"Actually, on stepping back, it seems you are the one bent on confrontation because of me having some past squabble with your brother/best friend in Central China, that you haven't been able to let go after nigh on 3 years.

Some facts:

1. I am not in China at this time, and have no plans on returning.
2. Yes, it pays to be reasonable, flexible,call it what you will. Although I will agree with you being Mr Reasonable in China won't get you far. It still doesn't entitle you to your own pc in your apartment. I have worked at a very good university in Guangdong province, I can forward details if necessary, and they never provided PC's in the ft's flats, although internet was available through the LAN if you had a laptop, and of course PC's in the FT's office. Some schools may do it, and give you a top of the line PC, others may give you a three year old dusty beast of a PC, some places not at all...it all depends on the admin of said place, wouldn't you agree?"

Well Dear Boy, I'm gobsmacked, the bloke you had a relationship with in Central China is unlikely to have been my brother- my brother, my elder brother, is 75 and hasn't left Portsmouth for about thirty years. So, whoever this chap was, I'm sorry the relationship ended over a silly squabble, you must have been close.

As for your statistics about schools offering computers or not, dusty old ones or otherwise, I don't give a tinker's curse. If a school doesn't give me what i want I simply don't go there. Some schools have refused my demands-I don't work for those schools-How you can argue with that beggars belief.

I can't stop FT's taking on really bad contracts like with this crappy Suzhou place, that you don't have much to say about, I can only say do not sell yourself too cheaply and don't be scared to bargain with a school or simply reject a hundred employers until you find a suitable one for you, with computer or not