The cyber revolution happened while we were in Taiwan. In about 1988 the office where we worked got a computer. It had those big floppy disks and no hard drive. Then we moved to one with a hard drive, and the number moved from 286 to 386. Eventually we got one (or the other) at home, but I was fascinated with the hardware more than the software, so we really didn’t do much with it but type. We moved along at a rather slow pace, always behind by a Windows system or 2.
Software in Taiwan in the 90s was often pirated, especially when one purchased a computer at a hole-in-the-wall shop. People became accustomed to sharing floppy disks, CD ROM disks and other files. When I moved to the Taiwan Church Press in the year 2000, I’ve no idea where the software came from. That’s when I learned search skills, on Netscape! 4 years later, at Tainan Theological College, I used whatever was on the machine they issued me.
As time passed, the school hired better and better (and more ethical) IT administrators. The guy who took over in 2016 cleaned out everyone’s files and purchased a company subscription to Windows Office 365. I thoroughly enjoyed that. Anything I needed to do that was “up to date” happened in the office. At home it was a different story. We’d pretty much moved out of pirated stuff, and were using Open Office and other free software. It was adequate.
Retired now, the subscription to Office 365 is no longer part of my life. That hasn’t been a problem until recently, when I decided to try self-publishing some of my old stuff as e- books. The first one was a disaster. For the second one, I’ve shifted all sorts of stuff and learned a lot of new skills, some of which are easier if one has Microsoft Office (at least, that’s what the instructions indicate). Happily, we live only a few blocks from the library. I walked over there one evening last week and learned a few things (but forgot to save the resulting file). This morning I was back. Things were even faster, and I put together what will likely be my first REAL e-book. I uploaded it this afternoon, and will let it cook for a few days before beginning to advertise.
Maybe I’ll be spending more time at the library this winter, or maybe I’ll buy Microsoft Office. I liked Taiwan better than I like here. (I’ll get over that.) I’m happier here, though, knowing that at least in terms of the software I use, I’ve gone legit.
David Alexander resides in Holland, MI after 39 years in Taiwan.
Aboksu 