That's just how the world works son. It may not align with you're particular view of what is rational, but rivalry and prestige have greater power than your worldview. And they always will.

It is indeed a rationalization, whether you loathe Apple or not.

Thanks for the new "sad fact about China" entry.

Apple/Foxconn worker and environmental exploitation rationalization worksheet

Check all that apply

[_] Apple wasn't the first-ever client of Foxconn
[_] Making iPhones in a Chinese factory is better than being a Chinese peasant
[_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much if I had to pay my fellow citizens to make them
[_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much given environmental regulations I vehemently insist on for myself
[X] All the other manufacturers are doing it too
[_] Some/Many/Most Chinese workers appreciate 70 hour weeks and breathing my aluminum dust
[_] It's not Apple, it's Foxconn
[_] It's not Apple, it's the Chinese government
[_] They should quit if they don't like it
[_] It's just capitalism at work
[_] It's just communism at work
[_] Apple's disposable workers are paid better than non-Apple disposable workers
[_] Apple's auditors didn't find any serious issues
[_] Some day the Chinese will be too wealthy to exploit
[_] Your Android is Foxconn too
[_] You're an Apple hater using Apple as a scapegoat
[_] I also work 60/80/100/120 hour weeks at my IT job
[_] Apple designers are in the US
[_] The US did the same thing to the British
[_] The US had slaves once too
[_] The US has prison labor today
[_] It's up to the Chinese to stand up to their oppressive government
[_] There are lines of eager workers outside Foxconn factories
[_] If any company were to stop the exploitation, I really think it'll be Apple
[_] Your free Linux runs on Chinese hardware too
[_] Foxconn workers think they have it great, so it's ok!
[_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than Chicago's murder rate
[_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than China's suicide rate
[_] We can't pollute the whole world!
[_] Half of all US households have an Apple product
[_] If we don't exploit them they'll never develop
[_] The suicide's families get the insurance money
[_] You're posting from a macbook/iphone/ipad right now
[_] There are suicide nets on American bridges
[_] Interns in the US don't get paid
[_] They don't beat the workers, apparently.
[_] Why is this news? We expect this from China.
[_] It's their country; we have no right to judge.
[_] If it's voluntary it's ok; their body, their choice
[_] Only 11 hours/day? Come over to the U.S. and do 12-hour days!
[_] Things are tough all over; I had a job in high school
[_] isn't this the case for all smart phones, of all brands?
[_] an iPhone is more important (than workers rights)
[_] Android phone assemblers were abused worse
[_] That's how it was in the 19th century
[_] I'm tired of the Apple Shaming Society
[_] We should automate all jobs
[_] At least China isn't bombing the Uighurs like the US did [_] It's not slavery. It's reform!

Excellent rationalization. Two fresh contributions in one sentence:

[x] At least China isn't bombing the Uighurs like the US did
[x] It's not slavery. It's reform!

Thanks!

Been around here a while now. Every time another story about China and Apple come up regaling folk with horror stories of awful labor conditions and outrageous environmental damage incurred while make iStuff I collect whatever new rationalizations appear. That list is probably older than some of the people that contributed to it today. :)

Apple/Foxconn worker and environmental exploitation rationalization worksheet

Check all that apply

[_] Apple wasn't the first-ever client of Foxconn
[_] Making iPhones in a Chinese factory is better than being a Chinese peasant
[_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much if I had to pay my fellow citizens to make them
[_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much given environmental regulations I vehemently insist on for myself
[_] All the other manufacturers are doing it too
[_] Some/Many/Most Chinese workers appreciate 70 hour weeks and breathing my aluminum dust
[_] It's not Apple, it's Foxconn
[_] It's not Apple, it's the Chinese government
[_] They should quit if they don't like it
[_] It's just capitalism at work
[_] It's just communism at work
[_] Apple's disposable workers are paid better than non-Apple disposable workers
[_] Apple's auditors didn't find any serious issues
[_] Some day the Chinese will be too wealthy to exploit
[_] Your Android is Foxconn too
[_] You're an Apple hater using Apple as a scapegoat
[_] I also work 60/80/100/120 hour weeks at my IT job
[_] Apple designers are in the US
[_] The US did the same thing to the British
[_] The US had slaves once too
[x] The US has prison labor today
[_] It's up to the Chinese to stand up to their oppressive government
[_] There are lines of eager workers outside Foxconn factories
[_] If any company were to stop the exploitation, I really think it'll be Apple
[_] Your free Linux runs on Chinese hardware too
[_] Foxconn workers think they have it great, so it's ok!
[_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than Chicago's murder rate
[_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than China's suicide rate
[_] We can't pollute the whole world!
[_] Half of all US households have an Apple product
[_] If we don't exploit them they'll never develop
[_] The suicide's families get the insurance money
[_] You're posting from a macbook/iphone/ipad right now
[_] There are suicide nets on American bridges
[_] Interns in the US don't get paid
[_] They don't beat the workers, apparently.
[_] Why is this news? We expect this from China.
[_] It's their country; we have no right to judge.
[_] If it's voluntary it's ok; their body, their choice
[_] Only 11 hours/day? Come over to the U.S. and do 12-hour days!
[_] Things are tough all over; I had a job in high school
[_] isn't this the case for all smart phones, of all brands?
[_] an iPhone is more important (than workers rights)
[_] Android phone assemblers were abused worse
[_] That's how it was in the 19th century
[_] I'm tired of the Apple Shaming Society
[_] We should automate all jobs

Congratulations. The rationalization you offered has been added to the:

Apple/Foxconn worker and environmental exploitation rationalization worksheet

Check all that apply

[x] Apple wasn't the first-ever client of Foxconn
[_] Making iPhones in a Chinese factory is better than being a Chinese peasant
[_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much if I had to pay my fellow citizens to make them
[_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much given environmental regulations I vehemently insist on for myself
[_] All the other manufacturers are doing it too
[_] Some/Many/Most Chinese workers appreciate 70 hour weeks and breathing my aluminum dust
[_] It's not Apple, it's Foxconn
[_] It's not Apple, it's the Chinese government
[_] They should quit if they don't like it
[_] It's just capitalism at work
[_] It's just communism at work
[_] Apple's disposable workers are paid better than non-Apple disposable workers
[_] Apple's auditors didn't find any serious issues
[_] Some day the Chinese will be too wealthy to exploit
[_] Your Android is Foxconn too
[_] You're an Apple hater using Apple as a scapegoat
[_] I also work 60/80/100/120 hour weeks at my IT job
[_] Apple designers are in the US
[_] The US did the same thing to the British
[_] The US had slaves once too
[_] The US has prison labor today
[_] It's up to the Chinese to stand up to their oppressive government
[_] There are lines of eager workers outside Foxconn factories
[_] If any company were to stop the exploitation, I really think it'll be Apple
[_] Your free Linux runs on Chinese hardware too
[_] Foxconn workers think they have it great, so it's ok!
[_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than Chicago's murder rate
[_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than China's suicide rate
[_] We can't pollute the whole world!
[_] Half of all US households have an Apple product
[_] If we don't exploit them they'll never develop
[_] The suicide's families get the insurance money
[_] You're posting from a macbook/iphone/ipad right now
[_] There are suicide nets on American bridges
[_] Interns in the US don't get paid
[_] They don't beat the workers, apparently.
[_] Why is this news? We expect this from China.
[_] It's their country; we have no right to judge.
[_] If it's voluntary it's ok; their body, their choice
[_] Only 11 hours/day? Come over to the U.S. and do 12-hour days!
[_] Things are tough all over; I had a job in high school
[_] isn't this the case for all smart phones, of all brands?
[_] an iPhone is more important (than workers rights)
[_] Android phone assemblers were abused worse
[_] That's how it was in the 19th century
[_] I'm tired of the Apple Shaming Society
[_] We should automate all jobs

We care. Thank you for the effort.

Also, Unicode!

It's been a while since we've seen one of these stories and it appears that some new and refined rationalizations have developed. New entries checked at the end of the list. Props to scourfish, cdreimer, zippo01, SuperKendall and several ACs for your contributions.

Apple/Foxconn worker and environmental exploitation rationalization worksheet

Check all that apply

[_] Making iPhones in a Chinese factory is better than being a Chinese peasant
[_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much if I had to pay my fellow citizens to make them
[_] iPhones/Pads would cost too much given environmental regulations I vehemently insist on for myself
[_] All the other manufacturers are doing it too
[_] Some/Many/Most Chinese workers appreciate 70 hour weeks and breathing my aluminum dust
[_] It's not Apple, it's Foxconn
[_] It's not Apple, it's the Chinese government
[_] They should quit if they don't like it
[_] It's just capitalism at work
[_] It's just communism at work
[_] Apple's disposable workers are paid better than non-Apple disposable workers
[_] Apple's auditors didn't find any serious issues
[_] Some day the Chinese will be too wealthy to exploit
[_] Your Android is Foxconn too
[_] You're an Apple hater using Apple as a scapegoat
[_] I also work 60/80/100/120 hour weeks at my IT job
[_] Apple designers are in the US
[_] The US did the same thing to the British
[_] The US had slaves once too
[_] The US has prison labor today
[_] It's up to the Chinese to stand up to their oppressive government
[_] There are lines of eager workers outside Foxconn factories
[_] If any company were to stop the exploitation, I really think it'll be Apple
[_] Your free Linux runs on Chinese hardware too
[_] Foxconn workers think they have it great, so it's ok!
[_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than Chicago's murder rate
[_] Foxconn worker suicide rate is lower than China's suicide rate
[_] We can't pollute the whole world!
[_] Half of all US households have an Apple product
[_] If we don't exploit them they'll never develop
[_] The suicide's families get the insurance money
[_] You're posting from a macbook/iphone/ipad right now
[_] There are suicide nets on American bridges
[_] Interns in the US don't get paid
[_] They don't beat the workers, apparently.
[_] Why is this news? We expect this from China.
[_] It's their country; we have no right to judge.
[X] If it's voluntary it's ok; their body, their choice.
[X] Only 11 hours/day? Come over to the U.S. and do 12-hour days!
[X] Things are tough all over; I had a job in high school.
[X] Isn't this the case for all smart phones, of all brands?
[X] Android phone assemblers were abused worse

Indeed; judging feasibility is an important ability. Analyzing why something is not feasible is a useful exercise. I believe the GP's proposal is infeasible because most code is created by people that haven't got the resources (time, tools, education, desire, experience, etc.) needed to create high quality code and are employed by people that don't care.

Stipulate for a moment that I am correct. What does this say of Rust? Isn't Rust simply an enforced expression of the discipline that working programmers and their employers are deliberately avoiding? Is Rust feasible for use by programmers that haven't got the resources to suffer its costs and are employed by people that won't let them? It's entirely possible that Rust is yet another entry in the list of things that "just can't be done," in the sense that it won't be taken up for the same reasons that few are applying the GPs methods.

I like Rust. I think it has moved that bar like nothing has in years. Decades perhaps. The "R word" is now unavoidable in discussions of language design because Rust embodies plausible solutions to serious and long standing problems. I've written code in Rust and found and used Rust software 'in the wild,' as have millions of others given Firefox. I do not, however, take it as a given that it (or any tool that enforces an equivalent discipline) will succeed in the long term because I hold the cynical view that people (programmers, employers, users, etc.) are not willing to pay the needed costs.

The puerile rage that has emerged for this language is truly sad. Rust is the honest effort of honorable people that attempts to address a legitimate problem in an open and liberal manner. There is no stink on Rust. Yet it has generated a legion of haters that take exception to its very existence. A further cynicism I hold is that this is primarily because Rust (or at least the concepts embodied in the language) exposes the inherent flaws of some loved tools, and the narrow minded practitioners that love those tools simply don't like it.

Boeing accounts the development cost of the 787, a sub-sonic widebody of the sort they've been building for 47 years, as $29 billion as of 2011. The Irkut MC-21, a conventional narrow body sub-sonic 737 competitor being developed in Russia (one built so far) has a program cost of $4.6 billion to date.

For $33 million you might get as far as testing a credible wind tunnel model. $33 million to test fly a "Boom Supersonic" built aircraft next year (!) is pure fantasy. Marketing bunk. Full stop.

There is a lot of VC sloshing around right now and some of it will unavoidably slop over the side and disappear down the drain.

Admiring this map, showing the huge advantage of predominantly nuclear powered nations such as France wrt CO2 emissions.

No. Stop indulging hysterical thinking.

That is one disappointing summary. Marketing cut-and-paste mixed with a bunch of irrelevancies.

This is RISC-V. That crucial fact and what it means is completely omitted from the summary. RISC-V is an open ISA (Instruction Set Architecture) out of Berkeley. By open I mean you can go over here and get the stuff you need to make a real CPU without any license costs or other IP entanglements. Open and free from the silicon up. RISC-V is a new 32/64/128 bit ISA with a clean, comprehensive design that is free of legacy cruft, bad ideas and other flaws, and the core instruction set has recently been permanently frozen so it's no longer a moving target for developers.

SiFive is a fabless semiconductor company "founded by the creators" of RISC-V to produce real silicon. HiFive is a little demo board with a (rather fast) RISC-V SOC. Some people have gotten hung up on the FTDI thing; that's just a UART to provide USB; it doesn't mean this is some kind of proprietary trap. Because the ISA is fully open competitors are free to make their own RISC-V designs as well and embed/attach whatever UARTs they want. Competitors are also free to use Eagle, gEDA, damp napkins are whatever they wish to design boards for their RISC-V chips, so that Altium hang up in summary isn't particularly relevant either.

Google has been a sponsor of RISC-V work and has been hosting conferences for the platform. They are also actively developing Go on RISC-V and there have been some rumors about Google using RISC-V to displace proprietary CPUs in their operations.

Yes you could. I've texted my wife's phone and others many times over the years using Skype on Linux. I've been using Skype on Windows for the last 18 months, but the last version of Skype I used on Linux (skype-4.3.0.37-suse121.i586 by the RPM name) sent text messages to phones just fine. You needed a account with a balance and you had to setup your Skype account with your phone's number (such that caller ID identifies the caller/sender,) but I know for a fact that it worked.

So yeah, this huge Break Through! technology isn't all that amazing to me.