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GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
WHAT FOBs THINK OF AMERICAN-BORN ASIANS
y FOBs we mean anyone who has ever been called an FOB. -- "fresh-off-the-boat", anyone not born here. In other words, half the AA population. Even the 2 million AA who immigrated as kids and speak English like -- or in some cases, better than -- native-born Americans rarely escape the sting of being dismissed by American-Born Asians (ABAs) based on real or imagined differences.
The stereotype of the hopeless FOB who just doesn't get American culture is all too familiar. But intra-Asian prejudice is a two-way street.
No less insulting are the images held by FOBs. ABAs are the descendants of the lowliest of peasants forced to flee their homelands to become indentured servants, sniff some FOBs. Born and bred to accept second-class status in a white society, sneer others. Slackers who don't know the meaning of ambition and sacrifice -- and who lack the guts to do anything about it in any case.
FOBs run the socio-economic gamut. A significant minority (perhaps a tenth) are highly successful trans-Pacific business families seeking a safe haven for their fortunes. The vast majority are engineers, scientists, physicians and academics braving the uncertainties of new lives for a chance to work hard for more money and better opportunities. A few are refugees and illegals risking their lives to escape hopeless, grinding poverty.
It's safe to say few FOBs feel in any respect disadvantaged relative to American-born Asians. In fact, given a dozen years most do as well or better than ABAs financially, if not socially. They can be excused, then, for harboring some less-than-flattering assessments of ABAs. By the same token, in their struggle to acculturate, FOBs often come to appreciate the trails blazed by the ABS, or at least, by their ancestors.
Assuming you're FOB or straddling the FOB-ABA fence, what's your image of ABAs? Let's hear the good as well as the bad.
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:03:25 PM)
AA with (way) too much time,
"Compaq started the cutthroat price wars that began early 90s in attempts to dominate the market."
What you own stock in Compaq? What in the world were people doing in 80's for. I liked the Commador 64/Ameiga and Apple II like the next techie. But it was pretty obvious by the mid 80's IBM 386 clone was the machine of choice with MS DOS being the OS of choice.
I'm sure there is only a hand full of reader and poster on this board who even heard or used OS/2 when MS Windows OS came out.
And even if you do feel that Dell, Compaq, Gateway lead the way in PC acceptance. What was the cost limiting factor of Compaq cost cutting strategy? The cost Asian OEM/ODM companies would sell the parts to Compaq.
Why the hype of the big PC companies trying to get under $1000 PC in the 90's? Because "custom built" PC shops were sell at that level already using cheaper Asian OEM/ODM parts already. The big PC companies wanted part of that action, when business leasing PC was already matured market.
Maybe it is your age and you think Compaq is the first and last thing in PC world. But if you were in the mid 80's and really into computers. People would be like RTFM (read the f----- manuel) and put it together yourself. Then you would be aware of all the Asian ODM/OEM parts, before installing the MS OS on it.
The original post was about Asian ODM/OEM parts that went into PC to drive down cost in that market. I did also hint to darkside of the CPU market which also played a part driving down its cost. If you don't belive it, too bad you're paying too much for PC you using now and back then.
Should we move on and talk about how little know apps called Lotus 1-2-3 and Wordperfect promoted the PC and caused the downfall of the Commador 64?
AC Dropout
Friday, April 05, 2002 at 15:01:40 (PST)
T.H. Lien,
Among Chinese this is more or less a non-issue, beside blocking traffic.
And only an italian priest is able to define the issue.
And there you have the Chinese divide in a nutshell. Only the white guy has something to say.^_^
AC Dropout
Friday, April 05, 2002 at 08:52:24 (PST)
CTFC!,
Perhaps you see it as IBM lack of insight at that point.
Or from my point of view, it could have been the foresight of Asian ODM/OEM companies to see the loophole.
AA with (way) too much time,
WTO and PRC - That occurred in 2002. I was talking about the 1980's.
Your view of the point I brought up is at a higher level then originally intended. Compaq, Dell, Gateway made/assembled PC.
ODM/OEM make all the compenents of the PC. Powersupplies, soundcard, video cards, internal speakers, motherboards, case, etc. So for every trademark namebrand component. There existed a cheaper unlicensed, nontrade mark component on the market. Hence, "custom built" PC which ruled the market in 80's flourished. Not only for their open architure, but also for cheaper parts.
It is in my view. That these "custom built" PC from hobbyist and mom & pop computer stores that paved the way, for Dell, Compaq, Gateway to have final dominance in the PC market. With the MS OS piggybacking on all of this of course.
ODM/OEM (Orignial Design Manufacturer/ Original Engineer Manufacturer) companies don't need to steal designs. They are the subcontractor in asia. The designs/parts are given freely to them. They just have the facilities to make whatever suit their fancy.
Even the CPU component has an unlicensed version in our market place. Just check the FBI files to see how many they confiscate a year. So how many are actually occupying PCs in the market is anyone's guess.
What are you an employee of Big Blue PC division? IBM has about as much PC marketshare as HP. And HP invented the GUI OS and the mouse. Just because you invent doesn't mean you will dominate the market.
AC Dropout
Friday, April 05, 2002 at 08:47:46 (PST)
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