

Fair point to some extent, but an electric speed controller (esc) is efficiency a software controlled switch anyway and thus is prone to the same manipulation. I suspect that this ‘software switch’ is nothing more than a flag telling the esc not to engage the motor.
The reliability is largely dependent on how well it’s built. I have a 0.2 and a 2.4 and both have been quite reliable overall, but I did have some issues with my 2.4 recently where the frame came out of alignment (I didn’t tighten the screws enough when I built it), so my z axis belts became too loose. Assuming this will be the only capable printer you have access to, I would highly recommend printing spares of the more critical parts once you have it running. Otherwise, a catastrophic failure could lead to weeks of downtime while you try to source new parts.