The production of a GIGABYTE motherboard (LARGE IMAGES INSIDE)

[Yawgm0th]

There are no children that work there. Maybe as a part time job or a summer job doing something easy.
There are no child labor/sweat shops in Taiwan.

Are you joking, or are you just that ignorant? The minimum age requirement for this sort of labor in Taiwan is 15. There aren't little kids there, but by the definitions of most free industrialized nations, those are children.

[Lolt345]

Are you joking, or are you just that ignorant? The minimum age requirement for this sort of labor in Taiwan is 15. There aren't little kids there, but by the definitions of most free industrialized nations, those are children.

Wow, first time a administrator that sinks so low to name calling. Is the ignorant part really neccessary? If i'm wrong correct me. No need for name calling. I'm probably gonna get banned now right?
I didn't mention anything about little kids.

I'm Taiwanese but I was born in the US. I never heard of 15 being the minimum age requirement for this type of labor in Taiwan. I know you can work in fast food joints, supermarkets, this kind of labor.
Last time I checked, Taiwan is one of the top free industrialized nations.

What's the age requirement for this sort of labor in the US?

[Yawgm0th]

I generally don't resort to name calling, but when people argue with something that they shouldn't be in a way like this, it irritates me. In any case, you certainly won't get banned. Most forum Administrators and Moderators I've worked with will argue with people well beyond the point of name-calling (name-calling from the user, not the admin) before they even consider locking a thread. I certainly have no such infallibility or superiority complex.

In Taiwan the minimum age for pretty much any labor is fifteen. Compulsory education end at 15. In the U.S., it ends at 18 or 16, depending on the circumstance. Full-time labor is also at 16 or 18, but you must be done (dropped-out or completed) with secondary education if you're 16. You can do basically anything that isn't too dangerous (basically anything other than the military) once you're a teenager, but it's almost impossible to get a real job if you're not 15, and most place don't hire anybody younger than 16.

IMHO, 15 is probably a little too young to be having people do full-time jobs at a manufacturing plant, but at the same time, it's not exactly what you think of when you hear "child labor." I tend to picture a Malaysian or (mainland) Chinese 12-year old making my Nike shoes. So it's certainly not something that denotes a third-world country, but it is still kids doing full-time, low-paying labor.

[iviuz]

Nice stuff, ive never seen anything like it b4.

[MUSTANGPC]

For a bit more of an in-depth run down, check out the ABIT tour we did last month while I was in China:

http://www.tweaktown.com/document.ph...rticle&dId=658

The parts that are placed on the motherboards by hand are just too complicated to be done by machines at this stage.

Hi Cameron - You must have met Alex Kuo whilst touring GigaByte?

[MUSTANGPC]

Dear Mr.Tweak

I was told that FOXCONN is one of the large mainboard manufacturer in Taiwan that produces boards for other companies. Can you take us on a tour of FOXCONN facilities.

[orangutang91]

so was it cool there, did they give u gummy motherboard candies?

[rayh]

Picture 11 shows a guy circuit testing manually, with a meter and probe leads. I would have thought it much easier to conduct testing using a simple robotic tester, which could test all component circuits almost simultaneously, and in a fraction of the time.

I guess labour rates are quite low in Taiwan.

[timonokinawa]

I saw well lit, air conditioned, very clean. It appeared to be safe enviroment and well organized enviroment. They even sit in a better looking chair than I have. Some appeared to young but that is a great looking enviroment especially for a kid that is starting in tech or whom needs a summer job and is interested in technology. They certainly do not appear to be in anything close to a "sweatshop".

I am happy to purchase their products and to continue to support this type of company.....this doesn't mean I dont want my free motherboard or tshirt Cameron. Thanks for the pictures and no I dont work for gigabyte or Cameron.

[Helix666]

I did my work experience in a place like that.
Well, a heck of a lot smaller.
The only reason they're putting components in by hand is because they're the larger components that the machines can't handle.

Stuff like the PCI sockets, etc.