Posted by: Daniel Carrera
on June 18, 2006 06:57 AM
> I doubt highly the insinuation that there is > some conspiracy to keep women out of programming > for FOSS.
This is a strawman. No one suggested a conspiracy. But the fact that there are so few women who are free software developers compared to other technical field (magnitudes less) shows that there are barriers. Removing those barriers is a good idea, not just because it's fair, but because FOSS would benefit.
> Any initiative that looks at race or gender, > and then skill is destined to fail.
Such an absolute statement is almost always wrong. In this case, there are plenty of prior examples both in FOSS and other technical fields of successful initiatives.
> With a budget like M$ has, do you really think > any career minded woman would drop the > perceived prestige of a M$ developer position > for FOSS?
Why do you feel that your logic applies any different to women? Do you feel that there is something about having an extra X chromosome that makes one more likely to choose MS to the point where having a 99% male population in FOSS is reasonable? Do you honestly feel that a 99-to-1 ratio is indicative of our biological differences?
> In any case this initiative is an insult to > women, programmers
I've heard from several women programmers who strongly support this sort of initiative. I have not heard a single one who disliked it.
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Re:Oh, please....
Posted by: Daniel Carrera on June 18, 2006 06:57 AM> some conspiracy to keep women out of programming
> for FOSS.
This is a strawman. No one suggested a conspiracy. But the fact that there are so few women who are free software developers compared to other technical field (magnitudes less) shows that there are barriers. Removing those barriers is a good idea, not just because it's fair, but because FOSS would benefit.
> Any initiative that looks at race or gender,
> and then skill is destined to fail.
Such an absolute statement is almost always wrong. In this case, there are plenty of prior examples both in FOSS and other technical fields of successful initiatives.
> With a budget like M$ has, do you really think
> any career minded woman would drop the
> perceived prestige of a M$ developer position
> for FOSS?
Why do you feel that your logic applies any different to women? Do you feel that there is something about having an extra X chromosome that makes one more likely to choose MS to the point where having a 99% male population in FOSS is reasonable? Do you honestly feel that a 99-to-1 ratio is indicative of our biological differences?
> In any case this initiative is an insult to
> women, programmers
I've heard from several women programmers who strongly support this sort of initiative. I have not heard a single one who disliked it.
Best,
Daniel.
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