Comments on: “Issues of Women in Open Source” for Ubuntu Open Week, and “Why?”

By: Nigel Babu

Nigel Babu — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 20:28:04 +0000

@Mackenzie: Haha, so true. :)

By: Mackenzie

Mackenzie — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:05:21 +0000

@Nigel:
Neither are all men.

By: Nigel Babu

Nigel Babu — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:08:15 +0000

@Mackenzie: Sadly, not all women are geeks.

By: Pendulum

Pendulum — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:07:48 +0000

I’m really glad you wrote this post because it’s a bit of how I feel and actually you’ve been pretty instrumental in my feeling comfortable getting involved. I got the courage to go to PLUG meetings when I was in Philly because I knew you’d be there so I wouldn’t be the only woman. My recent push to actually be involved in Ubuntu had a lot to do with knowing czajkowski and you and knowing that you were both people who were incredibly welcoming no matter what.

I have loads of male geek friends, but it’s not the same. Luckily, they’re all quite supportive of me and do understand the need for groups like Ubuntu Women :)

By: Amber Graner

Amber Graner — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:02:52 +0000

Great Post!

You summed up beautifully why I am involved in Ubuntu Women and look at what else I can do to encourage not only women but everyone to get involved. However, had I not been pointed to Ubuntu Women less than a year ago I might not be: organizing events, blogging for Ubuntu User, maintaining my own personal blog, interviewing women for Full Circle Mag, helping with Ubuntu Weekly News, LoCo teams, and other various community events.

Ubuntu Women is definitely a group I point to as an example of a positive point of entry into the Ubuntu Community!

Thanks Again for the awesome post and keep up the great work!!!

By: pleia2

pleia2 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:50:57 +0000

@Robert I’d like to encourage you to read the open week session logs I posted. It was made very, very clear that Ubuntu Women is against the idea of segregation, indeed it goes against the entire premise of the project :)

And personally I am in no way segregated, I am a member of the Ubuntu Community Council and work with many parts of the Ubuntu community.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:47:22 +0000

@pleia2

Well I guess I’ll just have to agree with Bugsbane. If segregating yourself from the larger community helps you, then go ahead it’s your choice.

By: pleia2

pleia2 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:13:53 +0000

Yeah, there are certainly loads of women who don’t feel at all strange being the only girl out there. I just don’t happen to be one of them :) But through support of my peers I’ve been able to be just as successful!

By: Malta Paul

Malta Paul — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:11:28 +0000

Reading your blog, reminded me of a young lady pilot I know. Twenty years ago she was the first lady pilot to have her training sponsored by Air Malta, together with 19 boys! I asked her did she feel strange being the only girl with all these boys. And her answer was ‘No I just take full advantage of it’ Great I thought! Now she is now a Captain on the Boeing 737 aircraft but currently flying the Airbus A320/321 aircraft again as Captain of course.

By: pleia2

pleia2 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:08:10 +0000

The logo was created after the site was designed, so it never quite made it into the design.

Redoing the website is part of our long-term todo list, so it’ll get up there eventually. Thanks!