After having read many of these comments, it seems that the main opinion is that NASA hasn't done much good since Apollo and their losing the satillite was pure carlessness. Not true. Even in one counts only the technology knockoffs from the space program, NASA has done quite a bit. As for the privitization issue, I worry that NASA's incredibly high (which results in a formidable saftey record) admission standards for new astronauts may be lowered by private companies who need personnel. There are only so many Top Gun graduates with Ph.D's, you know. And call me crazy, but I have this terrible image of competing space companies in the distant future cutting corners on supplies to lower costs of civilian transport. That, however, is a long way off.
Dare we say stereotype? Generalization? I do not wish to be a "female" anything- I want to be an astronaut. My boyfriend is a computer maniac. He also cooks excellently, picks up after himself, and will turn his LINUX box off at any given time. My point? Not all computer programmers, male or female, have the stay-up-all night never do the laudry or brush their hair disease that you seem to think. Did you also consider that a male programmer, by your definition, might also make a "bad husband" Perhaps we should issue the warning on all CS classrooms " Beware, all ye who enter here, you will never get married!" As for wanting a "good wife", well, who wouldn't? While we're at it, let's try for world peace...the men and women these days who are willing to stay at home and do the other partner's laundry are few and far between.
Sure, are you? Being mainly a biology geek, may I proffer some info: the ONLY significant difference in brain mass between males and females is 4 extra ounces males possess which seems to be related to a natural sense of direction and spatial relationships. Also, women have been found to "double task" between brain hemispheres almost twice as efficently as males. I have explained seceral aspects of computing to my female friends, and I assure you, they and I are both quite capable of understanding it. Perhaps you might consider that females are socialy more 'group- oriented' , and do not generally wish to take up an interest which, if they were male, might at least proffer upon them some element of "coolness", but as a female, totally ostrasizes them from the group of both male programmers and 'normal' people. At least in high school, which is where most CS majors seem to get their start. Trust me , I know. Sorry if this's a bit disorganized..I was up all night writing a web page.
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After having read many of these comments, it seems that the main opinion is that NASA hasn't done much good since Apollo and their losing the satillite was pure carlessness. Not true. Even in one counts only the technology knockoffs from the space program, NASA has done quite a bit. As for the privitization issue, I worry that NASA's incredibly high (which results in a formidable saftey record) admission standards for new astronauts may be lowered by private companies who need personnel. There are only so many Top Gun graduates with Ph.D's, you know. And call me crazy, but I have this terrible image of competing space companies in the distant future cutting corners on supplies to lower costs of civilian transport. That, however, is a long way off.
Dare we say stereotype? Generalization? I do not wish to be a "female" anything- I want to be an astronaut. My boyfriend is a computer maniac. He also cooks excellently, picks up after himself, and will turn his LINUX box off at any given time. My point? Not all computer programmers, male or female, have the stay-up-all night never do the laudry or brush their hair disease that you seem to think. Did you also consider that a male programmer, by your definition, might also make a "bad husband" Perhaps we should issue the warning on all CS classrooms " Beware, all ye who enter here, you will never get married!" As for wanting a "good wife", well, who wouldn't? While we're at it, let's try for world peace...the men and women these days who are willing to stay at home and do the other partner's laundry are few and far between.
Sure, are you? Being mainly a biology geek, may I proffer some info: the ONLY significant difference in brain mass between males and females is 4 extra ounces males possess which seems to be related to a natural sense of direction and spatial relationships. Also, women have been found to "double task" between brain hemispheres almost twice as efficently as males. I have explained seceral aspects of computing to my female friends, and I assure you, they and I are both quite capable of understanding it. Perhaps you might consider that females are socialy more 'group- oriented' , and do not generally wish to take up an interest which, if they were male, might at least proffer upon them some element of "coolness", but as a female, totally ostrasizes them from the group of both male programmers and 'normal' people. At least in high school, which is where most CS majors seem to get their start. Trust me , I know. Sorry if this's a bit disorganized..I was up all night writing a web page.