6 ms·

Inspiring Women Interview: Corrinne Yu (Lead Halo engine programmer)

58 points by iman 17y ago

kqr2 17y ago
Another inspiring woman programmer is Niniane formerly from Google and Microsoft. http://niniane.org/ http://niniane.org/ http://www.ofb.net/~niniane/resume.html http://www.ofb.net/~niniane/resume.html Brief snippets from her resume: Google: * Founder, Lively by Google o Created vision, got project chartered. o Built and led a team through technical design and implementation. o Co-inventor on 5 pending patents. * Tech lead, Gmail Ads Microsoft: * Software Design Engineer Lead, Microsoft Flight Simulator Also featured in Google's recruiting campaign: http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2006/05/brilliant-niniane-wang.html http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2006/05/brilliant-niniane-w... However, she left Google recently after 5 years: http://niniane.blogspot.com/2009/02/life-updates.html http://niniane.blogspot.com/2009/02/life-updates.html
- patio11 17y ago
  I appreciate the intention and downmodded you anyway. "Wow, I've heard of a woman programmer, too!" is stigmatizing, although I'm sure that wasn't intended. I work in Japan, and am one of probably three white guys in my industry in the greater Nagoya area. (That is an exaggeration, but not much of one.) When I get introduced to someone in a professional context, almost without fail, I hear something to the effect of "Wow, you're American? I met an American once." God does that get old. Yes, I'm an American, but I'm not here in the wow-an-American context, I am here in the valued-professional-employed-by-the-firm-you-are-in-business-with context. I suppose the appropriate remark would be "Oh, a Big Freaking Enterprise Web Apps Java programmer -- I've met one of you before!". (Now, of course, nobody will say that because it is stupid and insipid... but the original was, too, with an extra soupcon of unintentionally insulting added to the mix.)
  - s3graham 17y ago
    I think that's a chip on your shoulder, not a reflection on the previous comment. I work with plenty of women programmers, but whooptie-doo. I think the intention of the previous comment is clearly to point to Niniane as an inspiring programmer[1], who also happens to be female. On-topic for this story, and not stigmatizing, unless you feel simply discussing female under-representation is stigmatizing. 1. well, minus Lively
  - swombat 17y ago
    How is Japan to live in, btw? I have been told they are very closed to foreigners. Can you make friends despite your ethnicity?
    - patio11 17y ago
      10 second version: Some Japanese people dislike foreigners. (Please see my comments above about people being Ruby objects, because that is relevant here, too.) I have good friends, a nice church, and a decent job at a company which is happy to overwork me insanely no matter my skin color.
Radix 17y ago
Diversity as a first class citizen is not merely about race or gender or creed. It is diversity of creativity and intellect and technological innovation. If we use only the same people and the same kind of people to create games , our technology and our games will stagnate. I really like this message. I wish people would stop saying 'we need more women in blah,' then instead say something like this. We really don't need more of anyone just to make the demographics look nice. Lack of a group in a field is a problem because we might be missing out on more like her, and I hate to think that.
- dasil003 17y ago
  I like the way the interview was handled too. Only one question about gender... at the end. It allowed her hardcore programming creds to show through.
  - axod 17y ago
    I didn't. I thought the title itself was extremely condescending and sexist. Bit of a turn off. Imagine if it was an interview "Inspiring black people in gaming". How about "Inspiring ginger people in gaming"... Or "Inspiring gays in gaming" It's suggesting that being a woman is some sort of disability and that the person has overcome the odds and achieved something despite this. It's belittling her actual achievements.
    - abrahamsen 17y ago
      Or, alternatively, it suggest that being a women doesn't fit the stereotype of a game developer, and therefore is an interesting trait in itself. I wouldn't think the stereotype of a game developer includes skin or hair color, or sexual orientation. Other professions does though, so, say, an article like "inspiring heterosexual opera singers" could be valid for expanding the view of what an opera singer can be.
      - axod 17y ago
        It's just reinforcing the stereotype though! It's not helping! :) Look what we're discussing on this comment page... Top comment is discussing the fact she is a woman. We have completely ignored what she has achieved, and are instead focusing on the fact she's a woman. That must be terribly disheartening, and IMHO really doesn't help people feel welcome.
snprbob86 17y ago
It should be pointed out that this is "Microsoft's Halo Team" which is not Bungie. Bungie is no longer a part of the company, but Microsoft still owns the IP rights to Halo. Bungie is developing "Halo: ODST", to be released this year, as well "Halo: REACH" which is only at the teaser phase. Microsoft is developing their own game engine for their own Halo games.
h80nm3 17y ago
now the REAL question is: is she hot?
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]
DannoHung 17y ago
Here's her Moby Games page: http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,68790/ http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,68... It seems like she's recently transferred from Gearbox to Microsoft, since she references both Borderlands and Aliens: Colonial Marines. I guess she's working on Halo: Reach
contergan 17y ago
I'd hit it!

58 points by iman 17y ago

kqr2 17y ago

Another inspiring woman programmer is Niniane formerly from Google and Microsoft. http://niniane.org/ http://niniane.org/ http://www.ofb.net/~niniane/resume.html http://www.ofb.net/~niniane/resume.html Brief snippets from her resume: Google: * Founder, Lively by Google o Created vision, got project chartered. o Built and led a team through technical design and implementation. o Co-inventor on 5 pending patents. * Tech lead, Gmail Ads Microsoft: * Software Design Engineer Lead, Microsoft Flight Simulator Also featured in Google's recruiting campaign: http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2006/05/brilliant-niniane-wang.html http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2006/05/brilliant-niniane-w... However, she left Google recently after 5 years: http://niniane.blogspot.com/2009/02/life-updates.html http://niniane.blogspot.com/2009/02/life-updates.html

patio11 17y ago
I appreciate the intention and downmodded you anyway. "Wow, I've heard of a woman programmer, too!" is stigmatizing, although I'm sure that wasn't intended. I work in Japan, and am one of probably three white guys in my industry in the greater Nagoya area. (That is an exaggeration, but not much of one.) When I get introduced to someone in a professional context, almost without fail, I hear something to the effect of "Wow, you're American? I met an American once." God does that get old. Yes, I'm an American, but I'm not here in the wow-an-American context, I am here in the valued-professional-employed-by-the-firm-you-are-in-business-with context. I suppose the appropriate remark would be "Oh, a Big Freaking Enterprise Web Apps Java programmer -- I've met one of you before!". (Now, of course, nobody will say that because it is stupid and insipid... but the original was, too, with an extra soupcon of unintentionally insulting added to the mix.)
- s3graham 17y ago
  I think that's a chip on your shoulder, not a reflection on the previous comment. I work with plenty of women programmers, but whooptie-doo. I think the intention of the previous comment is clearly to point to Niniane as an inspiring programmer[1], who also happens to be female. On-topic for this story, and not stigmatizing, unless you feel simply discussing female under-representation is stigmatizing. 1. well, minus Lively
- swombat 17y ago
  How is Japan to live in, btw? I have been told they are very closed to foreigners. Can you make friends despite your ethnicity?
  - patio11 17y ago
    10 second version: Some Japanese people dislike foreigners. (Please see my comments above about people being Ruby objects, because that is relevant here, too.) I have good friends, a nice church, and a decent job at a company which is happy to overwork me insanely no matter my skin color.

Radix 17y ago

Diversity as a first class citizen is not merely about race or gender or creed. It is diversity of creativity and intellect and technological innovation. If we use only the same people and the same kind of people to create games , our technology and our games will stagnate. I really like this message. I wish people would stop saying 'we need more women in blah,' then instead say something like this. We really don't need more of anyone just to make the demographics look nice. Lack of a group in a field is a problem because we might be missing out on more like her, and I hate to think that.

dasil003 17y ago
I like the way the interview was handled too. Only one question about gender... at the end. It allowed her hardcore programming creds to show through.
- axod 17y ago
  I didn't. I thought the title itself was extremely condescending and sexist. Bit of a turn off. Imagine if it was an interview "Inspiring black people in gaming". How about "Inspiring ginger people in gaming"... Or "Inspiring gays in gaming" It's suggesting that being a woman is some sort of disability and that the person has overcome the odds and achieved something despite this. It's belittling her actual achievements.
  - abrahamsen 17y ago
    Or, alternatively, it suggest that being a women doesn't fit the stereotype of a game developer, and therefore is an interesting trait in itself. I wouldn't think the stereotype of a game developer includes skin or hair color, or sexual orientation. Other professions does though, so, say, an article like "inspiring heterosexual opera singers" could be valid for expanding the view of what an opera singer can be.
    - axod 17y ago
      It's just reinforcing the stereotype though! It's not helping! :) Look what we're discussing on this comment page... Top comment is discussing the fact she is a woman. We have completely ignored what she has achieved, and are instead focusing on the fact she's a woman. That must be terribly disheartening, and IMHO really doesn't help people feel welcome.

snprbob86 17y ago

It should be pointed out that this is "Microsoft's Halo Team" which is not Bungie. Bungie is no longer a part of the company, but Microsoft still owns the IP rights to Halo. Bungie is developing "Halo: ODST", to be released this year, as well "Halo: REACH" which is only at the teaser phase. Microsoft is developing their own game engine for their own Halo games.

h80nm3 17y ago

now the REAL question is: is she hot?

deleted 17y ago
[deleted]

DannoHung 17y ago

Here's her Moby Games page: http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,68790/ http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,68... It seems like she's recently transferred from Gearbox to Microsoft, since she references both Borderlands and Aliens: Colonial Marines. I guess she's working on Halo: Reach

contergan 17y ago

I'd hit it!