Honghong Tinn

Honghong Tinn’s book, Island Tinkerers, defies the stereotype of “the West innovates and the East imitates,” and tells the history of how Taiwanese hobbyists and enthusiasts, including engineers, scientists, pioneering computer users, and entrepreneurs, tinkered with black-boxed imported computing technology and experimented with manufacturing their own versions, leading to their own brand of successful innovation. Imitation and experimentation constitute a significant part of engineers’ exploratory activities and thus define their technological and social cultures.