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Tech Replaces Diamonds As Girl's Best Friend

Ant writes to tell us that 'diamonds are no longer a girls best friend', at least according to a recent study commissioned by the Oxygen Network. From the article: "The survey, commissioned by U.S. cable television's Oxygen Network that is owned and operated by women, found the technology gender gap has virtually closed with the majority of women snapping up new technology and using it easily. Women were found on average to own 6.6 technology devices while men own 6.9, and four out of every five women felt comfortable using technology with 46 percent doing their own computer trouble-shooting."

25 of 313 comments (clear)

  1. Great, just great... by allanj · · Score: 4, Funny

    with 46 percent doing their own computer trouble-shooting
    In my book, this means that 46 percent of the women we'll never have a chance of doing a favorable impression on. Not much of a chance to begin with, but now - no chance!

    --
    Black holes are where God divided by zero
    1. Re:Great, just great... by NMerriam · · Score: 4, Funny

      with 46 percent doing their own computer trouble-shooting

      Well, geez, women are only 51% of the population, so that leaves only 5% of the women that we can impress with our intelligence!

      --
      Recursive: Adj. See Recursive.
    2. Re:Great, just great... by WhodoVoodoo · · Score: 5, Funny

      Seduce you say? ...Which university was this?

    3. Re:Great, just great... by Jester998 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Did you hear that? That was the sound of a joke passing overhead.

    4. Re:Great, just great... by ElleyKitten · · Score: 4, Funny

      Speak for yourself. I want a Xbox 360 for my birthday. I can't frag people with a sparkly necklace.

      --
      "What is Internet Explorer 7? Are you saying we can't access the normal internet?" - I love tech support. Really.
  2. That can't be right by Umbral+Blot · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't even think 46% of men do their own computer trouble shooting.

  3. Warning by Atario · · Score: 4, Funny

    First joker to ask if one of those women's "technology devices" is waterproof and vibratory gets...um...well, modded heavily, probably.

    --
    "A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
    1. Re:Warning by RsG · · Score: 4, Funny
      Also, does it play MP3's?
      The Apple brand ones do. However, the "nano" varient hasn't been a huge success.

      The Microsoft version is larger, but there have been complaints about the power adapter and USB port getting in the way, and not being adequatly waterproofed. The Sony ones seem to have problems with DRM screwing the user (and not in the good way)... :-)
      --
      Erotic is when you use a feather. Exotic is when you use the whole chicken.
  4. One possibility... by Chmcginn · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Depending on how the question was phrased, it may have said something like "attempt" or "try", instead of "successful complete a troubleshooting task." I hate seeing results to a survey without seeing the survey, personally, for this exact reason.

    --
    Have you been touched by his noodly appendage?
  5. Questionable statistic... by dark_requiem · · Score: 5, Insightful

    with 46 percent doing their own computer trouble-shooting.

    Based on personal experience, I can't imagine this is accurate. I seriously doubt that 46 percent of women or men do their own computer troubleshooting and repair. I can honestly say that most of the people I know own computers, and far less than 46 percent are anywhere near capable or knowledgable of even basic troubleshooting and repair tasks. I expect many /.ers have had a similar experience. The average computer user doesn't even know how to update their drivers. Hell, the average user doesn't even know what a driver is.

    Besides, who conducts a survey comparing the preferences of men and women with a sample set of one group (men, in this case) half the size of the other. While I am by no means a statistician, it seems to me that you would use equaly sized data samples, or at least weight the sample sizes based on the percentage of the population as a whole. Based on my luck recently, I'm quite certain there are not twice as many women as men in this country.

    1. Re:Questionable statistic... by kfg · · Score: 5, Funny

      Besides, who conducts a survey comparing the preferences of men and women with a sample set of one group (men, in this case) half the size of the other.

      Someone who thinks that instant messaging is a "tech area"?

      KFG

  6. Whole Devices by Redwin · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Women were found on average to own 6.6 technology devices while men own 6.9"

    The men assured the women that it will be 7 technology devices soon, but they just need to tinker with a couple of parts in the last device and that they are certain they are supposed to come apart its just that the device is being a bit stubborn...

    --
    Warning, comments may not have been passed by the sanity department of my brain.
  7. As someone who spent time in tech support... by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can say that about 100% of the male population try to solve their own computer related problems, with about 20% solving them, 20% not solving them and 60% making them worse. And those 60% being a VERY conservative estimate.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:As someone who spent time in tech support... by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

      After a while in support you learn that "nothing" is the second most used lie right after "the check's in the mail". If the caller is male, you may safely assume that he DID try to fix the problem and the fact that he still called you means that he DID make it worse, and that pretty much every possible setting has been twiddled and is now at some completely random value.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  8. hmm by Fusione · · Score: 4, Funny

    I wonder how many slashdotters are gonna show this to their girlfriends the next time they ask fo- oh wait.. nevermind. I forgot where I was for a moment. :P

  9. Warning, sexism coming your way by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hmm... 6.6 devices on average. In other words: cellphone, cellphone, ladyshaver, vaccuum cleaner, can opener, erhm... personal vibratory relaxation helper and a car that spends 40% of its time in the garage for repairs 'cause she can't figure out how to drive stick without ruining the transmission.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  10. But when will he...? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Okay, so how do I get my boyfriend to buy me that big shiny engagement beowulf cluster I've always dreamed of?

  11. Well, of course by 9x320 · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you had watched that special on The History Channel's Modern Marvels about the history of diamond mining, you'd know that diamonds are valuable because of the De Beers mining company obtaining a monopoly on diamond mining by gradually buying out and merging with all the other diamond companies in South Africa, and gradually the world. They then instituted a propaganda campaign in order to get couples to buy the diamonds, while releasing only a set number of diamonds every year, thus keeping demand artificially high.

    Their monopoly was threatened by the Soviet Union finding diamonds in modern Russia. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, De Beers bought out nearly all the diamonds that had fallen into the hands of former Soviet countries. In the 21st century they are threatened by a Canadian diamond company founded by a Canadian geologist once thought to be crazy for suspecting the presence of diamonds in Northwest Canada.

    They were finally fined $5 million by the Department of Justice with their monopolistic tactics, but obviously that's like the EU fining Microsoft. I think people are finally waking up and smelling the coffee, realizing that these gems are merely worthless shiny rocks, though the advent of artificial diamonds doesn't hurt.

    Here, Wikipedia has an entry.

    1. Re:Well, of course by nblender · · Score: 4, Informative

      Yes. "Have you ever tried to sell a diamond"? http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond

  12. Girls prefer tech huh? by Aphrika · · Score: 4, Funny
    'diamonds are no longer a girls best friend', at least according to a recent study commissioned by the Oxygen Network.
    I wonder how the results would have panned out if the survey was done by Tiffany and Co....
  13. Yeah right! (warning...on-topic rant!) by Lissajous · · Score: 5, Funny

    [rant]
    They obviously didn't ask *my* SOH. Here I sit in front of 5 TFT monitors, 3 computers, hi-def projector, a plethora of consoles, and is she content with that? No! She still wants the diamonds! I mean - seriously! Where did they get these mythical women from? Shoes?! Don't even get me started on shoes! Have you seen our shoe closet? It's applying for its own post code next month. You can see it from Google Earth. And TFA wants me to believe that women would choose to have tech *instead* of holidays, shoes, gems? I call foul, I tell you - FOUL! They want the lot! Tech and shoes. Shoes and tech. Techy shoes would have my grrl in a shopping frenzy. Ohgodohgodohgodohgod can you imagine? The horror! THE HORROR!!!!! (5 exclamation marks, the sure sign of an insane mind)
    *ahem*
    [/rant]

  14. Re:Vista comes to your Rescue! by Goth+Biker+Babe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nah! As another poster said. Girls are more intelligent than boys. We buy Macs! We realise that time costs money too!

  15. Square root of 69? by Stripsurge · · Score: 4, Funny

    What's the square root of 69?
    8 something

  16. Re:Vista comes to your Rescue! by x2A · · Score: 4, Funny

    "We buy Macs!"

    That's so cool... so, what colour did you pick? :-p

    --
    The revolution will not be televised... but it will have a page on Wikipedia
  17. Cluster fsck by saskboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Question is: How many Girlfriends can One Geek Man (TM) handle with his Linux expertise?"

    I just imagined a Beowulf cluster of girls running Linux, and almost had a kernel leak.

    --
    Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.