Girls/women in IT/computers/etc
As I've found out during my 14 years of computer experience (started when I was 12, now 26) is that the girls/women I've been able to talk to about computers/etc with had to fight rather hard to get where they are now. I know a girl who works at Electronics Boutique who's learned quite a bit about Windows from me and when she tries to solve someone's problem (generally a guy asking), she's told me some direct quotes like "Can I talk to someone who knows what they're talking about?" or "Isn't there a guy that works here who can help me out?". That kind of shite is for the birds, as beggars shouldn't be choosers when asking for help. I feel rather sorry for those that have to endure crap like that. On the flip side, I've seen women ask for help, and when they realize they've got a girl/woman to talk to that can help them out, they gravitate to them like nobody's business. What helps the situation is me directing people to her when they have questions, even though she may not know everything. Because she's been blown off so much, I have to push the issue sometimes. Effect: she learns more, feels better about it, and more people take her at face value, which while it's wrong that it had to be different than if they were dealing with me, is better than being blown off.
I personally would *LOVE* to have a woman in the same field as me (unix systems administrator for 6 years now), being on the same competitive edge, learning new stuff while working together because honestly, having worked for 2 major companies, I've seen the women that flaunt their looks for the position they're in. I have no respect at all for women that do that, nor for the men that fall for it. Having fought for every inch of the pay raise I get, I believe in the continuing education that people should go through to know more, instead of just looking good or who you know. As of yet, I've never met a woman who carries the same want to learn and will to keep up with me, as I do this 24x7x365, at work and at home.
Sorry for the long post, but there needs to be more women in the market. I see a lot of female DBAs for Oracle, Informix, etc...and quite a few with NT...just not in networking or unix or other platforms like that. Anyways, that's my rant...and for those that say 'understand my point of view when I say it sucks being gawked at all the time as a girl/etc', that sucks...but it's no worse than having absolutely no attention at all from the opposite sex. That was my case in HS and now, people find me no matter where I'm at...why? because I can help them print that 5 meg excel spreadsheet! Amazing...
*climbs off the soap box*
Social Engineering and Women
Of COURSE women would do an outstanding job social engineering! heh heh...and it is not just because sometimes our technical expertise is not taken seriously. Guys think we are more likely to be friendly and non-threatening. Some guys...I won't mention names here...even tell us their most intimate details - you wouldn't believe it! ;-)
If I were single i would date you souleman...the more I talk to you, the more I like you!
As a *secretary* who had gained the confidence of the network engineer, upper management, other senior systems analysts:
I used to get administrator privileges on the server to grab data off of lazy sales peoples' computers to expedite marketing projects.
I had access to EVERY computer in the company, no questions asked, to load software, even take them off site for service, etc.
I had network passwords and administrator passwords to assist when the network admin was offsite.
They even sent an inexperienced network admin to my home to set up my home computers to dial in and access the company's network (almost every server nationwide).
Good thing I am a good girl.
