Slashdot Mirror
China Developing own Standards
J ROC writes "Encouraged by their government Chinese electronics firms are shunning technological protocols invented abroad and developing their own, according to this article. The Chinese have developed several standards including EVD to replace DVD standards, and TD-SCDMA to replace the CDMA cell phone standard found elsewhere. The reasons seem to be partly based on "techno-nationalism", and Chinese firms growing tired of paying foreign patent fees. While this may force foreign firms to lower their patent fees, some experts warn that China risks isolating itself if it creates standards that are incompatible with the rest of the world."
One of the biggest problems the Chicom government has at the moment is the Internet. People can easilly check the news from foreign countries and debunk the government propaganda they see all day on TV.
Kind of like what Canadians do with the CBC, only more.
If the Chicoms develop their own standards to replace the current web protocols like TCP-IP and HTML, they can isolate their population behind a brand spanking new Bamboo Curtain.
They wish.
One problem, they have to replace all their current telecom and computing infrastructure with new noncompliant home grown shit, which will be both expensive and damaging to their economy. They will be replacing good equipment with less capable stuff and reinventing the wheel endlessly.
This is precisely what the USA did to the Soviets with the arms race, but in a less belicose form. Probably changing the telco infrastructure will be more expensive than building a new bomber force every ten years like the Russians had to do from the 1950's right up to the fall of the Iron Curtain. Regan drove the last stake into their heart with his Star Wars plan. Trying to counter that pie in the sky drove 'em out of business.
Another problem is that it won't work. The country is wired to the hilt already, people are not going to voluntarily give up their window on the world for some Commiebox that reports direct to the Chairman's office every time they log on. China is BIG, even the Chicom government can't collect every PC in the country without active public cooperation. Plus some clever kid is going to hack the Commiebox to bridge the incompatible protocols anyway, probably the same week the new crap gets released. Linux port for the Commiebox anyone?
Final straw, half or more of the computer stuff for Western consumption gets made in Chinese factories right now. Anybody think some of that stuff won't quietly find its way into civillian hands? Shoplifting by employees alone guarantees it will.
I predict the Chicom economy won't carry the strain and if the government pushes this hard they will be bankrupt in ten years or less. Looks good on the bastards, I have to say.
Hopefully the Chinese people will be able to come up with a better government once the jackboot is off their necks.
Flame on, Commie appologists. I've got my asbestos undies ready. ~:D