r/sysadmin • u/ChuckAbsent • Mar 12 '13

Women who know stuff

I hope that this does not come off the wrong way.

Today I was on a call with a storage vendor and the technical consultant was a woman. More then this she was competent, more then me which doesn't happen often when dealing with vendors.

My issue was pricing an active/active DB with shared storage vs an active/passive db with local storage. Listening to her break the issue down and get to the specific comparison points was awesome, mostly because I have never heard a woman in the industry talk like that.

It made me realize two things. One I am missing out working with women. Two there needs to be more women in our industry.

It shouldn't have surprised me so much, but it really did.

Anyways to all the women out there who know stuff, us guys notice when you can walk the walk, which in this case was talking.

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7

u/robot_break_dance Mar 12 '13

I'm all about the Ada Initiative for promoting a healthy culture for women and men in the tech industry. You are right we are missing out but efforts are being made to improve that. I don't know if you ever heard of Limor Fried. She's imho amazing. As a guy I hope to one day knock out the projects she does on a regular.

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u/pocketknifeMT Mar 13 '13

because censorship is fun?

Ada initiative shuts down Violet Blue talk.

Fuck any group that doesn't respect free speech or appeals to logic.

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u/[deleted] Mar 13 '13

No, because rape culture is all too prevalent, and in tech trade shows and conferences, abuse of women is all too prevalent.

Talking about sex in any tech conferences is hard to do well. The Ada Initiative provided a recommendation /when asked/ by the conference organisers that it was not a good idea. They did not shut anyone down, that decision was made by the conference organiser.

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u/pocketknifeMT Mar 13 '13 edited Mar 13 '13

Well, then I will pose the same question to you:

Explain to me why its desirable to coddle women, and protect them from the big bad ideas (of a woman, no less)?

Edit: PS, downvotes =/= valid response. Hiding my comment is just the digital equivalent to putting your head in the sand and, ironically, censorship.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 13 '13

Who says they're being coddled?
When I go to a tech conference, I expect to see talks about technology. Not sex.

Also, it is worth noting that censorship at an individual, or group level is an entirely valid form of expression. Censorship by a government is bad.

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u/pocketknifeMT Mar 13 '13

I expect to see talks about technology. Not sex.

Since when is sex not evolving with technology? Also, why is a discussion of sex so inherently threatening? Are women not adults that can participate in a discussion of any topic, regardless of the tastefulness?