Re: [oldboys] HAL

[Amy Alexander <plagiari@plagiarist.org>]

On Mon, 9 Jul 2001, Cornelia Sollfrank wrote:

>
> what most women feel when they are entering the hacking scene (without
> boyfriend hacker who brought her there) is an uneasiness and feeling
> uncomfortable, because the hacker scene is purely male. THIS IS
> STRANGE.
>

another place where these issues are discussed is the linuxchix "issues"
mailing list (see www.linuxchix.org) ... men are welcome on the list too,
though it's made clear that the focus is on issues of women hackers
(programmers, admins, etc.) and
sexism is not tolerated. btw, the "issues" list is for social issues of
female hackers, and doesn't have to do with linux specifically. (some of
the linuxchix tech lists are more linux-specific obviously.)

i can't go to HAL, but i hope a lot of women do... a lot of what
i think discourages women from getting involved in hacking/coding/etc. is
the feeling rachel expressed of being surrounded by arrogant male geeks. i
remember being turned off that way in college programming class way back
when, and didn't get back into programming until i encountered it again in
an arts context, where i wasn't learning it surrounded by arrogant nerds
of any gender. nowadays i'm not put off by arrogant nerds; sure they're
kind of annoying, but they don't put me off, and i think that's because
now i'm comfortable in my own hacking competence - what i do know and
what i don't - and don't feel intimidated.

btw, as a couple people pointed out, obviously not all hackers are
arrogant. plenty are totally cool and helpful people, but yes, i've met a
number who fit the "arrogant geek" stereotype. but i'm sympathetic because
i've felt those arrogant geek urges myself sometimes, and i'm not sure if
it's caused by enthusiasm gone amiss or if that behavior rubs off from
other geeks. anyway, it might not be obvious, but even most "arrogant
nerds" are nice people underneath it all if you get them talking in a
mutually non-threatening manner.

-@



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