Raising female Unix/CS engineers

[stoepvats]

Lately I've been thinking about how we can get more women into the Linux community.

I saw this video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBqfqcm_BCU , and it describes how we can transform our daughters into real geeks if we use epigenetics the right way.

It made me realize that if we're willing to take the long-haul on this one we can raise are daughters to be more interested in math and technology and of course Linux! I'm a student math teacher and I always thought that girls aren't as good as boys when it comes to math, but I've been proven wrong. So now I'm trying to raise my daughter so she knows that she can be as competent in technology, science and math as boys . She's still a bit young for all that, but she does like Tux (in fact it was one of the first words she said :- ), and sees me working in Linux daily.

So, if we all 'team up' and make lots of girls and realize they have as big a chance to become a geek as boys we might have a shot at 'outbreeding' the competition :-).

[pwnst*r]

what the hell

[Tristam Green]

Sure :rolleyes: invoke prima nocta also :|

[koleoptero]

what the hell
+1

[t0p]

Give your female children things like Meccano and chemistry sets to play with.

There's nothing wrong with a little girl playing with a doll. But if you make it a robotic doll, that Miss Junior can modify and assemble herself, it'll be a definite win.

[stoepvats]

Exactly, that's what I'm trying to say. Some people seem to think girls are for the 'mother' and boys for 'fathers'. I think it's better to just offer them everything, so they actually have the chance to find out the like technology. It's a shame if they never find out if they could be math geniuses.

[MelDJ]

if she uses linux from a young age, she will be quite good with computers when older

[koshatnik]

Lately I've been thinking about how we can get more women into the Linux community.

I saw this video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBqfqcm_BCU , and it describes how we can transform our daughters into real geeks if we use epigenetics the right way.

It made me realize that if we're willing to take the long-haul on this one we can raise are daughters to be more interested in math and technology and of course Linux! I'm a student math teacher and I always thought that girls aren't as good as boys when it comes to math, but I've been proven wrong. So now I'm trying to raise my daughter so she knows that she can be as competent in technology, science and math as boys . She's still a bit young for all that, but she does like Tux (in fact it was one of the first words she said :- ), and sees me working in Linux daily.

So, if we all 'team up' and make lots of girls and realize they have as big a chance to become a geek as boys we might have a shot at 'outbreeding' the competition :-).

I prefer my women non-geek.

[Paqman]

if she uses linux from a young age, she will be quite good with computers when older

Well, with Linux computers anyway ;)

[hoppipolla]

what the hell

it made me lol xD

[hoppipolla]

Exactly, that's what I'm trying to say. Some people seem to think girls are for the 'mother' and boys for 'fathers'. I think it's better to just offer them everything, so they actually have the chance to find out the like technology. It's a shame if they never find out if they could be math geniuses.
wait, this is partly SERIOUS? O.O

I dunno man sure give a girl the options to learn about maths/technology but I wouldnt encourage it too much because thats not really very fair o.O

[xuCGC002]

what the hell

Agreed.

[Incendia]

My best friend (who is a girl) and her sister both use Linux; and so do a few other girls in my Sixth Form.

[MasterNetra]

Lately I've been thinking about how we can get more women into the Linux community.

I saw this video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBqfqcm_BCU , and it describes how we can transform our daughters into real geeks if we use epigenetics the right way.

It made me realize that if we're willing to take the long-haul on this one we can raise are daughters to be more interested in math and technology and of course Linux! I'm a student math teacher and I always thought that girls aren't as good as boys when it comes to math, but I've been proven wrong. So now I'm trying to raise my daughter so she knows that she can be as competent in technology, science and math as boys . She's still a bit young for all that, but she does like Tux (in fact it was one of the first words she said :- ), and sees me working in Linux daily.

So, if we all 'team up' and make lots of girls and realize they have as big a chance to become a geek as boys we might have a shot at 'outbreeding' the competition :-).

Funny I've heard that in general girls are better at math while guys are tend to be more suited towards art. However, from observation alone I can conclude that its purely a individual matter not a gender one. ^.^

[forrestcupp]

I think we're better off figuring out how to clone ourselves as females. :)

[Swagman]

I think we're better off figuring out how to clone ourselves as females. :)

Why ?

Do people keep telling you to "Go **** yourself" as well ?

[ZankerH]

Yeah, children can be used to pass on memes as well as genes. How is this new?

And obviously you'll teach your children about what you do/like. What the OP is proposing should be pretty obvious to anyone.

[Sunflower1970]

Encouraging girls to get in to sciences/math/technology is a great idea. If parents give them the resources and talk to them about it--as well as teachers, I don't see anything wrong with that.

If/when I have kids, and one's a girl, I'd definitely encourage her to look to technology, math or sciences.

But, I'm not sure about the title of the thread...It is kind of is off-putting. Suppose it could be changed to something else?

[hoppipolla]

I think we're better off figuring out how to clone ourselves as females. :)

man could you imagine a female version of all the guys here? that would be WEIRD O.O

[sanderella]

We are already here.........wahahahahahah!):P

[hoppipolla]

We are already here.........wahahahahahah!):P

haha yeah exactly - I've actually seen and chatted to a fair few women here on the forums ^_^

[ZankerH]

But, I'm not sure about the title of the thread...It is kind of is off-putting. Suppose it could be changed to something else?

Agreed, "breeding" really isn't what the proposal is about. A more descriptive title would be "Raising female Unix/CS engineers."

P.S.: I wonder what the people who complain about females being under-represented and the target of sexism in the FOSS community would have to say about this thread.

[Dragonbite]

haha yeah exactly - I've actually seen and chatted to a fair few women here on the forums ^_^

Actually, I had a college friend who went on a date with somebody he met online.

He told me that she was my clone. She looked kinda like me, and she acted like me (oh, so she was an a**hole too?). He still did the date, but I guess he just couldn't handle the thought of kissing her because it would be just too weird for him.

I asked him for her name, just because I'm curious ( a ) what she looks like and ( b ) how annoying I really am! ;)

[stoepvats]

Yeah, children can be used to pass on memes as well as genes. How is this new?

And obviously you'll teach your children about what you do/like. What the OP is proposing should be pretty obvious to anyone.

You're right, if you're into memetics it isn't new at all. However, most people don't know about it and still think it's all in the genes. And the Linux community isn't that progressive when it comes to male-female issues. I think it would be very good for Linux as a whole ff we get a more heterogeneous group of people working at it and promoting it. Now it's too much of a 'boys-thing'.

[Dragonbite]

I thought this whole concept was so in about 20 years, you might be able to finally get a date!

:lolflag:

just kidding.

[stoepvats]

I thought this whole concept was so in about 20 years, you might be able to finally get a date!.

Lol, that would be gross :-), but we could set up a cross-match website for the people who have the 'Woody Allen' way of looking at things ;).

My wife's actually a bigger geek than I am, so I'm out :D

[earthpigg]

<----


'Breeding' more Linux women by using epig

as the sole earthpig (sometimes abbreviated as "epig" as you have done, which is fine with me) on this forum, i'd be happy to.

where should i pick up my Harem?

[pwnst*r]

I thought this whole concept was so in about 20 years, you might be able to finally get a date!

:lolflag:

just kidding.

haha, if you're looking for someone just like you, you'll be one of the following:

a) be single for a long time
b) not be single but be bored with your relationship
c) married and divorced
d) on the fence with your sexuality ;)

[Dragonbite]

Heck the concept of my daughter dating has me already wanting to tie her to the computer, make her wear glasses and not bathe for weeks and start playing Dungeons and Dragons for days on end!

Unfortunately she doesn't have an interest in computers.





(actually, I am thinking about starting her into DnD, but that's for a different reason)

[ZankerH]

Unfortunately she doesn't have an interest in computers.

That means you didn't start early enough.

If it can't ping the router before uttering its first word, you have failed as a parent.

I kid, I kid :lolflag:

[handy]

This smells of Godwin's Law.

[ZankerH]

This smells of Godwin's Law.


I fail to see the connection.

[hoppipolla]

seriously with it's new title this thread just strikes me as even CREEPIER o.O

[Eisenwinter]

what the hell
I agree.

[The Funkbomb]

Maybe people should just let kids focus on the things they like. They might excel in hobbies they actually want to participate in than get pushed into ones they don't.

[edin9]

So, if we all 'team up' and make lots of girls:-).

Hey baby, let's make some super intelligent Unix mini humans tonight. Classy.

[TheNessus]

and sees me working in Linux daily.


No. Your daughter doesn't see you "working in Linux daily" - She sees you sitting infront of some shiny box near a dull bigger box, with some board with nice-sounding clickable buttons.

And if she does know what a computer is, she still doesn't see you "working in Linux daily", she sees you working on the computer daily.

[AllRadioisDead]

what the hell
Agreed.

[Dragonbite]

Hey baby, let's make some super intelligent Unix mini humans tonight. Classy.

Sounds like a great pick-up line.


Maybe people should just let kids focus on the things they like. They might excel in hobbies they actually want to participate in than get pushed into ones they don't.

Relaaaaax, we're just kidding here! (sort of :twisted: )

[edin9]

Sounds like a great pick-up line.



Relaaaaax, we're just kidding here! (sort of :twisted: )

I guess it's better than 'want to see my 3 inch floppy?'.

[ZankerH]

Perhaps someone should compile a training regimen for an aspiring female GNU/Linux geek from ages 2 to 12 and post it in sunbird calendar format?

I'm thinking something like this

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/6335/gnulessons.png

[TheNessus]

Perhaps someone should compile a training regimen for an aspiring female GNU/Linux geek from ages 2 to 12 and post it in sunbird calendar format?

I'm thinking something like this

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/6335/gnulessons.png
You, sir, are a genius.

[Chronon]

No. Your daughter doesn't see you "working in Linux daily" - She sees you sitting infront of some shiny box near a dull bigger box, with some board with nice-sounding clickable buttons.

And if she does know what a computer is, she still doesn't see you "working in Linux daily", she sees you working on the computer daily.

You make a lot of assumptions about other people's daughters.

[hobo14]

Some people seem to think girls are for the 'mother' and boys for 'fathers'.

Female mothers and male fathers? That's just crazy.

[XubuRoxMySox]

Seeing you "working on" Linux, she may presume that you're working on it because it's broken and needs fixing.

[handy]

I guess it's better than 'want to see my 3 inch floppy?'.

In the olden days they used to make them bigger...

[XubuRoxMySox]

In the olden days they used to make them bigger...

Like this (see attached thumbnail).

-Robin

[stoepvats]

Like this (see attached thumbnail).

-Robin

Haha, lol. You could really hit someone over the head with such a 5.25 inch floppy, but it didn't hurt much. My computer-teacher in high school explained that's why they call it software. DOH :)

[The Funkbomb]

I still have a tray of 5.25 floppies laying around somewhere. A bunch of 3.5" too. Remember those plastic boxes they had? You'd accidentally knock it over and then cry at the idea of picking them up. :D

Now, when I knock over a pile of CDs, if I don't know what's on it, I just trash it.

[stoepvats]

Now, when I knock over a pile of CDs, if I don't know what's on it, I just trash it.
Same here. I don't really care much about the cd's, but my floppy's I really cherished. Making hd floppies from dd floppies by using the 'extra hole trick'. Starting to get a bit nostalgic over here :)

[loxxs]

sadly my daughter (5 years old) likes the look of windows 7 (its shiny in her words), as opposed to my son (nearly two) who likes the functionality of Ubuntu.

:D

[koleoptero]

This thread is getting creepier by the second.

[Viva]

Mark answered a related question yesterday in the open week Q&A session.