I'm trying to avoid companies that use child labor in production.  The Foxconn / Apple connection is well documented.

Maybe, maybe not, but Microsoft doesn't come across as being so smug or up itself.  For me it is the lesser of two evils....and at least I can afford a PC with Windows on it. Unlike a Mac with its locked in system and little or no room for upgrades or expansion!  Besides, I can build my own Windows PC to my own specifications, with plenty of scope for upgrades and expansion.  Can't build a Mac.

I think I pulled any desire to associate with Apple when I saw they'd invested in Suicide catch nets.....

Yeah, that certainly tarnished its image moreso in my eyes.  There was talk that Apple was addressing or had addressed the concerns of production line employees and staff, but the nets are still up. That says to me that Apple hasn't done enough.  I did see somewhere that a spokesperson for Apple reportedly said that the company preferred workers didn't jump to their deaths, but for every one that did, well there was a 100 more outside queuing up for his job.  Don't know if that's true or not, but regardless, I won't be buying any Apple products any time soon.

If that were true I expect it is extremely likely he was pushed....didn't jump...and is no longer employed as a spokesperson.

From what little I read [it was just a quip in a small article], the person who supposedly said it was speaking to one of his colleagues as an aside during a tour of the factory, and was overhead.  Apparently it left him somewhat red faced and having to do some serious backpedaling as he apologised to the 'eavesdropper' and her colleagues.

Like I said, don't know if it's true or not, given the 'great' integrity of some journalists.

Foxconn is also Chinas biggest manufacturer iirc, and Apple is pretty much the only company REQUIRING the info be made public.

For all you know, everyone else is doing worse...and not reporting it at all.

I dislike Apple, but pointing these things out just seems like grasping at straws.