the shop where I bought it 20 years ago and asked them to upgrade the motherboard, CPU, and memory - the last of the original parts.

So, is it still the same computer?

I also like that I can just keep replacing parts on an existing product rather than buying an entirely new device each time. That’s exceedingly rare feature these days.

  • SecretSauces@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8·
    2 months ago

    Ok but if you break the front and back faces of your phone then send it in to get them replaced, is it still the same phone?

    I think what changes the identity of something is changing it’s “brain”, or how it operates. In the case of phones/computers, changing the CPU to a better one would change it’s performance, so it would be a new thing. Same as with a car engine. If you have a 4-banger and change it to a V6 or even replacing it with a newer engine, it’s now another car even if it’s appearance is the same.

    • RedditRefugee69@lemmynsfw.comEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      To me, it’s a percentage game. OP’s computer is now 90% a different computer, your phone example is 20% a different phone, and your car is 30% a different car. The Ship of Theseus is 100% a different ship when it is fully swapped out, no matter how long it took.