http://www.jockcoats.org.uk/fair_trade_pcs Comments for "Fair Trade PCs?" en http://www.jockcoats.org.uk/fair_trade_pcs <p> Spotted this on Guardian Unlimited today: <a href="http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/archives/2006/08/05/mac_adverts_on_behalf_of_exploited_chinese_workers.html">Mac adverts on behalf of exploited Chinese workers</a> </p> <p> You know those artsy Mac adverts where a couple of people explain why they have a Mac against a white background - well a group has done one highlighting the plight of workers in the electronics manufacturing industry in the far east mostly. As you <a href="http://www.macspoofs.com/2006/08/04/activists-attack-apple-with-a-mac-spoof/" target="_blank">watch it</a>, of course, bear in mind that since Macs basically use the same bits inside as any other PC they're not particularly worse than anyone else - just that the slightly "holier than thou" (I'm a Mac user - I can say that) advert style is easy to spoof. </p> <p> But it puts me in mind of another one of my unrealised "inventions" - the "Fair Trade PC". We get Fair Trade clothes, footwear, foods. We can try to buy locally produced goods. But with computers and most other consumer electronics we're more or less stuck with what we're given. Why not a "Fair Trade" PC? People pay a premium for Jonathan Ive's beautiful designs, why not for better conditions for the workers? </p> http://www.jockcoats.org.uk/fair_trade_pcs#comments International China environment globalization miscellany Sat, 05 Aug 2006 16:29:27 +0000 Jock 177 at http://www.jockcoats.org.uk