Like some others, I didn't read all the HOWTO, but, being one of those "rare items" (aka a linuxchick) , I felt the urge share my opinion on the subject.
> On Monday 23 September 2002 00:59, Oded Arbel wrote: > > Amir Tal wrote: > > >come to think of it, why dont we see more weman involved with linux ? > > > from Orna's email: > This essay is not just about women in Linux. Many of the points > are relevant to newbies in general, and to women in a mainly-male > environment in general. > First, it's true that the issue of newbies is related to women newbies, but the subject of women linux users is different. I personally don't think women and men are the same in every way, mentally or other, and I don't think that's a bad thing. Second, there are, as we all know, less women using linux than men, in israel. I hang the colar for that on the way children are being raised. To demonstrate, here is an example from my own childhood: When I had my Bat-Mitzva, the presents ranged gross pink wearing-items to impracticle-though-expenssive jewlery. when My little bro had HIS Bar-Mitzva, he got stuff like proffessional toolkits. Not needless to mention - I never used any of MY presents, and he never used his. I used his. When he was gracious enough to let me. Another example - my parents never allowed me even to change a light-bolb (guess I can't blame em, with all the blonde-and-a-lightbolbs jokes around). I DID change those lightbolbs, as a very young kid, and I even electrecuted myself because my dad wasn't kind enough to take me under his wing and explain to me one shouldn't touche both those curious metal pieces at the same time, with bare hands. Maybe because I have had that excitting encounter with that electric shock, or maybe it's because my parents HAVE taught me to be curious and investigative (and not to give attention to male chauvinists), I now use linux (for 2-3 years allready, I think). I've started with practically zero experience and learning linux wasn't hard, the other linux users I know were allmost allways supportive (and pretty rarely oversupportive, which I find just as discouraging) . Bottom line: Chauvinism is a problem, but not the biggest. You want women to use linux, take your girls to the instaparty, show 'em your computer, tell 'em interesting thisngs about linux and about how stable and fun the system is. Make 'em stick around when you and the boys are disscussing iptables etc.. And DON'T lie and say linux is easy to master! for some people it's not trivial and easy, even if they are proggramers.. by saying it's an easy system you'll only drive them away; when failing - by making them feel they are incompetent, when doing well - by taking away the rewarding feeling of success (this is true for male newbies as well). Ho, and another thing, make woman RTFM. Won't do if you install linux on her machine, configure and maintain it. They won't learn to use the system, and you'll get a headache. This is true also for replacing lightbolbs btw. On Sunday 22 September 2002 22:13, Hetz Ben Hamo wrote: > we actually have few weman who use Linux - Orna here and I forgot the other > girl's name - and you can see Nana's forum - there are few more girls who > use Linux. 1.I'm very glad you've forgot my name, thats one step towards equality (; 2.FYI - I pesronally know atleast 2 more women who use linux and don't take part in this mailing list (; maayan ================================================================= To unsubscribe, send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word "unsubscribe" in the message body, e.g., run the command echo unsubscribe | mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]
