9 ms·

Shut up and build something

59 points by sganesh 17y ago

nkohari 17y ago
I think this rings true, not only for women, but all software developers. I think too many people in software become too focused on arguing the best way of doing things that they never actually accomplish anything of real value.
vaksel 17y ago
correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see anywhere on that site that she is doing a startup. Sounds like she could use her own advice.
- rayvega 17y ago
  Perhaps this is it? http://bundl.it/About http://bundl.it/About
- omouse 17y ago
  We need less vapid startups thanks.
- plinkplonk 17y ago
  "correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see anywhere on that site that she is doing a startup. Sounds like she could use her own advice." Well I understood her as saying "Instead of whining about how there aren't more women in software, let us(women) get out there and build something". She doesn't have to create a startup for that to be a point worth thinking about. (If it were, only soldiers could decide whether and where and how long to fight).
- Renai 17y ago
  Not everyone who wants to make good stuff wants to get into business.
kqr2 17y ago
Text under her picture and email address: Please note: All marriage proposals must be accompanied by previous year's W2.
- callahad 17y ago
  I think that says more about the way men relate to women in technology than it says about Sara herself.
  - deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
- miles 17y ago
  Certainly disagree with this gold-digging sentiment, but if she's looking for someone who still needs to file a W2, she's not aiming very high. Those with real income are rarely employees, or if they are, receive virtually no "wages" (cf. Steve Jobs' $1/year salary: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-26-2005-69111.asp http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-26-2005-69111.asp )
- tomjen2 17y ago
  I think that is intended as a joke. At least I hope so.
zaidf 17y ago
Shut up and sell something is more accurate for me.
nearestneighbor 17y ago
I think it's neat. You don't hear much about web applications in .NET on HN.
fnid 17y ago
It's interesting that she thinks more women need to succeed for other women. Why can't women just succeed for themselves? Have the passion and drive to create -- for themselves? Why does it need to be for someone else? I reckon few men think to themselves, "I need to be successful to be an inspiration to other men. To show other men that men can succeed at this."
- biznerd 17y ago
  I'm guessing you're a straight white male. Imagine how different you'd feel, be perceived and interact at a sports bar almost only by White people versus night club almost exclusively attended by Black people. It's uncomfortable to be in the extreme minority. That's one reason why many small liberal arts colleges actively pursue Black students, they know that a small minority population will further hamper recruitment efforts.
  - mdemare 17y ago
    I agree. Being in the extreme minority means that you'll draw a lot of attention. That's great if you are an attention-seeker, but developers are often the precise opposite.
  - notauser 17y ago
    A lot of hackers go through the experience of being in a minority(1), the only difference is that it's not illegal to pick on the geeky kids hanging out in the labs. The constant attempts in this community to segregate it into small groups of aggrieved protagonists drives me nuts sometimes. The mentality of us against us seems even dumber than the mentality of us against them. Better to just get on with building things. (1) No more self selected than being gay, albeit easier to hide than being black.
    - biznerd 17y ago
      I'm sorry but being of a minority race is completely different than being bullied because you're a nerd. It's amusing to me though that people on YC have upvoted this view so much. For some reason I'm getting the feeling that there are a lot of white nerds on YC and not many minorities and women. "Better to just get on with building things." I perceive a religious undertone from this. Racism and sexism can be solved by the PG/"Hacker" mentality "building something".
Dove 17y ago
Concept is solid. If you want to be taken seriously as a developer, make a splash as a developer; expecting attention for being a girl is counterproductive. Execution needs work. Running girldeveloper.com does not immediately communicate to me that this is someone whose identity is invested in being a developer. Otherwise it'd be HaskellRocks.com or something.
jacquesm 17y ago
"Let's be the ones on stage showing off our super popular new apps. In short: let's stop talking about it, let's get out there and get awesome." So, what is her super popular new app ? How awesome is this lady on a 1 to 10 scale as a developer ? This post is funny in that it is completely self referential.
- notauser 17y ago
  She does appear to be part of a start up team - http://bundl.it/About http://bundl.it/About Not hawking your own product in every blog post you write is a good thing, not a bad thing. (No judgments here on 'super popular' or even 'awesome developer' as I don't feel entitled to comment on either.)

59 points by sganesh 17y ago

I think this rings true, not only for women, but all software developers. I think too many people in software become too focused on arguing the best way of doing things that they never actually accomplish anything of real value.

vaksel 17y ago

correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see anywhere on that site that she is doing a startup. Sounds like she could use her own advice.

rayvega 17y ago
Perhaps this is it? http://bundl.it/About http://bundl.it/About
omouse 17y ago
We need less vapid startups thanks.
plinkplonk 17y ago
"correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see anywhere on that site that she is doing a startup. Sounds like she could use her own advice." Well I understood her as saying "Instead of whining about how there aren't more women in software, let us(women) get out there and build something". She doesn't have to create a startup for that to be a point worth thinking about. (If it were, only soldiers could decide whether and where and how long to fight).
Renai 17y ago
Not everyone who wants to make good stuff wants to get into business.

kqr2 17y ago

Text under her picture and email address: Please note: All marriage proposals must be accompanied by previous year's W2.

callahad 17y ago
I think that says more about the way men relate to women in technology than it says about Sara herself.
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]
miles 17y ago
Certainly disagree with this gold-digging sentiment, but if she's looking for someone who still needs to file a W2, she's not aiming very high. Those with real income are rarely employees, or if they are, receive virtually no "wages" (cf. Steve Jobs' $1/year salary: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-26-2005-69111.asp http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/4-26-2005-69111.asp )
tomjen2 17y ago
I think that is intended as a joke. At least I hope so.

zaidf 17y ago

Shut up and sell something is more accurate for me.

nearestneighbor 17y ago

I think it's neat. You don't hear much about web applications in .NET on HN.

fnid 17y ago

It's interesting that she thinks more women need to succeed for other women. Why can't women just succeed for themselves? Have the passion and drive to create -- for themselves? Why does it need to be for someone else? I reckon few men think to themselves, "I need to be successful to be an inspiration to other men. To show other men that men can succeed at this."

biznerd 17y ago
I'm guessing you're a straight white male. Imagine how different you'd feel, be perceived and interact at a sports bar almost only by White people versus night club almost exclusively attended by Black people. It's uncomfortable to be in the extreme minority. That's one reason why many small liberal arts colleges actively pursue Black students, they know that a small minority population will further hamper recruitment efforts.
- mdemare 17y ago
  I agree. Being in the extreme minority means that you'll draw a lot of attention. That's great if you are an attention-seeker, but developers are often the precise opposite.
- notauser 17y ago
  A lot of hackers go through the experience of being in a minority(1), the only difference is that it's not illegal to pick on the geeky kids hanging out in the labs. The constant attempts in this community to segregate it into small groups of aggrieved protagonists drives me nuts sometimes. The mentality of us against us seems even dumber than the mentality of us against them. Better to just get on with building things. (1) No more self selected than being gay, albeit easier to hide than being black.
  - biznerd 17y ago
    I'm sorry but being of a minority race is completely different than being bullied because you're a nerd. It's amusing to me though that people on YC have upvoted this view so much. For some reason I'm getting the feeling that there are a lot of white nerds on YC and not many minorities and women. "Better to just get on with building things." I perceive a religious undertone from this. Racism and sexism can be solved by the PG/"Hacker" mentality "building something".

Dove 17y ago

Concept is solid. If you want to be taken seriously as a developer, make a splash as a developer; expecting attention for being a girl is counterproductive. Execution needs work. Running girldeveloper.com does not immediately communicate to me that this is someone whose identity is invested in being a developer. Otherwise it'd be HaskellRocks.com or something.

jacquesm 17y ago

"Let's be the ones on stage showing off our super popular new apps. In short: let's stop talking about it, let's get out there and get awesome." So, what is her super popular new app ? How awesome is this lady on a 1 to 10 scale as a developer ? This post is funny in that it is completely self referential.

notauser 17y ago
She does appear to be part of a start up team - http://bundl.it/About http://bundl.it/About Not hawking your own product in every blog post you write is a good thing, not a bad thing. (No judgments here on 'super popular' or even 'awesome developer' as I don't feel entitled to comment on either.)