Re: [tlug] Is linguistics OT at all? & HOWTO Encourage Women in Linux

[Jonathan Byrne <jq@example.com>]

On Friday 13 February 2004 05:37 pm, David Oftedal wrote:

> we're somehow being mean to women isn't gonna work, because frankly,
> we're not. I'm mean to anyone and anything, but let's face it, so are
> women.

This is a good point: *nix culture is historically rough-and-tumble, as is the 
academic culture from which much of it sprang.  If you want to be a 
professor, you have to go through defense of your dissertation, and constant 
peer review of everything you publish.  And if people think that the ideas 
you publish are crap, they will say so, straight up.  It's hard-edged, but it 
breeds excellence.  There are many women profs, so they can do it too, 
obviously.  Should we change this culture in order to attract people (of 
either gender) who can't handle that?  I say "no."

> On a related note though, could people PLEASE stop using the word "gay"
> to mean anything that's bad? 

In the 6+ years I've been on TLUG lists, I can't recall ever having seen such 
a reference here.  If you have and I missed it, can I impose upon you to 
suffer through htdig and find it?

> You will either comply or be castrated with a rusty spoon.

The temptation to say it just to see you come over here and try it is nearly 
overwhelming.  However, I won't.  What I will do is encourage you (and 
everyone) to not make threats on to anyone on this list.  It is wholly 
inappropriate.

Jonathan