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Gender Gap in Computer Science Growing

EReidJ writes "Looks like finding a compatible girl geek in the computer profession is becoming even harder, as an already wide gender gap among Computer Science majors is becoming larger. From the article: 'A Globe review shows that the proportion of women among bachelor's degree recipients in computer science peaked at 37 percent in 1985 and then went on the decline. Women have comprised about 28 percent of computer science bachelor's degree recipients in the last few years, and in the elite confines of research universities, only 17 percent of graduates are women [...] The argument of many computer scientists is that women who study science or technology, because they are defying social expectations, are in an uncomfortable position to begin with. So they are more likely to be dissuaded from pursuing computer science if they are exposed to an unpleasant environment, bad teaching, and negative stereotypes like the image of the male hacker.'"

17 of 1,027 comments (clear)

  1. Good! by JPamplin · · Score: 4, Funny

    Who needs yucky girls anyway. Cooties! ;-)

    1. Re:Good! by wcleveland · · Score: 4, Funny

      circle circle dot dot, now i've got my cootie shot... bring on the babes!

  2. Best quote on Comp. Sci. gender gap by precize · · Score: 4, Funny

    "During my freshman year in the computer science department, there were more guys named David than there were girls."

    1. Re:Best quote on Comp. Sci. gender gap by brontus3927 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think anywhere you go just about, there will be more males named David than females named David. No big surprise there. :)

    2. Re:Best quote on Comp. Sci. gender gap by Rakshasa+Taisab · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, but the blame is entirely on the parents. Gender equality should extend to the naming of their child.

      --
      - These characters were randomly selected.
    3. Re:Best quote on Comp. Sci. gender gap by CommiePuddin · · Score: 5, Funny

      I once dated a girl named David. Best seventeen seconds of my life.....

      --
      x = x + ++x; //It's golden.
  3. Trinary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just as the hard-wiring of binary mathematics spun the entire twentieth century about a simple yes-no axis, the invention of the three-state switch promised to revolutionize twenty-fifth century computing. After all, with three states (negative, positive, and null charges) on nanoswitches, computers could now think in terms of yes, no, and maybe, greatly humanizing their internal logic.

    This would have brought many, many more female engineers into the field of computer science (hence accelerating the pace at which computers could do useful things besides transmit, compress, and enhance pornography), except that the same abbreviational logic that turned "binary digit" into "bit" turned "trinary digit" into "tit." This nomenclatural error set computing back nearly three hundred years, and two entire generations of promising computer scientists were lost trying to keep abreast of bad puns.

    -- The Tayler Corporation. "Plotting to take over the world since 1998"

  4. You don't need to meet a cs girl by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Meet a bio girl, have her become a doctor, and spend your days changing diapers and compiling the latest ubuntu release.

  5. Re:Unplesant environment by rocketsled · · Score: 5, Funny

    WHAT DO YOU MEAN LACKING SOCIAL SKILLS, my 20 sided die guides me with any social situation.

  6. Re:As a geek girl... by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 5, Funny

    As a geek girl myself, I'd put it a bit above half. sucks.

    As a geek guy, I'd put it a bit above 95%. You only hear from the ones brave enough to come forward.

    Speaking of which, what are you doing Friday night?

  7. Thoughts of a guy on seeing a girl in his CS class by xIcemanx · · Score: 5, Funny

    public cells woo(Girl g) {

    if (g.hotness > -10) {
      while (true) {
        hair.smooth();
        lysol.spray(armpits);
        mouth.stammer();
        mouth.tellJoke(lameBinaryJoke);
        if (g.noticesYou()) {
          return semen;
        }
      }
    }
       

  8. Dude. Women don't like being treated as objects. by MondoMor · · Score: 5, Funny

    They much prefer a procedural approach.

  9. Re:As a geek girl... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
    Speaking of which, what are you doing Friday night?

    Going to recompile the Linux kernel and fix the m0n0wall issues. Just like any other Friday night. You?
  10. Re:As a geek girl... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    will you marry me?

  11. Re:As a geek girl... by guaigean · · Score: 4, Funny

    As a geek girl myself...

    Is this a Turing test in action?

    --
    Microsoft Sucks, F/OSS Rocks. I get mod points now right?
  12. Re:As a geek girl... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    By the power vested in me as the Anonymous Coward, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife.

    You may now send smilies at each other.

  13. Re:Why most geeks are male by Kris_B_04 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh dear.
    I checked, and the web page stats says the IT Page has been hit over 800 times since I posted that note...

    That's more hits than we have had in one year...

    *sigh*

    --
    Remember when Windows were washed, mice were trapped and UNIX guarded the harem?