by the way, I should mention my astonishment that although we have Blogcritics from around the world, including dozens from Canada, we have a grand total of one in Mexico and he's an expat American. And it isn't that Mexico doesn't have computers: they are 14th in the world with 11.2 million. What's up compadres?

I wouldn't be surprised to see China challenging as a close second to the US before too long.

That's partly why companies are falling all over themselves trying to get a foothold in China.

they are an awakening giant, as is India

India + China + shrinking oil reserves will = $15 / gallon of gas (or something).

A bit off-topic, sorry.

Chna is a huge consumer market, but knowing how business is done over there, any Western product the Chinese will buy will be "reverse engineered" if not outright copied. Then a nationalized Chinese factory will build and sell it as a domestic product more cheaply than the import. China does not recognize copyrights or intellectual property laws, so it would not be much of a long term gain for Western manufacturers.

they are at least having to pay lip-service to intellectual property rights as part of their WTO play - eventually they will have to move more in line with their trading partners

Many companies are attempting to build and work within China to tap into the huge domestic market there.

And you'd have to think that as China becomes more a part of the global marketplace, the more it will have to step up to international aggreements.

I don't agree, Eric. If you look at communism and Chinese practice thereof, there is no individual, and no individual property, it is all for the State in the end. They will toe the line when necessary, but they will also take all they can get if it leads to their advantage. They are a nation and law unto themselves in the end, and big enough to get away with a lot of it.
THe Chinese only opened there markets on a limited basis because they had to do so having seen the total control method was failing. Unlike trends in other places around the world, a free market in China, IMO, won't lead to a freer country on the whole.

I disagree -- I can foresee a China that (very) slowly transitions to a market economy with perhaps some kind of limited form of democracy.

Well, I am no expert on China, and having seen the Berlin Wall fall, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the deposition of Saddam Hussin in my lifetime, I won't bet against anything anymore. (Except maybe for deluded moonbats to remain deluded moonbats.)

there's always that

I can see China ending up something like Taiwan

Taiwan becomes the model for China, now there is some irony for you.

that's part of why they are hanging on so tightly

PC recycling should be treated as a tax break, like cars

that's a good point and I agree - that's a vast amount of toxic chemicals being let loose unless an effort is made to reclaim them

Interestingly, in India, gray market (assembled) PCs are far more popular than branded PCs. Almost everyone has a personalized PC for that reason - pretty souped up ones at that. If these numbers only account for branded PCs, they are suspect - I am sure assembled PCs are common the world over. I saw them in China as well in every place

I don't see a definition anywhere for "PC in use"

If this information comes from the C-I-A, it should be suspect to begin with;)

could someone indulge me and put the figures in for the EU as a whole rather than by the individual states?

I reckon this simple re-classification would see us winning the Olympic Games et cetera for ever!

AB, I don't see EU aggregate figures on the site, andI only see the top 15 broken out. I guess you get to indulge yourself and add them up (smile)

well, i had already added the ones in the chart, it comes to 145.36 across the 5 states listed. That's what got me wondering...

I reckon the other 20 states have enough kit between them to push Europe into 1st place!