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Computer science wasn’t always dominated by men. “In the beginning, the word ‘computers’ meant ‘women,’ ” says Ruth Oldenziel, a professor at Eindhoven Universi
by vezzy-fnord 13y ago
Computer science wasn’t always dominated by men. “In the beginning, the word ‘computers’ meant ‘women,’ ” says Ruth Oldenziel, a professor at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands who studies history, gender and technology. Six women programmed one of the most famous computers in history — the 30-ton Eniac — for the United States Army during World War II.
This is misleading.
First of all, it confuses "computer science" with "programming". Yes, programming certainly had high female presence back then. However, it was also largely considered a menial job - number crunching. Computer scientists were still majority male.
- chillingeffect 13y agoAnd it doesn't stop there. Later the article says: >computer engineering, the most innovative sector of the economy Even though computer engineering is neither computer science nor programming. It's a little linguistic sleight-of-hand the author pulls. FWIW, according to this chart [1] I found, computer science itself, the bug bear of the article, is not the most innovative sector. It's farther down the list than computer engineering, electronic components, machinery, transportation, chemicals and even consumer products. [1] http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/11/innovation http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/11/innovation
- jey 13y agoaccording to an analysis of patents Ergo that chart is bullshit. I stopped reading there.
- pron 13y agoSo actual, real, living people working in (what I assume is) our industry, say they feel uncomfortable, threatened and marginalized, and your reaction is nitpicking on the difference between programming and computer science?
- vezzy-fnord 13y agoIt's hardly a nitpick, they're presenting deceptive information.
- pron 13y agoI don't understand. You have information showing that women in tech don't feel uncomfortable and marginalized? Because that's the important point here.
- vezzy-fnord 13y agoIt's not that I'm denying the article's premise, it's that they're using misleading information to back up their claims.
- dcre 13y agoThe very next paragraph says that "once programming gained prestige, women were pushed out." Isn't that basically the same point you're making?