Why?

[ahaslam]

Please excuse my ignorance, but it has been a long time since I've frequented these forums. Why is every thread locked and how is this supposed to make women feel more comfortable?

[jeremy31]

Any thread that goes for a year or so with no activity gets closed automatically

[ahaslam]

I didn't notice how old the board was. perhaps it should be deleted? I can't see anything positive coming from it in it's current form...

On a slight tangent, where is everyone hanging out these days? Only 27 current active members for the most popular Linux distro...

[TenPlus1]

Many users find it easier to ask for technical help on platforms like reddit, which is probably why the ubuntu forums are quiet.

[Frogs Hair]

I didn't notice how old the board was. perhaps it should be deleted? I can't see anything positive coming from it in it's current form...

On a slight tangent, where is everyone hanging out these days? Only 27 current active members for the most popular Linux distro...

There are many options for for Ubuntu and other Linux technical support now days and unfortunately much less interest in community involvement and participation.

[TheFu]

I didn't notice how old the board was. perhaps it should be deleted? I can't see anything positive coming from it in it's current form...

On a slight tangent, where is everyone hanging out these days? Only 27 current active members for the most popular Linux distro...

My local LUG meets 2x every week using a video chat platform. meet.jit.si

I don't attend the weekday meeting, but the weekend meeting typically has 15-25 people attending. We used to meet in-person and that was good too, but fewer people would attend due to travel time with traffic.

The virtual meetings have people joining from different US states and multiple countries. The core group is mostly local to our metro area, but over the last 3 yrs, that core group expanded to include people from the opposite coast and Europe too. Even the "locals" don't live very near to each other. Sometimes we do meet outside the group for a meal or some hiking or fishing. This is usually 2-5 people. Of course, the people in other states usually don't make it.

Of course, the more that women post here to help each other, the more active it will be. As a man, I feel a little guilty posting here. Feels a bit like talking over other voices. I will go out of my way to suggest this sub-forum to the women who I know that do Linux. More is better.

[Tadaen_Sylvermane]

For better or worse it's almost best if no one says what they are. If only because it enables stereotypes. I personally don't understand this forum section as it almost seems patronizing. Why can't the fairer sex use the normal forums. They need a special one? Not that I'm against it specifically women having their own forum of course. It just feels like one of those things that sounds like a good idea but ends up insulting the ones it is targeted at.

[ian-weisser]

Sexism and straight-up misogyny (including harassment, threats, stalking, and other criminal activity) are endemic and widely tolerated in many communities.

Including this one. Victims generally don't want to talk about it. But it still happens. A lot. Including here in the Ubuntu Community. Seen it.

I know a professional group in a different industry that explicitly excludes all men. It's positive and supportive. Great professional development. Great skills sharing. Great business advice. And, yeah, they share who the rapists, perverts, stalkers, rip-off employers, and other scumbags are among the stars in their field. It's a damn long list.

There's a clear need for a safe space for Ubuntu-supporting women (and other groups that are discriminated against) to communicate and share without interference by men. Whether this sub-forum is the right place is up to them...and nobody else.