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I'd just like to point out the last time Dave Winer weighed in on a similar topic: http://scripting.com/2013/08/19/whyArentThereMoreWomenProgrammers http://scri

I'd just like to point out the last time Dave Winer weighed in on a similar topic: http://scripting.com/2013/08/19/whyArentThereMoreWomenProgrammers http://scripting.com/2013/08/19/whyArentThereMoreWomenProgra... > Programming is a very modal activity. To be any good at it you have to focus. And be very patient. I imagine it's a lot like sitting in a blind waiting for a rabbit to show up so you can grab it and bring it home for dinner. > There is specialization in our species. It seems pretty clear that programming as it exists today is a mostly male thing. Which also raises the obvious question that perhaps we can make it so that it can better-use the abilities of the other half of our species?

gavanwoolery 13y ago
This is probably pretty easy to label as sexism - not to jump to the author's defense again (I don't know him at all). I wouldn't say women can't program (they can, obviously) or do anything else males can, but there is definitely a different set of interests between males and females (generally speaking). I don't think its because of market manipulation or brainwashing, I just think the two sexes are wired differently (psychologically and physically). So, I don't know if his point is valid, but I do know that males and females have different traits (we don't need to be equal to be treated as equals, I guess).
- deleted 13y ago
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  - gavanwoolery 13y ago
    One parallel I would point out is sexes in other species. If you look at many other species, sometimes females play dominant roles, sometimes males do, but very often males and females have different roles. Even though we are an intelligent species, many of our primal traits still shine through. I'm not saying a male or female should be forced to any given role, but rather let people choose the roles they want and don't force diversity for the sake of diversity.
    - kennywinker 13y ago
      The thing I take issue with here is not that he's saying there are differences between genders. I believe evidence backs up the idea that there are (on average) differences between how men and women's brains work (on average). The problem is "men are better at deep focus and that's the only thing that matters when it comes to programming, therefore men make better programmers".
SimHacker 13y ago
"Here is how I came to my heartfelt conclusion: I have an intuitive understanding of what it is like to be a caveman, because of all my experience watching Captain Caveman on Cartoon Network. So I put myself in the place of a caveman, and think through what I would do in that situation. And what I would do is to sit quietly in a blind waiting for a rabbit to show up, which I would then grab and bring home for my cavewoman wife to cook me for dinner. I outright reject other people's ridiculous theories that the rabbit would act like Bugs Bunny and that I would act like Elmer Fudd. Therefore it follows logically from my extensive experience thinking through what it is like to be a caveman that this applies to every other human being on the planet, for all time. Therefore I will now describe how I think people should live their lives, if you will please bear with me."

gavanwoolery 13y ago

This is probably pretty easy to label as sexism - not to jump to the author's defense again (I don't know him at all). I wouldn't say women can't program (they can, obviously) or do anything else males can, but there is definitely a different set of interests between males and females (generally speaking). I don't think its because of market manipulation or brainwashing, I just think the two sexes are wired differently (psychologically and physically). So, I don't know if his point is valid, but I do know that males and females have different traits (we don't need to be equal to be treated as equals, I guess).

deleted 13y ago
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- gavanwoolery 13y ago
  One parallel I would point out is sexes in other species. If you look at many other species, sometimes females play dominant roles, sometimes males do, but very often males and females have different roles. Even though we are an intelligent species, many of our primal traits still shine through. I'm not saying a male or female should be forced to any given role, but rather let people choose the roles they want and don't force diversity for the sake of diversity.
  - kennywinker 13y ago
    The thing I take issue with here is not that he's saying there are differences between genders. I believe evidence backs up the idea that there are (on average) differences between how men and women's brains work (on average). The problem is "men are better at deep focus and that's the only thing that matters when it comes to programming, therefore men make better programmers".

SimHacker 13y ago

"Here is how I came to my heartfelt conclusion: I have an intuitive understanding of what it is like to be a caveman, because of all my experience watching Captain Caveman on Cartoon Network. So I put myself in the place of a caveman, and think through what I would do in that situation. And what I would do is to sit quietly in a blind waiting for a rabbit to show up, which I would then grab and bring home for my cavewoman wife to cook me for dinner. I outright reject other people's ridiculous theories that the rabbit would act like Bugs Bunny and that I would act like Elmer Fudd. Therefore it follows logically from my extensive experience thinking through what it is like to be a caveman that this applies to every other human being on the planet, for all time. Therefore I will now describe how I think people should live their lives, if you will please bear with me."