Awright Rory! You've probably managed to offend 7,000 people in one fell swoop! There's got to be a certain percentage of people who are gay, and who will be offended that you think accusing everyone of being gay is funny, then there're are the rest of the guys, many of whom probably are homophobic and therefore are going to be offended at being accused of being gay. OK, so that leaves some percentage of guys who are niether gay nor homophobic, so you need to get cracking and figure out a way to offend them as well.

Go to it!

As the half gay male I would completely agree that accusing everyone of being gay is funny. I mean, longhorn, come on, he has got a point.

I would just like to point out that everybody thinks *I'm* gay (except for my gay friends), and that I had no intention of offending anybody except the straight guys who completely failed to market this thing to both genders.

While I'm neither gay nor homophobic, I'll go ahead and say I'm offended. Just because, mind you. I'm not *really* offended, but if a guy is going for gold, I'll give him a hand to reach the finish line.

Er....

Seriously, though, the lack of women in our profession is a serious issue. I am still, to my chagrin, surprised whenever I meet a female technologist. And the last I heard, the number of women majoring in Computer Science nationwide had dropped significantly beyond the average. What's wrong with our industry?

"What's wrong with our industry?"

That's actually a *very* good question. Being a developer is a weird thing, regardless of your gender.

I mean, it's truly, seriously, very weird. Especially if you still have one foot in "real life" where things just aren't like this.

It's a strange crowd. And we're part of it...

Disclaimer: I admittedly know nothing about the software industry. With that said, I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that computer stuff has a certain "scientific" air to it. Little girls, as has been illustrated in countless studies, are not encouraged to participate seriously in math or science or computer studies. This is stupid and detrimental to both men and women on many levels. However, that is usually the way it is. Most girls aren't even that into computers as children (although this is probably changing as having a home computer becomes practically universal), and most computer games or learning things are geared towards boys. Girls get crap like the "Cosmo Makeover" and Barbie shit. It seems to me (correct me if I'm wrong) that playing computer games could eventually lead to an interest in other computer stuff, like programming and general technology (that was really non-specific). Also, (and I hope this doesn't get Rory into too much trouble) Rory has told me that many of the programmers he's met are kind of misogynistic, so I have no idea if that has anything to do with it. Perhaps it creates an "unwelcome atmostphere" such as traditionally male jobs such as military service or firefighting? Finally, there's the "socially awkward" theory: generally, girls are encouraged to be more social and know that a high value is placed on them being able to interact successfully with people. A consequence of this is difficulty being alone or having independent, solitary interests. Not all computer programmers are socially awkward (I only know Rory, and he's a total social butterfly), but I get the impression that they can be kind of standoffish. Tentative theories from the feminist Luddite.

I'm offended by people that apologize after offending people. Apologize dammit!

At the risk of sounding VERY sexist, the reason there are more men techies than women techies i would attribute to the fact that women are emotional (for the most part) and men are logical. This is more true in America than anywhere else, so my international friends will have to forgive.

Women in america, unfortunately, have long been thought of more as nuturers and gatherers. The men are the hunters. Roles are becoming reversed more and more over time though.

Ms. Bitch,

The one thing I don't agree with you is the female fighter. (Which I do believe you thought was acceptable) If you Ms. Bitch were in a burning building and weighed lets say...225lbs. Would you want a female firefighter pulling you out and carrying you down a ladder? Or a man? Do you think that's a job that she shouldn't have to do? Or should she have to perform the same tasks as the other firefighters?...or should she(the female firefighter) be excluded from certain duties? If so why?

I wouldn't care who pulled me out of the fire, as long as I didn't die. As far as being 225 pounds, I would refer you to my own blog for the sorry state of obese Americans (many die before getting to the ER because they are too fat for multiple paramedics--male and female--to lift into the ambulance). That would be partly my problem, I guess. Anyway, the point is that women aren't encouraged to participate in traditionally male occupations. I have a friend whose mother is a volunteer firefighter and she had to train the same way the men did and she could do it because she's in great shape, although she is small. Women need to be more encouraged to be physically strong and healthy, too, rather than just thin or whatever is considered beautiful. Yes, of course most women are physically smaller and have more difficulty developing muscle because of their hormones or body type, but if a woman can, then we should encourage it and support it. As far as whether I think the female should have to perform the same duties as males or whether there are certain ones she should be excluded from, I guess that would have to be dealt with on an individual basis. I mean, obviously not all male firefighters are in the exact same physical condition, either--there are probably some men who can lift more or have better endurance than others.

Heck, I'm female, and *I* am still surprised every time I meet a fellow woman in this industry.

And for what it's worth, I hated math and science in school. I did enjoy computers though.

I believe Philip Greenspun once observed that given the significant income disparities between computer science and fields like medicine or law (which, presumably, anyone who could handle a tough CS curriculum would be able to do at at least reasonably well in) the real question wasn't why there were so few women in CS but rather why there were so many men.

have a look at MSDN TV, the 'Lap Around Longhorn' episode

real strange.

Ok... I just refuse to comment on the social acceptability part of all this. Mainly because I just don't care.

But that was one FUNNY AS HELL article.

Lighten up America (and the world). Laugh at yourselves a little.

Some of you took this way to damn seriously. This article was a trip. Nice post.

Jeff G:
HUH????
julie

Don't worry soon enough there will be none of going to these things because all the work will be sent to India and China. :)

Being the father of two daughters I certainly don't want my daughters to be held back from whatever career they feel is interesting and fullfilling.

That said, the underlying assumption of several of the posts here is that men and women are the same. They're not. Generally (meaning statistically, not applicable to a particular woman), a women's inclinations don't align so well with software engineering or computer science. Self selection not discrimination is the key to this conumdrum.

I don't know what Rory is talking about, that conference was busting at the seams with women.

There were plenty of women IT managers in the Architecture Symposium. In the Whidbey ASP.NET sessions, there were plenty of creative women web designers. Then, sitting on the floor around the packed Indigo conference rooms to hear Sensei Box speak, there were women (these may have been groupies, I don't know.)

Nevermind the Birds Of A Feather session entitled, "Chicks Who Code," there were women there, too.

My wisdom for you is that one should not expect to meet women while one is sitting on a beanbag.

One thing is for sure, Don and ChrisAn don't look gay in their MSDN TV spot... right? I mean how could men sitting on each other's lap and hugging seem at all gay? Well, it doesn't matter to me I think Don is great. He is so smart and charismatic. I mean I just love him... eh, wait a minute maybe I'm... nah! ;-)

MSDN TV: Lap Around Longhorn
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdntv/episode.aspx?xml=episodes/en/20031028LHORNDB/manifest.xml

holy shit i wish the world would get over gay people there not that grate of a topic who realy cares

I love this article, i am the only female firefighter in my station. It's about time a women come out and speak there mind on how life really is like at a firehouse... I know that it's suppose to be a "brotherhood"

But could it be more than that for them?

.Chicks

Men in Technlogy

Microsoft Monks

Been blogging for a year - Forgotten why I even started...

An oldie but goody: Rory Blyth's Microsoft Monks post from PDC

Blog firings and musical wastebaskets

Female bloggers and banannas

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