[ubuntu-uk] Age and gender

[London School of Puppetry]

2008/8/28 Lucy <lucybridges at gmail.com>

> On 28/08/2008, London School of Puppetry <lspinfo at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Much relates to necessity and opportunity. As most management is male,
> then
> > there will be fewer opportunities given to women.  But I know several
> women
> > working in IT, and everyone I know uses computers to some extent.  I am
> the
> > only person I know using Ubuntu- does the very concept 'open source'
> >  smack of blokishness and nerdimen? Is it all a question of marketing?
> > Rather than anything to do with how men and women respond to computer
> > technology?
>
> Well said! Those are some interesting questions. I think with so few
> women currently in free/open source software then it's bound to have a
> 'blokishness' feel about it. I wonder if with the increase in
> popularity of firefox and umpcs with linux, whether the 'nerdiness'
> feel is going though?
>
> I certainly think that 'marketing' of a sort has a lot to do with it.
> If you were to attend a local LUG or other linux event that was 50%
> female would it start feeling less 'blokish' to you or do you think
> more would need to be done?


Hi there - I suppose my concern is not a personal need to join a group etc-
but rather the impression an organisation makes- I think Ubuntu is great-
and the support from the 'community'(male or female) helping me to make a
necessity work - I am irritated by female Windows users I know who don't
need it for games, sound and film editing and so COULD switch to Ubuntu but
it seems such a big deal because of the atmos surrounding open
source.anatmosphere that has never bothered me personally-I have to
say!  My original
comment was an observation and question- and the rest has developed in the
discussion. I think the 'community' is a great thing, but separate from that
has to be the marketing of an excellent product for all. But for some the M
word is unacceptable so Linux perhaps has to rely on the more honest word or
mouth slog.

Caroline

>
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---
London School of Puppetry
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