How many females come to this forum?

[lyndaj70]

Just curious....

I'm a single mom that works on computers and holds down another part-time job for the slow times -- not perfect but I can spend more time with my kid this way...

I've fooled with Linux for around 10 years, and kept with it when I realised that my kids didn't crash it and I kinda liked it.... But been around computers since the 8th grade back in the early 1980's...

What's your story, and how did you come to be here?
~Lynda

[aysiu]

If you want stats, check out these threads:
Age and Gender Poll (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=61048&highlight=age+gender+poll)
Which Gender Ubuntu the Most (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=287852&highlight=age+gender+poll)

[fuscia]

there are probably more trannies here.

[kevdog]

there are probably more trannies here.

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a tranny?

[FG123]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a tranny?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transvestism

[K.Mandla]

Just curious....

What's your story, and how did you come to be here?
~Lynda
You might also check out the Ubuntu Women project, if you haven't already.

http://ubuntu-women.org/

[steveneddy]

there are probably more trannies here.

That's........disturbing.

[HermanAB]

I believe that there are only two women on these forums and she may be using two user names...
;)

More seriously, Lynda, I think you are the one and badbadputer is the other one. Both of you are single moms.

Cheers,

Herman

[lyndaj70]

I'm kinda afraid of that, but expecting it...

I know in this area if I mention Linux to a female, she will have no idea what I'm talking about.. actually, there's only two guys around here that know anything about it, and that's because I introduced them... sigh...


~L

[lyndaj70]

there are probably more trannies here.

I know some trannies, and the only thing they find interesting about computers is how they help them keep in touch with others like them (grin). But if those computers break -- you can hear the screams for miles lol!

[p_quarles]

I'm kinda afraid of that, but expecting it...

I know in this area if I mention Linux to a female, she will have no idea what I'm talking about.. actually, there's only two guys around here that know anything about it, and that's because I introduced them... sigh...


~L
Well, welcome to being a tech geek. The bad part is that no one else has any idea what you're talking about. The good part is that you actually do have some idea what you're talking about.

[wieman01]

I know at least 5 - 6 gals in the forums. Won't tell you the names, but there are quite a number of them.

[lyndaj70]

You might also check out the Ubuntu Women project, if you haven't already.

http://ubuntu-women.org/

Thank you for the link... I didn't know about it..

~Lynda

[lyndaj70]

Well, welcome to being a tech geek. The bad part is that no one else has any idea what you're talking about. The good part is that you actually do have some idea what you're talking about.

You are SO Correct! :lolflag:

People wonder why I don't hang out... why bother hanging out with folks who have NO CLUE what you're about cause you can't really tell them what you're REALLY interested in... and when they what to know what you're thinking, you definitely can't say "I'm thinking about repartitioning my hard disk to allot more space for /." They run screaming when you do that lol!

[HermanAB]

"and that's because I introduced them... sigh..."

I guess it is the same for everybody. Pretty few people know about Linux even though everybody uses Linux every day, in the form of cell phones, routers and phone switches.

Even in high tech companies where pretty much everybody is a computer scientist or an engineer, only a small minority know anything about Linux. I work at a very large defence company and there really are only about 5 Linux experts at each site - if that many. So that makes it 1% or less in high tech, so imagine the ratio elsewhere.

Now if you consider that women make up perhaps 2% of engineers, then you will be hard pressed to locate another female Linux guru in your country.

Cheers,

Herman

[wieman01]

You are SO Correct! :lolflag:

People wonder why I don't hang out... why bother hanging out with folks who have NO CLUE what you're about cause you can't really tell them what you're REALLY interested in... and when they what to know what you're thinking, you definitely can't say "I'm thinking about repartitioning my hard disk to allot more space for /." They run screaming when you do that lol!
I repartitioned my girlfriend's harddrive once. And she really appreciated it. They all do when the necessity arises. :-)

[adamorjames]

Well, welcome to being a tech geek. The bad part is that no one else has any idea what you're talking about. The good part is that you actually do have some idea what you're talking about.

Ahh... true. :lolflag:

[lyndaj70]

I repartitioned my girlfriend's harddrive once. And she really appreciated it. They all do when the necessity arises. :-)

My fiancee used to threaten to throw my computer out the window cause I spent so much time on it, now he doesn't say a word cause I'm the one who has to fix or setup whatever he wants done lol!

Currently that means setting him up an Ubuntu (you read right) box cause he wants a music server.... and he refuses to pay a couple hundred for another Microsoft license. Doesn't hurt that he has decided that he does not like Vista "phoning home" all the time...

He's razzed me for years to drop Linux... maybe he's starting to see what I do....

I've not had much luck setting up samba servers before so we'll see what happens --Linux has come a LONG way since the last time I tried...

[wieman01]

I've not had much luck setting up samba servers before so we'll see what happens --Linux has come a LONG way since the last time I tried...
Samba is a breeze as well, promise. See this:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=202605

He'll love it. :-)

[p_quarles]

I've not had much luck setting up samba servers before so we'll see what happens --Linux has come a LONG way since the last time I tried...
Yeah, Samba is pretty servicable at this point. I was able to set up a Samba server using the instructions in Ubuntu Hacks, published by O'Reilly.

Some relatively good guides are also available online:
http://howtoforge.com/taxonomy_menu/1/51

[jrusso2]

I don't advertise that I am female on the forum because I don't think its relevant.

But I have been working for ten years as a Network Administrator. I don't consider myself a geek I just like to learn different things.

[HermanAB]

The trick is to go to the Samba web site and read the Official Howto. It has a nice section on every possible setup. There is no need to fight it, just do as John Terpstra says.

[runningwithscissors]

There are no women on the internets

This is the Internet. Where the men are men, the women are men, and the children are undercover FBI Agents

[Irihapeti]

I haven't advertised my gender, either, for the same reason as jrusso2 - I don't see how it's very relevant.

Anyway, if it encourages someone to try Ubuntu, who might otherwise think it's only for young guys, I don't mind saying that, yes, I'm a woman over 50 with a couple of grown-up sons.

Am I a geek? I'm not sure exactly what that is. If it means I'm socially inept, I hope not!

I'm someone who likes to fiddle around with things and get them to work. Anything slightly unusual is likely to get me interested. And if it saves me money, that's even more motivating :)

[-grubby]

I don't advertise that I am female on the forum because I don't think its relevant.

But I have been working for ten years as a Network Administrator. I don't consider myself a geek I just like to learn different things.

You're female! I thought you were a guy. Sorry for my ignorance....

[lunaz]

I am, and I've been into computers since as long as I can remember, but don't know near as much as I wish i did. :( That's why I'm here.

[FG123]

This seems appropriate: http://xkcd.com/322/

[helliewm]

I am female but the you know that.

Helen:)

[fuscia]

I don't think its relevant.

i agree. i don't think it matters here, at all.

[PriceChild]

This seems appropriate: http://xkcd.com/322/*swirls the keyring containing the key to the emp cannon locker on his finger*

[kevdog]

If more people would advertise their sex on the forums, Im sure the community cafe could turn into another eharmony.com. That in combination with Rav-Tux's threads -- this combination would definitely make life more interesting.

[adamorjames]

If more people would advertise their sex on the forums, Im sure the community cafe could turn into another eharmony.com. That in combination with Rav-Tux's threads -- this combination would definitely make life more interesting.

:lolflag:

[sanderella]

I believe that there are only two women on these forums and she may be using two user names...
;)

More seriously, Lynda, I think you are the one and badbadputer is the other one. Both of you are single moms.

Cheers,

Herman

There's me too.):P

[lyndaj70]

I want to thank everyone for their responses!

I know it seems weird, but it makes me feel "not so alone." When I first started advertising computer repair services, I cannot tell you how many times I was liiterally cursed out because "the guy that worked on computers" was a girl. I still get people who refuse to deal with me because I am female and thus "can't know what I'm talking about..." I once walked into a well-known computer supply chain, and had the sales and management walking PAST me to men who came in after me -- I guess assuming that I was "with them." I finally had to grab one by the arm and say, "I have a thousand dollars to spend on computer parts, would you like me to spend it across the street?":lolflag:

In this area, when other females hear that I work on computers, I get treated like a freak until their computer breaks... They tend to think I'm weird cause instead of spending my time and money on getting my nails done or having the latest outfit that's on sale I spend my time on something that I find fascinating, something that makes me a better person: knowledge. I receive more enjoyment out of expanding my mind with computers and computer books than I could ever receive sitting on the phone listening to who's having sex with whom.

I didn't start this thread to cause a problem or to state "Look at me, I'm special because I'm female," but to ask "Hey am I alone out there?"

I am happy to know that I'm not.

Thank you all very much for that gift....
~Lynda

[wieman01]

I finally had to grab one by the arm and say, "I have a thousand dollars to spend on computer parts, would you like me to spend it across the street?"
Cool. That's exactly that sort of confidence that girls should have. We live in a strange world, and sometimes guys need a gentle reminder like this one.

[macogw]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a tranny?

It's slang for a transgender person. That means someone who doesn't really fit in the gender-binary. People who are assigned the wrong gender (based on anatomy, which is really only an indicator of sex) at birth tend to want to be viewed with their proper gender or sometimes with no gender at all when they've grown up a bit.




there are probably more trannies here.
That's........disturbing.


Why? There's nothing wrong with getting in touch with who you really are!

I sure as hell doen't fit the gender binary. If I did, I'd be going to salons, cooking nice meals, wearing skirts, etc. I prefer to tinker, forget to eat or just microwave up some code fuel (frozen bean burritos == code fuel), dress practically, and generally do "boy things." I like being a tomboy.

[p_quarles]

It's slang for a transgender person. That means someone who doesn't really fit in the gender-binary. People who are assigned the wrong gender (based on anatomy, which is really only an indicator of sex) at birth tend to want to be viewed with their proper gender or sometimes with no gender at all when they've grown up a bit.
Like someone already mentioned, it can also be slang for transvestite (literally, latin for "cross dresser"). The main difference is that, as I understand it, cross dressing doesn't always involve gender identification, but is for many a kind of role-playing.

For a more extensive (and hilarious) explanation than I can offer, check out any of Eddie Izzard's (standup comic) concert videos.

[macogw]

Like someone already mentioned, it can also be slang for transvestite (literally, latin for "cross dresser"). The main difference is that, as I understand it, cross dressing doesn't always involve gender identification, but is for many a kind of role-playing.

For a more extensive (and hilarious) explanation than I can offer, check out any of Eddie Izzard's (standup comic) concert videos.

I think transgender is usually used as an umbrella term for everything that's outside the gender-binary. Some people who don't like that prefer to use "gender queer" as the overarching term. Getting everyone to agree on what's the broadest term is um....probably not going to happen.

Have you seen his one with the computer?

[p_quarles]

I think transgender is usually used as an umbrella term for everything that's outside the gender-binary. Some people who don't like that prefer to use "gender queer" as the overarching term. Getting everyone to agree on what's the broadest term is um....probably not going to happen.
Very unlikely.


Have you seen his one with the computer?
I haven't. Do you recall the title? (if you don't, I'm sure I can track it down)

[lyndaj70]

Strange the talk turned to trannies.... My adopted brother ended up becoming my transgender sister over several years.... It was kinda strange living through it as an impressionable teen with a mother you blamed you for "encouraging" it, but it taught me a valuable lesson: it's better to be yourself, no matter how "strange" the world thinks you, than it is to spend your life trying to fit that square peg into the round hole.

Now Keith is just Kelli, and I don't think of her any different... tho I do razz her and the other gays I know -- but they get me back for being a geek and a nerd so it's all cool....

Ya know, my first programming instructor was a lesbian, come to think of it, tho' back in those days she tried to hide it cause it wasn't cool.... She was a sweetie, though...
~L

[lyndaj70]

Cool. That's exactly that sort of confidence that girls should have. We live in a strange world, and sometimes guys need a gentle reminder like this one.

I WAS ticked, but I got them back in a way... ran them all over the store fetching parts for me to see, and after I was done (I had saved up for my "dream machine" lol), I made one of them carry the stuff to the car :lolflag:

God, it was fun! I was broke afterwards, but it was worth it! Called in sick the next day cause I spent the whole night assembling and configuring that baby! Gotta love the jazzz!!!!
~L

[macogw]

Very unlikely.


I haven't. Do you recall the title? (if you don't, I'm sure I can track it down)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rL2blQ2PlU4

[svtfmook]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a tranny?
they transfer the power from the engine, to the driveshaft

[kevdog]

I thought this thread was more about females .. not trannys .. not that trannys couldnt be female ... however its not quite the idea I had when thinking about ubuntu and females. I guess I'll keep my hidden fantasies of asking out one the Ubuntu women for a date ... might end of with something Im not expecting.

[adamorjames]

I guess I'll keep my hidden fantasies of asking out one the Ubuntu women for a date ... might end of with something Im not expecting.
:lolflag:

[p_quarles]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rL2blQ2PlU4
OMG that was hilarious. Thanks for the link. :)

[lyndaj70]

I thought this thread was more about females .. not trannys .. not that trannys couldnt be female ... however its not quite the idea I had when thinking about ubuntu and females. I guess I'll keep my hidden fantasies of asking out one the Ubuntu women for a date ... might end of with something Im not expecting.

:lolflag:

[JBAlaska]

Been wanting to add this to my sig for some time, but I wasn't sure it would be viewed in the spirit it's intended;
I need a girl who knows how to fsck

No matter if your male or female, finding a mate that loves computers...It couldn't get any better than that imho.

As for tranny's, not all of them are gay. A good friend of mine and fellow Linux geek Sadi Synn (real name) is about to get married to a great gal who also is into Linux (Lucky dog).

http://www.sadisynn.com/photos/SYNNANTICS001.html


http:/www.sadisynn.com

[HermanAB]

Sanderella: "There's me too."

Well, so she is using *three* different logins!

[HermanAB]

Lyndaj70: "In this area, when other females hear that I work on computers, I get treated like a freak until their computer breaks... They tend to think I'm weird cause instead of spending my time and money on getting my nails done or having the latest outfit that's on sale I spend my time on something that I find fascinating, something that makes me a better person: knowledge. I receive more enjoyment out of expanding my mind with computers and computer books than I could ever receive sitting on the phone listening to who's having sex with whom."

Hmm, you can take some solace from Dame Ada who was the world's first computer programmer.

The funny thing is that until the advent of electronic computers during the 2nd war, a 'computer' was a human being and usually female. Large companies employed platoons of them.

Cheers,

Herman

[lyndaj70]

Been wanting to add this to my sig for some time, but I wasn't sure it would be viewed in the spirit it's intended;
I need a girl who knows how to fsck

Good one JBAlaska!

[lyndaj70]

Lyndaj70: "In this area, when other females hear that I work on computers, I get treated like a freak until their computer breaks... They tend to think I'm weird cause instead of spending my time and money on getting my nails done or having the latest outfit that's on sale I spend my time on something that I find fascinating, something that makes me a better person: knowledge. I receive more enjoyment out of expanding my mind with computers and computer books than I could ever receive sitting on the phone listening to who's having sex with whom."

Hmm, you can take some solace from Dame Ada who was the world's first computer programmer.

The funny thing is that until the advent of electronic computers during the 2nd war, a 'computer' was a human being and usually female. Large companies employed platoons of them.

Cheers,

Herman

Will definitely check her out!

Good night!
~Lynda

[jrusso2]

Here is another famous female computer pioneer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper

And a navy admiral.

I am glad I was able to do a lot of non-traditional jobs in my career,

Everything from driving racing cars to working on trucks, to network administration.

You won't find long finger nails on me.

[p_quarles]

Let's not forget Hedy Lamarr (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr).

Leading lady + cryptology pioneer.

[LaRoza]

Or the first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ada_Lovelace)

"Ada" is named after her.

[jrusso2]

Let's not forget Hedy Lamarr (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr).

Leading lady + cryptology pioneer.

Wow I never knew that about Hedy Lamarr

[EdThaSlayer]

I bet that there are more females here than there are linux viruses. Right?

[Linuxratty]

You are SO Correct! :lolflag:
, you definitely can't say "I'm thinking about repartitioning my hard disk to allot more space for /." They run screaming when you do that lol!

You know it! I have one friend (who is a female and WAY geekier than me..)
I can talk about things like that with her...Almost anybody else and it sales over their head.
On another forum,someone was talking about how to get more women involved in Linux...My take was along the lines of "You can lead a horse to water,but..."
I'm also a woman and my land lord is a trannie.

[Linuxratty]

Why? There's nothing wrong with getting in touch with who you really are!

I sure as hell doen't fit the gender binary. If I did, I'd be going to salons, cooking nice meals, wearing skirts, etc. I prefer to tinker, forget to eat or just microwave up some code fuel (frozen bean burritos == code fuel), dress practically, and generally do "boy things." I like being a tomboy.

Well,being TG goes beyond being a tomboy...The person actually has the brain of the opposite sex....And it gets even more complicated than that.
My landlord sees himself as a gay male,even though he was born as a female and tends to be bisexual. he has had surgery and takes testosterone.

[lyndaj70]

I'd heard of Grace Hopper but had no idea that Hedy Lamarr was so accomplished outside the world of film!

With all of these wonderfully accomplished females in our history, why are we still so stereotyped as being brainless idiots?
~Lynda

[popch]

I'd heard of Grace Hopper but had no idea that Hedy Lamarr was so accomplished outside the world of film!

With all of these wonderfully accomplished females in our history, why are we still so stereotyped as being brainless idiots?
~Lynda

You are only being so stereotyped by brainless idiots. Of which there are plenty of either gender.

[wieman01]

With all of these wonderfully accomplished females in our history, why are we still so stereotyped as being brainless idiots?
Are you? First time I hear of it. In my world that kind of stereotype does not exist. I mean it.

[lyndaj70]

Well,being TG goes beyond being a tomboy...The person actually has the brain of the opposite sex....And it gets even more complicated than that.
My landlord sees himself as a gay male,even though he was born as a female and tends to be bisexual. he has had surgery and takes testosterone.
This is true... I recall the dilemmas faced by my sister as she struggled with the desire to be herself... she wanted to act and dress the way she felt (female) but was terrified what people would think of her...

I used to tease her about it... we would decide to drive to Lexington, and she would put on makeup and stuff in the car, then chicken out and start wiping off before we got halfway there! Eventually she got to the point where she would put some back on... And then there was the battle over the ladies' room at Wal-Mart (snicker)!

Taught me that I don't have the right to judge anyone for being true to theirself, and I guess gave me the strength to stop trying to fit in and to just relax and be me...

Maybe we should all try to learn from that...

~Lynda

[HermanAB]

"why are we still so stereotyped as being brainless idiots?"
Mainly because of Hollywood I'd think, as well as the unrelenting efforts of such notable luminaries as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears...

[Linuxratty]

.. And then there was the battle over the ladies' room at Wal-Mart (snicker)![

:lolflag::biggrin: I can imagine!



Taught me that I don't have the right to judge anyone for being true to theirself, and I guess gave me the strength to stop trying to fit in and to just relax and be me...

Maybe we should all try to learn from that...

~Lynda

Yeah, it's much easier to be yourself than to try and be what you think others want you to be.:)
I like your outlook on life.

[lyndaj70]

Thanx!
~L

[OldTimeTech]

I'm female also...like someone else commented over 50 with my daughters already grown and I've been doing fix and repair and reload on computers for approx. 20 yrs.

Did total damage to a knee about 2 yrs ago and am now learning linux for the knowledge ;)

Happy to find that Linux attracks others like me ;))

Welcome lyndaj70!!!!

[Akrash]

If you look at the polls someone posted a link to, there is approx. 70 females in there.

[macogw]

As for tranny's, not all of them are gay.


Of course not. I have two MTF friends. One of them is straight (she likes boys), and the other is a lesbian (she likes girls). Silly people who insist on calling them boys when they're not would call the first one gay and the second one straight, though. They'd be wrong.

[macogw]

Well,being TG goes beyond being a tomboy...The person actually has the brain of the opposite sex

I know that. I'm just saying that the strict gender binary is completely silly. There'd be a lot of people left out if everyone had to fit one gender perfectly. Probably more than 99% of people would be left out, because who really is 100% masculine or 100% feminine?

I actually kinda consider myself agender because I don't really have a "built-in" idea of gender*, but I still use feminine pronouns. I wouldn't and don't object to gender neutral pronouns, but I do object to male pronouns. That's mostly because of the assumptions made regarding gender. I (like I'm sure a lot of the people in this thread) dislike the assumption that I must have male genitalia in order to know anything about computers, so when I am met with it (like having male pronouns used on me because of my computer literacy), I reject it by pointing out that I am female.



And then there was the battle over the ladies' room at Wal-Mart (snicker)!
I love living in Washington, DC. Gender identity and expression are protected here. It's even illegal to have gender-specific single-occupancy restrooms here. Unfortunately, just across the river is not so nice. When I offered to go to the ladies room in the mall with one of my friends to lessen the likelihood that anyone would say something about her state of transition (ex: "omg there's a guy in here!"), she pointed out that we were in Virginia where she could be arrested and charged as a sex offender and kicked out of school because she used the right (read: female) restroom then held it while we hunted for a men's room.

* I know what my society deems "feminine" and "masculine," but insofar as "I feel like a girl" or "I feel like a guy"...I have yet to find out what either of those means. I've tried asking a transwoman I know because she "feels like a girl" and I just don't understand how something so arbitrary can be felt. I'm willing to believe her when she says that's how she feels, but I just can't feel that way...same way I can't understand sexual people and they can't understand me. I tend to believe them about their sexuality more often than they believe me about my asexuality (http://asexuality.org), though.

[bapoumba]

A link that could be useful:
Women in tech (http://www.oreillynet.com/womenintech/), a series of article written by women about their own experiences.

To answer the OPs question further: not that many..
There are some interesting threads in the Ubuntu-Women project sub-forum (http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=76) too.