Isn't all this depressing after realizing the origins of Apple. There are no machines for hackers these days.. it's all "look at the looks of this fancy UI" today, with actual interaction being all but an afterthought.

It'd be a different, better world if Symbolics had survived... but you know evolution doesn't quite work that way.

The Homebrew Computing Club would be raided for trafficking in bare components, such as a novel, hand-soldered motherboard from a tiny company founded by two guys named Steve.

Doesn't seem like it. Repair manuals don't cost anything to release, and it's not like the innovation today is at the PCB level; it's interference if the state forces someone to support outdated products by ensuring the availability of ICs and stuff... but the firms in the supply chain should only be too happy to supply if there is demand (ebay is chock full of every imaginable parts peddled by Chinese traders).

Frankly these corporations way too much power, from planned obsolescence to bad hardware. I for one would welcome the right to defend against these giants.