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Taiwan Irked at Google's Version of Earth
frank_adrian314159 writes "As reported in The Register, Taiwan wants Google Earth to stop calling it a province of China. Although Google has yet to comment on this issue, it will be interesting to see the brightest minds that money can buy trying to solve what decades of diplomats have unsuccessfully wrestled with - how to balance the nationalistic pride of the inhabitants of Taiwan against the nationalistic pride of the inhabitants of mainland China." From the article: "Foreign ministry spokesman, Michel Lu, explained: 'It is incorrect to call Taiwan a province of China because we are not. We have contacted Google to express our position and asked them to correct the description.' Google has maintained a stony silence on the matter, presumably while it tries to work out a solution which will please both the Taiwanese and the hosts of the (lucrative, burgeoning, inviting) Chinese internet search business opportunity market."
Instead of choosing between pissing off the Chinese or pissing off the Taiwanese you piss both the Chinese and Taiwanese off at the same time. So instead of saying it is or isn't a province of China, you just call it West Hawaii.
Problem solved.
--
You didn't know.
How does "We Love Katamari" refer to Taiwan in the global level? I assume the King of All Cosmos is the ultimate authority.
Highest bidder wins the ownership of Taiwan on google map!
Does it really take the brightest minds to fix this problem?
if (IP == Taiwan){
Label as independent
}
else {
Label as province of China
}
LINUX ONLINE POKER: Linux Poker
Phase 1: Help China harden it's information rights policy by catering to it's search restrictions, then, give them political leverage by legitimizing the Chinese claim to Taiwan (and collect underpants). Phase 2: Wait on them to acheive true superpower status. Phase 3: Profit!
"Google Earth portrays an imaginary planet. Any ressemblance with real Earth is purely coincidential. Google Earth is for entertainment only. Do not use Google Earth to learn about political divisions. If dissatisfied with Google Earth, you may reuse Google Earth as a flotation device."
If this was mapquest or yahoo maps or something, sure. But this is Google we're talking about! Not only should they be able to find a solution with a short script, but they should be able to mediate political talks to fix all territory disputes all over the world. Google for President.
They're trying to reconcile making the mad cash from catering to the soon-to-be-richest country in the world and compromising their company motto.
Imma write them a nasty letter. A girl I know is from Taiwan (mmm... hot Taiwanese girl...) and imma send them all the Taiwanese facts about their independence. I suggest you all find hot Taiwanese girls and do the same.
Google! Don't be evil!
When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
All Google needs to say is it will be fixed in the final release, once its out of beta... Problem solved indefinately
-FL
Call mainland China a province of Taiwan. It's not entirely without basis. he government in Taiwan is the older one, once was the government of all China. The mainland just happens to be under the control of communist rebels at the moment.
Just take Taiwan off the maps and pretend it doesn't exist.
The UN doesn't even recognize The Principality of Sealand! What kind of backwoods hicks are running that joint anyway?
-73, de n1ywb
www.n1ywb.com
Google should make it a tick box, so the user can choose whether the map should show independent or not.
Here is a partial list of others:
Anybody want a peanut?
Congrats, because of you later today in a meeting one of two things will happen.
1. A geek will pass out your post, crisis averted. Expect a job offer. But you have to work in China or something... check a previous post about where google newhires have to work. +)
2. a geek will say "In my research I have discovered that yadda yadda and problem solved, crisis averted".
and then 10 other geeks will roll their eyes because they read the same shit here too.
There's nothing Intelligent about Intelligent Design.
I'm thinking this means my chances of getting Google to remove some false but ancient usenet posts containing my name are significatnly dimished. For some reason, I doubt my emails to Google are more effective than phone calls from foreign dignitaries. Then again, maybe Google is ignoring Taiwan because they're not nuclear capable. In that case, I'll just have my wife contact them... she certainly IS nuclear capable!
There was an old saying among Communists: "You can always count on a capitalist to sell you the rope that hangs him."
smash.
I run: Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSD. Just because you have a hammer, doesn't mean everything is a nail.