Sat Feb 22, 2025by owl on Twosenshittification began much longer ago than any of us realize. as an example, recently i learned that one of my 2012 ford vehicle's keyfobs died with no clear way to bring it back. a coin cell replacement did nothing. so i thought: "well, i'll just buy a couple new ones to replace these. super easy; barely an inconvenience." i sat in the car to handle that and see that i have no way to program this set of keys at all. it sounds insane, but here it goes: to program them, it's fairly straightforward. stick the key in the ignition, turn it back and forth a few times which enters the car's computer into programming mode. press some buttons on the keys, car gives you feedback and you have a new functioning set of keys for your old car. one problem: the model i own, the one that was available at the time i purchased it, has no traditional key to stick into an ignition. and even if it did-- the car has no ignition to stick the key in. and it dawns on me: my two new fobs, identical to the old fobs, can only be programmed by ford people in a ford dealership in a process that i'm sure is infuriatingly simple and easy and gatekept for reasons. so this moment, today, was locked in over 12 years ago. a decision in an office somewhere far a way from here lead to me sitting at a ford dealership where i'll be charged almost $200 and an hour of my day for the privilege of having some spare keys to replace the previous dead and dying ones i had no way of servicing myself. the privilege of entering and starting the car i already purchased 12 years ago. FORD: "Tough Shit."