I find Holmes S. Liao's (廖宏祥) arguments ("What Taiwan's military needs for its survival" April 19, page 9) one-sided and problematic.
First, Liao claims that China is the "largest threat to peace and security" in the region. I bet China's think tanks can easily produce a different report declaring that the greatest threat comes from the US or Japan. Military modernization is a natural byproduct of economic growth. Why should only China's increasing military strength be considered a threat?
Second, Liao apparently advocates the risky strategy of relying entirely on America's military protection. Liao considers US rejection of weapons sales a punishment for Taiwan and its new administration, but he fails to consider the roles of American politics and US-PRC relations.
I find Liao's suggestion that the US should carry out its commitment to defend Taiwan dangerous. The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) only commits the US to supply "defensive" weapons to Taiwan, but does not formally commit the US to the defense of Taiwan.
Realistically speaking, Taiwan's geographical position determines its limited choices. Instead of seeking American support and disrupting both the PRC-Taiwan and PRC-US relations, Taiwan should consider entering into some sort of association with China.
Zhiqun Zhu
Columbia, South Carolina
It is time to quit being sad about being denied Aegis destroyers because, if the PRC's submarine capability is good, the destroyers would be shadowed and sunk immediately following the outbreak of war.
For a fraction of the cost for a ship that isn't submarine-proof, a number of films could be produced portraying the Taiwanese struggle for self-determination. The West is ignorant of Chinese bullying and feeds China's economy. The Clinton Administration's "engagement" makes Americans rich and allows Western consumers to buy dirt cheap goods.
If the West woke up, there would be riots outside every PRC consulate in the US just like the recent ones in Seattle and Washington. Until that happens, appeasement will continue because it means big bucks. No totalitarian will change as long as they are greeted with a wallet rather than a fist.
Warren Weappa
Yungho
Microsoft's monopoly
Weng Tzu-Te's (翁自得)
article last Friday ("Monopoly, piracy go hand-in-hand," April 14, page 12) misses a key element: the habits of computer users and manufacturers. The author fails to address the proactive steps Taiwan could take right now to alleviate this problem, saying only, "I hope the new government can adopt a tougher stance in economic negotiations."
Forget negotiations! You will never succeed in "negotiating" the price of using Microsoft software. Focus instead on breaking the monopoly.
First, the government should simply ban the use of proprietary Microsoft file formats such as DOC and XLS, for official government business, and use only "open" formats.
Once you get away from Microsoft's "secret" file formats, you eliminate one of the main reasons why people use Windows in the first place: because everybody else does. Second, Taiwan should encourage its hardware and software manufacturers to support alternative operating systems (such as Linux, BeOS, MacOS) with their products. This would address the other main reason why people use Microsoft software, either legally or illegally: the availability of compatible tools and toys.
When was the last time a Taiwan manufacturer included drivers for Linux or BeOS with their product? Failing that, why don't they at least make detailed technical specifications available so that the "open-source community" can write drivers for themselves?
For software, simply stop writing code for the native Windows API (Application Program Interface) and write for the Linux WINElib API instead. Write once, compile twice -- and suddenly you've got software that runs fine in both Linux and Windows.
Finally, educate the people.
Piracy is only a symptom of the underlying problem: Microsoft's products are just too expensive for a world where software can be duplicated perfectly and infinitely -- yet everyone just assumes that Microsoft products are necessary to the operation of a computer. It just ain't so.
The solution is not to "negotiate" a cheaper Microsoft price, but to eliminate Microsoft's monopoly altogether.
As long as people remain unaware of the alternatives to Microsoft's over-priced, under-achieving software, the demand for "free" copies of it will persist. But by setting a good example, the government can encourage broader awareness and adoption of alternatives in schools, businesses, and homes.
Weng is dead right when he lambastes the government for kowtowing to "Special 301" intimidation with its crackdown on software piracy. But he's living in a dream world if he thinks "negotiations" will solve anything.
There's no such thing as a free lunch. If you want to use Windows, pay for it. If you want your software for free, then use free software!
John Diedrichs
Taipei
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