Skip to comments.
What Has Driven Women Out of Computer Science?
NY Times ^
| November 16, 2008
| RANDALL STROSS
Posted on 11/15/2008 8:33:25 PM PST by neverdem
click here to read article
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 181-200, 201-220, 221-240, 241-243 next last
To: dan1123
I know the new graduates are asking more than the managers that have worked awhile. I’m guessing that means over 100K.
It’s pretty common for engineers to make over 100K with experience, but it’s not common straight out of college.
To: GingisK
My old home was a 2200 sq ft fixer upper, and it is going for around 1 million! Crazy!
To: mollynme
My original fields have also fused over time. Molecular biology and computer science are tightly entwined in the field of computational biology. The advent of automatic gene sequencing equipment produced vast amounts of data that required a computer to effectively mainipulate. Likewise, the world of 3D modeling found favor with those predicting the folding patterns of proteins under specific conditions.
223
posted on
11/17/2008 8:21:47 AM PST
by
Myrddin
To: jamaksin
I have hard back copies of Knuth's books. I couldn't resist as I found references to his work all through the UNIX utilities source code. The algorithms are useful, although you have to express them in the syntax and semantics of your current set of tools. That was one thing that always irked me about Sedgewick. He published books targeted at many languages, yet often left the meat of an algorithm as an "exercise for the reader". There were times I was just too rush for such an exercise. I really wanted a "cookbook" at the moment.
224
posted on
11/17/2008 8:30:32 AM PST
by
Myrddin
To: neverdem
From the title of the paper, "Why Are There So Few Female Computer Scientists?", to the NYT's left-spin headline, "What Has
Driven Women Out of Computer Science?" (emphasis mine)
Clearly, something has driven women out of CS. Women couldn't possibly be choosing not to go into the field.
Must be a Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy. Evil jerks just wanna keep women barefoot and pregnant.
225
posted on
11/17/2008 8:33:58 AM PST
by
TChris
(So many useful idiots...)
To: GingisK
I was happy to leave California. All that extra money is rapidly consumed in cost of living. I find Pocatello, Idaho much more to my liking. My 3900 sq ft house on 1/3 acre cost me $179,900 in Dec 2000. Recent indexing of property taxes for increased housing costs has dropped my annual property taxes from $3150 to $1800. My home is also my office. No commute. A good WiMax connection provides internet access. FedEx and UPS move hardware between my "office" and the lab in Fairfax, VA. The airport is a 7 mile drive with free long term parking when I do have to travel.
226
posted on
11/17/2008 8:36:01 AM PST
by
Myrddin
To: luckystarmom
Women should look at computer science as a really good way to make some money before they have kids, if they want to stay home. I got through school paying my own way - no loans - and then grad school was funded, and I’ve had a software engineering job for two years now. It paid off big time when my husband lost his job this summer.
Now we’re moving and I hope to find something temporary until April when our baby’s born. After that? Maybe I’ll find some contracting. Maybe not. I had fun and I made money and I’m not in debt for a useless degree.
227
posted on
11/17/2008 8:39:09 AM PST
by
JenB
To: GingisK
You might find some interest at NUS Instruments in Idaho Falls. They specialize in making replacement instruments for nuclear power plants. Many original instruments are failing today and the manufacturers have been out of business for a long time. NUS creates a replacement instrument that is mechanically and electrically equivalent, but uses currently available parts. The business is a "through hole" assembly shop. I've assisted them a couple times on some difficult microcontroller algorithms. I tutored my neighbor through his MSEE before he accepted a position there.
228
posted on
11/17/2008 8:39:56 AM PST
by
Myrddin
To: gitmo
>>The group with the highest number of isolated introverts was park rangers. The second group was IS professionals.
Hey, I’m moving in the right direction! Out of the Park Service into programming...next I’ll be a cruise ship host.
229
posted on
11/17/2008 8:51:28 AM PST
by
Betis70
To: JenB
This is my suggestion to women who want to go in to Computer Science and also want to have kids. While your in college, take some education classes and get a teaching certificate.
There are lots of teaching jobs available, but they want you to have a teaching certificate (even in private schools). Teaching is a good job to have when your kids are in school. If your kids go to a private school, most of the time there are also discounts for tuition for teachers.
To: dan1123
To: luckystarmom
Heh, I went into CS because I am an introvert and don’t like working with people. Teaching other peoples’ children would be a nightmare. I’m gonna homeschool my own kids, that’s different, and I’d love to get a chance to teach part time at a community college, but K12? Just shoot me.
Besides I never could shut up when faced with liberal nonsense. I’d have flunked education classes...
232
posted on
11/17/2008 9:13:19 AM PST
by
JenB
To: ken21
As a women in computer science for thirty years, I think from my perspective, I am not a jargon and acronym talker. When ever I go to a conference that is all I hear. The other thing that has always annoyed me is that much of the talk among the guys is concerning how big their disk drive is or how much memory they have. For the men size really matters, but not so much for me. When I am asked how big my disk drive is my usual answer is "I don't know but if it is critical for you to know, I will look it up."
I tend to want to do whatever it takes to get the job done, not worry about hardware details. Yes, I do spec out and order hardware, but once it is in place and doing it's job, I move on and forget about the minutia.
233
posted on
11/17/2008 9:21:56 AM PST
by
w1andsodidwe
(Jimmy Carter(the Godfather of Terror) allowed radical Islam to get a foothold in Iran.)
To: stormer
Funny, but true. I’m not in CS myself, but as a function of studying engineering I tend to be around a lot of CSSEs. Some of them are wonderful. Other times it feels like you’re a piece of prime rib in a cage of hungry, socially awkward dobermans. Also, CSSEs tend to have the highest percentage of ‘I have to be right’ types (although engineers in general are pretty bad). It takes a special type of female to put up with a bunch of guys alternately telling her how terribly wrong she is and then asking her out on a date.
234
posted on
11/17/2008 10:42:29 AM PST
by
CatInTheBox
(Strangers have the best candy.)
To: Myrddin
Knuth's fourth volume is now out; I suspect the last as he is getting on on years. Volumes 5-7 might happen, but likely using Don's notes but really "ghost-written."
Many people cherish his volumes for the answers - very complete - he gives.
To: jamaksin
My volumes 1-3 are 2nd edition, hardback. The volume 4 isn't hardback. It is multiple paperbacks. Amazon shows Volume 4, Fascicle 0 and Fascicle 4. It would be nice to have a single volume 4 hardback with all the items integrated.
236
posted on
11/17/2008 12:07:16 PM PST
by
Myrddin
To: gitmo
Emo is similar to “goth”, but for wimps and pussies.
237
posted on
11/17/2008 12:52:07 PM PST
by
Don W
(To write with a broken pencil is pointless.)
To: Myrddin
My home is also my office. That is how I'm set up at the moment. It is really perfect.
You sound like me in many respects. A lot of my work is making instruments to replace obsolete equipment. I've graduated to surface mount; and, find it easier and faster than through hole.
I'll check out NUS Instruments, thanks for the tip. That wouldn't interfere with your flow of work from them, would it?
238
posted on
11/17/2008 1:53:41 PM PST
by
GingisK
To: Bloody Sam Roberts
Then one day about midway through his junior year he said, "I think I'm going to go for a degree in nursing. I like the medical field and I can write my own ticket right out of college. Plus it can't be off-shored." There's good opportunities in nursing, and it's becoming less female dominated. As time goes by, more medical responsibilities are being shifted from MDs to highly trained nurses.
239
posted on
11/17/2008 2:01:34 PM PST
by
PapaBear3625
(Question O-thority)
To: Bloody Sam Roberts
Then one day about midway through his junior year he said, "I think I'm going to go for a degree in nursing. I like the medical field and I can write my own ticket right out of college. Plus it can't be off-shored." 1. They can import the labor from third world countries.
2. Many companies are sending employees to India for treatment and letting the employees pocket part of the savings!
240
posted on
11/17/2008 2:05:19 PM PST
by
E=MC2
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 181-200, 201-220, 221-240, 241-243 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson