3 ms·

> Put simply, we think differently, and that manner of different thinking is critical to preventing some really unruly code and architectural patterns from happ

> Put simply, we think differently, and that manner of different thinking is critical to preventing some really unruly code and architectural patterns from happening. So, women are better at being organized? I've heard women complain about this exact idea, because they believe it leads to them being pigeonholed into the "secretary" role on a team. > I get worried every time I see an all-male team because there's not that dissonance there to keep things more on the level. Would anyone ever even say the same thing about an all-women team? imo, this is just making the problem worse - believing that you need both "male and female energy" on a team. How about we just say that a competent woman programmer is as good as a similarly experienced man, and - surprise - able to be good (and bad) at the same things.

baweaver 12y ago
Having all of one type of thinking is a horrible idea. It leads to a certain amount of groupthink. The more diversity in a team, the less likely it is to happen. You seem to be reading into it quite differently than I meant it. What I'm saying is that they think differently in some cases which can lead to more thought out code, and by result better architecture.
- brandonmenc 12y ago
  > The more diversity in a team, the less likely it is to happen. If we're talking about strictly gender diversity, that's speculation. If we're talking about a diversity of past programming experiences, then you're correct. But you were definitely arguing that women can bring something to a project simply by their virtue of being women. > You seem to be reading into it quite differently than I meant it. I don't think so. You're saying that men and women think so differently about programming that an all-women team can never be as good as the those-same-women-plus-one-man team. I think you mean well, but what you're saying is damaging. And unproven. You suggest that, at least regarding programming, there's man-type thinking and woman-type thinking. If that were true, there'd be an identifiable difference between programs written by men and women. Gender diversity in a profession is desirable not because people have special gender-specific knowledge to bring to the table, but because they should just be able to be at the table, period.
  - baweaver 12y ago
    I have a slight feeling I'm likely to talk myself into a hole no matter what I say on this matter. Yes, there are overlaps. From what experience I've had at least, their opinions are valuable to me. Not necessarily as better or worse, but as coming from a different perspective.

baweaver 12y ago

Having all of one type of thinking is a horrible idea. It leads to a certain amount of groupthink. The more diversity in a team, the less likely it is to happen. You seem to be reading into it quite differently than I meant it. What I'm saying is that they think differently in some cases which can lead to more thought out code, and by result better architecture.

brandonmenc 12y ago
> The more diversity in a team, the less likely it is to happen. If we're talking about strictly gender diversity, that's speculation. If we're talking about a diversity of past programming experiences, then you're correct. But you were definitely arguing that women can bring something to a project simply by their virtue of being women. > You seem to be reading into it quite differently than I meant it. I don't think so. You're saying that men and women think so differently about programming that an all-women team can never be as good as the those-same-women-plus-one-man team. I think you mean well, but what you're saying is damaging. And unproven. You suggest that, at least regarding programming, there's man-type thinking and woman-type thinking. If that were true, there'd be an identifiable difference between programs written by men and women. Gender diversity in a profession is desirable not because people have special gender-specific knowledge to bring to the table, but because they should just be able to be at the table, period.
- baweaver 12y ago
  I have a slight feeling I'm likely to talk myself into a hole no matter what I say on this matter. Yes, there are overlaps. From what experience I've had at least, their opinions are valuable to me. Not necessarily as better or worse, but as coming from a different perspective.