Local? Get Compatible! (yes another round of whining...........)


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germ_boi

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Oct 3, 2003
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It started with a pretty innocuous topic.

My elder brother, faced a dilemma. He could buy a cheap inkjet printer but pay more on the ink, or he could pay more for a laserjet printer and pay less for the toner over the long run. Did you know that ink is worth more per gallon than petrol?

I didn’t think twice. I recommended buying a inkjet printer and using compatible ink.

Why not? Compatible ink is about 60% cheaper than the branded products! Granted, I have not been able to achieve true blacks, magenta always seemed to be dispensed a little too freely, and typography does not appear as sharply defined as I would like, but why complain about quality when the price is right?

And just at this point, it hit me. The fight between original ink and compatible ink is like our perpetual ongoing debate about foreign talent invading our shores.

Original ink offers you trouble-free printing (no leaks, clogs etc), advanced ink formulation, highly developed print cartridges and even something as abstract as a peace of mind! These quotes are taken directly from HP website.

In many ways, this argument is like justifying why we should hire local graduates. They move in almost seamlessly into our company’s culture from their locally accredited university and the manager would have no worries about his quality of work. 2nd lower, why don’t you wait back in line, son? (Don’t call us, we’ll call you)

Compatible ink is reverse engineered, it takes existing print-head technologies and inject ink into these cartridges. This results in the purported ink spillage if not done properly. The user also runs the risk of a bad print job and worst, it might even spoil the printer!

Sound familiar? Foreign talent who enter companies tend to have difficulty assimilating into our local culture and could even break up an entire division or with a failure of local insight, destroy the company! Lately, with the advent of acculturation lessons, instances like this is fast becoming old news.

Similarly, compatible ink damaging printers is old news. Just as how the Compaq Portable (a deceiving name for a 12.5 kg computer) successfully and legally reverse engineered the IBM PC in 1983, the same technology has caught up to the giants of the printing world and compatible ink is almost as good as original ink to the untrained eye.

Yet, this has not stopped the printing giants along with their marketing departments endowed with enormous budgets from carrying on with their diatribe about compatible ink and misinforming the public about the intricacies of ink through scare tactics. Why wouldn’t they? I would do anything to protect my precious stream of income, especially if it is flowing faster than OPEC can discover new sources of black gold.

At the very least, we now know why we are paying so much and how much of our payment goes into actual R&D. How about R&D focusing on cheaper ink, Goliaths?

In the same way, locals stating that foreign talent are not as capable clearly reflects our lack of social grace and industry knowledge and is pretty much similar to how Goliath trying to discredit David through smear tactics, pun intended.

Foreign talent is fast catching up to us in terms of quality of output and fitting into our culture. So while the local flavour might always be preferred by companies for ease, these foreign talents are giving us locals a run for our Singaporean dollar.

What can we do? Honestly, for the majority of ordinary Singaporeans, we have no choice but to watch them wheedle away at our income while the exceptional seek greener pastures overseas. After all, who else but our government is welcoming them with open arms?
 

How our government assessed the quality of 'foreign talent' is really a mystery. Even the process of awarding PR/ Citizen status is debatable.

I used to have a colleague who's from China and given Singaporean citizenship. After almost 10 years in Sg, he still can't write a proper email that everyone can understand.
During CNY, he say he'll be taking leave to go 'back home' to China. During National Day, when we asked about singing the National song, he will laugh at us and give us a look as if we are crazy.

The work he's doing is nothing special, just normal engineering stuff. Communications with contractors is always a big problem.
If this is the kind of foreign talents that Singapore is getting, then I'm really worried about our future.
 

How our government assessed the quality of 'foreign talent' is really a mystery. Even the process of awarding PR/ Citizen status is debatable.

I used to have a colleague who's from China and given Singaporean citizenship. After almost 10 years in Sg, he still can't write a proper email that everyone can understand.
During CNY, he say he'll be taking leave to go 'back home' to China. During National Day, when we asked about singing the National song, he will laugh at us and give us a look as if we are crazy.

The work he's doing is nothing special, just normal engineering stuff. Communications with contractors is always a big problem.
If this is the kind of foreign talents that Singapore is getting, then I'm really worried about our future.
I know roughly how the citizenship process is given out. It's a transparent process, decided mostly by how much taxes you pay and the length of stay you have had in Singapore. I have seen first hand how "easy" it is to get citizenship if you're patient.
 

Actually, laser and inkjet printers serve different functions. If you want to print photographs, inkjets are suitable. If all you need are graphics or text (office documents), lasers are far superior.
 

Is that a compliment, or a hint I should not publish my opinions here?

hahahaha

Opinion are always welcome. My fren went to immigrant office sometime back for some personal matters. He witnessed some interesting happenings over there. One particular worrying one is,
a Chinese National lady, before going into the interview room, ran back to his 'handler' and asked him, "what is the name of the school I'm studying again?". Win already :sweat:
 

a Chinese National lady, before going into the interview room, ran back to his 'handler' and asked him, "what is the name of the school I'm studying again?". Win already :sweat:

:bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:
 

Let's just say you are about 21,22, about to leave school,enter the workforce, away from papa mama protecting arms. Then you find that out there it's so competitive, lose job to others. Racial fear kick in with a bit of denial, you start to label them with a mocking tone "foreign talent" , hate them, bias, and then generalize a few bad apples for the whole cart, you select those extreme example, make it easier to convince yourself about them. Then you start to whine. But let's say if you are working in an HR department, you do recruiting and selection. You can choose local one, and foreign one, foreign one you gonna endure 1 month or more lag time for all those work permit, paper work, and probably some training to keep them up with the so called "culture" ,and you know there will be more problems in the future, since they aren't "local" . Yet some local still lose the position, is it something wrong, just local and non-local, foregin talent and local talent, the problem may lie in the "talent" part. If you do HR,you select the one fit the job or what else ?

Then let's say someone complain about how government don't protect them. Let's say they don't know about ministry of man power policy that protect them. Let's say they don't know gorvernment do many things to provide job for them,train them, protect them. They continue to whine and don't understand the point that what organiztion need is someone efficient,someone fit the job, someone independent and looking to improve himself,to compete,to serve the nation rather than asking for protection, someone working hard out there to be chosen rather then seat in front of computer whining about how he isn't chosen.

Then let's say, someone living in so much protection but unaware of it. He grow arrogance and mistaken between what is a gift and what is a given right, what advantage he was given and what he must fight for. He grow arrogance that he become delusional,or rather denial, giving himself reason to believe in his own reasoning. Government took people under it wings so they grow , not so that they feel so safe that they slack off and become a big,fat,lazy bum. Government realize that there is a lacking drive,power for the country due to those people,and so is various organizations, therefore they outsource those so called "foreign talent". Talent or not, those people away from home,enduring the different culture,and sacrastic nature of some people, they have stronger drive than those thought they was given a right to be superior,to be in better position, do nothing for that. Government also want to introduce competition, so that people Wake Up, so that they know they need to grow.

In the end,those at HR not so stupid,Mom not so stupid,people not so stupid,may be those arrogance don't realize though. But no matter what type of ink, we select those that fit the machine and our pocker. We select those that are more efficient , more efficient !!! Those that have some local advantage but lacking in many other important senses, support if you think indulge in illusion is a way to help your nation, or you can help them to wake up and grow so that they can be better than oversea "talent", or better yet, help them grow in to better people, a bigger man,that learn to accept people, accept their own flaw instead of blaming other, aspire to help, to inspire, to protect others and contribute to the society.

Or let's say,let's hide, internet is a safe place,the mind is the safest place,block it all out, let's ask the society to protect those that was born on this land and demand the land to protect him but refuse to grow and benefit the land.
 

Using compatible ink catridges killed my last printer
 

How our government assessed the quality of 'foreign talent' is really a mystery. Even the process of awarding PR/ Citizen status is debatable.

I used to have a colleague who's from China and given Singaporean citizenship. After almost 10 years in Sg, he still can't write a proper email that everyone can understand.
During CNY, he say he'll be taking leave to go 'back home' to China. During National Day, when we asked about singing the National song, he will laugh at us and give us a look as if we are crazy.

The work he's doing is nothing special, just normal engineering stuff. Communications with contractors is always a big problem.
If this is the kind of foreign talents that Singapore is getting, then I'm really worried about our future.
That's what the "garment" says, it has this rule that rule to make sure all the Foreigners coming here will know English, written and spoken. But not. It's just a facade.


Just look at SBS, the Drivers from China, can even tell you the directions when you ask for help. Once i saw this malay lady ask for directions in english, and the China bus driver, shouted at her to go away, waving his hands at her.


Sooner or later. English is not going to become the common language. Everything will become divided. Like cliques.


GMAN
 

Come on, lets face it. It used to be foreign talent, talent that are in shortage,and not enough locals to fill up the vacancies

But now, they are filling up the population. Due to locals not reproducing enough to replace our population , the "vacancies" go to the foreigners in order to fill up the gap.

But the real issue here is, new citizens and PRs, do you think they are really here to stay , take Spore as their Home and retire here ? Based what I understand from my ex-colleagues in previous firm, and current colleagues, none are thinking of staying long here despite the PR status or getting Spore Citizenship. There will be "vacancies" once again when they decide to leave.
 

Then let's say, someone living in so much protection but unaware of it. He grow arrogance and mistaken between what is a gift and what is a given right, what advantage he was given and what he must fight for. He grow arrogance that he become delusional,or rather denial, giving himself reason to believe in his own reasoning. Government took people under it wings so they grow , not so that they feel so safe that they slack off and become a big,fat,lazy bum. Government realize that there is a lacking drive,power for the country due to those people,and so is various organizations, therefore they outsource those so called "foreign talent". Talent or not, those people away from home,enduring the different culture,and sacrastic nature of some people, they have stronger drive than those thought they was given a right to be superior,to be in better position, do nothing for that. Government also want to introduce competition, so that people Wake Up, so that they know they need to grow.

my friend, i fear you are wasting your breath.

you see, when people have gained an overdeveloped sense of self-entitlement, they will grab at anything. they will grab at isolated examples, tar every person they want to tar with the same brush. never mind that they have met positive examples, all that is forgotten, when they want to make a point that they want to make.

anyways, i enjoyed reading that. have a nice day.
 

Respect to those citizens who really uproot their family n choose to settle down locally, and taking a very positive stand on having their sons to serve their NS. 1 of my reservist mate is taking a positive stand in serving his NS as a 2nd generation PR, before his taking up of citizenship years later.:thumbsup:


I heard that now some laser printers have chips in them that recogise and reject non original toner ? even those using the original cartridge?
 

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Do we *really* need another "foreign talent" discussion? Can't we all just go out and shoot pictures?

(remember hor, the most popular models on here are foreign talents too...)
 

Do we *really* need another "foreign talent" discussion? Can't we all just go out and shoot pictures?

(remember hor, the most popular models on here are foreign talents too...)
No we don't hahahaahaha. I'm just linking some random thoughts of mine.
 

But the real issue here is, new citizens and PRs, do you think they are really here to stay , take Spore as their Home and retire here ? Based what I understand from my ex-colleagues in previous firm, and current colleagues, none are thinking of staying long here despite the PR status or getting Spore Citizenship. There will be "vacancies" once again when they decide to leave.

Ahbutthen...

I got something to tell you that many of my ex/colleague who are singaporean also don't want to stay long in Singapore despite born in Singapore and has auto singapore citizenship, gotten the benefit (and consequence too - NS for example for the guys).

Those who marry malaysians - dont want their spouse change citizenship - just in case need to migrate during hard time... (this does not apply only to sg men marrying malaysian women - the reverse also true).

Got a friend who are malaysian convert to be sg citizen because she need to travel regularly to countries where sg passport are given visa on demand - now regret after losing her job and cannot easily go back to malaysia and retire there (everytime she went back - the immigration at malaysia is giving her the dirty look).

With all these friends, I can only stay as PR. If many singaporeans themselves not happy with their citizenship, how attractive will that be to others?

One thing to note: people get old and their medical care expenses will increase.
If non-locals come here to work and then leave to retire elsewhere then Singapore will not have to worry with their medical requirements and singapore population in general will remain young (and productive - cos they come not as children but as productive adult - and left when they are no longer productive).
 

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I would like to have the option of living in Malaysia too. I have many malaysia frens, weekdays in Singapore work as mechanics, weekend go home drive Honda Euro R :bigeyes:

And they sell cheap DVDs too ;p :heart:
 

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