[Novalug] How to Encourage Women in Linux

[Mackenzie Morgan]

On Thu, 2008-06-26 at 22:41 -0400, Peter Larsen wrote:
> I would like to ask this crowd: If there is a difference - why do we insist on making everyone the same? If we all have different strengths and weaknesses why do we insist on making a world off of people forced to use their weaker traits and suppress their stronger ones? Why not simply find out how to design to women instead of finding out how we can make the fit in as men?

I generally feel like college is too late.  I told my 8 year old cousin
I'd start teaching her Python this summer.  She was very excited to get
her first "computer" (a Leap Pad for learning to read), so I thought
that'd be something she'd like.  Her dad first wanted to know how useful
Python was, if it was really useful or just something like Pascal,
Scheme, etc.  He thinks she's too young.  I think she's old enough to
pick up the basics.  But the reason I want to start teaching her soon is
because I want to keep her interested in computers and get her into more
in-depth stuff before socialization and all the other kids get her into
that "technical stuff is for boys" mindset that kills the "if I just try
a bit harder..." thinking in girls.  I was 9 when I learned (er, taught
myself) HTML, and she's been playing with these things from younger than
I was, so I think she can do it.

I'd say junior high or earlier is when you have to catch the girls,
because after that the other girl teach them it's all about boys, hair,
and makeup.  Not that I don't have my share of boy craziness, but I
didn't let it kick in til the end of high school.  That's also when
studies show girls drop off in math after keeping pace with (and often
out-pacing) the boys.  ...actually, high school *is* when I started
sucking at math...hmm....I still blame that
let's-call-it-algebra-but-only-teach-pre-algebra class I had for that
one though.

-- 
Mackenzie Morgan
http://ubuntulinuxtipstricks.blogspot.com
apt-get moo
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