[ubuntu-uk] Age and gender

[Michael Holloway]

> I've missed loads, I didn't realise there were so many.
> 
I know, i was just looking too - there really are loads!

> > communities are often "boys-clubs", they are not limited to boys
> only.
> Unfortunately, the statistics disagree with you. For what ever reason
> the FOSS community is almost completely male and left to itself I
> don't think it will change. Women only groups are a reaction to the
> situation and part of the solution, but they are not the final
> solution.

I think, (and without starting WW3 here) that the statistics are linked
to a whole lot more. Women have always been welcome to join in these
communities. (or at least for a long time ?? don't know how it was in
the 80s). But:

1: Perhaps as they are seen as "boys-clubs" women are more reluctant to
join ??

2: I think in general, guys are more competitive (in an alpha male
sense), and the FOSS world is a great place to show off

3: When we had a computer room back in my primary school (running
commodore 64s) - there was a 10 or even 20:1 ratio playing really bad
games. Generally, the girls just laughed as us :) In high school, the
same. And now in my office - most of the guys have WIIs/PS3s or whatever
- and the girls say "yes there boyfriends have one". I REALLY don't know
what it is - but guys just seem to be more into this type of stuff.

3 pt 2: My girlfriend can find the Firefox button on my desktop whether
its in windows or linux. She doesn't care which OS she is in. As much as
i TRY and sell linux - she REALLY doesn't care :)


I don't know what the younger generations are like (ratio wise), but i
suspect the ratio between is decreasing along with the old "nerd/geek"
image that we "the nerds & geeks" had.

(Sorry, that got quite long - ill just stop here)