[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Toshiba and sellin' to the Commies

psc@lznv.ATT.COM (Paul S. R. Chisholm) (01/22/88)

In article <627@silver.bacs.indiana.edu>, creps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu (Steve Creps) writes:
> In article <2549@ihuxz.ATT.COM> bwf@ihuxz.ATT.COM (Fecht) writes:
> >I'm about to purchase a Toshiba P321SL printer for my
> >IBM compatible (XT) system.
> 
>    What? Isn't that the company that sold all that equipment to the
> Russians to let them build quieter submarines?

That's actually not a simple question.  Toshiba is a parent company
with several children.  One, Toshiba Machines, builds computer
controlled lathes.  They violated both Japanese laws and American
agreements by selling one such lathe to the Soviets.  They knowingly,
willingly broke the law, the Soviets will now be able to build quieter
submarine propellers, and the guy who stands behind them should be
given a butter knife instead of a sharp sword.  (I'm usually a nice
guy, but I have my limits.  If you don't understand my reference to
the sharp sword, send mail, or read up on historical Japanese culture.)

There's also a company called Toshiba America, which sells consumer
goods, personal computers, printers, and disk drives.  None of the
people in this company (so far as I know, none of the people in either
company doing consumer or PC products) could have had any effect on the
Soviet sale.  Some congresscritters got off on Japan-bashing when the
illegal sale came to light.  Whether you should hold Toshiba America
responsible for Toshiba Machines' crime is a personal question of
conscience.  (I would like to point out that the quality of Toshiba
America's products is generally quite high.)

> Steve Creps, creps@silver.bacs.indiana.edu, iuvax!silver!creps,
> creps@iubacs.bitnet      "F-14 Tomcat! There IS no substitute."

-Paul S. R. Chisholm, {ihnp4,cbosgd,allegra,rutgers}!mtune!lznv!psc
AT&T Mail !psrchisholm, Internet psc@lznv.att.com
I'm not speaking for my employer, I'm just speaking my mind.