:: Netwoman ::

:: Sunday, May 22, 2005 ::

Call for radical rethink of games

Alfred Hermida
Technology editor, BBC News website, in Los Angeles

"Testosterone hobby

It is clear that women do like to play games. ESA figures show that a third of console players are women.

But many of these women are casual gamers, who play far fewer games, far more infrequently, than their male counterparts.

Gamer at the E3 expo
Games need to change to be topics of conversation at dinner parties
"We need a cultural shift so that young girls and women feel that playing games is not a testosterone monopolised hobby reserved for their boyfriends and husbands," urged Mr Lowenstein.

For this to happen, game producers need to think radically about the sorts of games they make, said the ESA president.

As part of this, games had to become easier to play, as often people are intimidated by the technology or the complexity of a title. "

I'm not sure it's really all about the skill to play the game - but rather finding interesting games. They're definitely missing something in what other gamers want to play. Sounds like some good research is needed...spend the bucks - do the research.

:: Netwoman 3:28 PM [+] ::
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Nintendo has the right idea

Nintendo Joins Battle of New Game Systems By MATT SLAGLE

"Aside from the included Wi-Fi networking, the Revolution will have wireless controllers, two USB 2.0 ports and slots for DS memory cards. Nintendo did not say anything about the processor or graphics chips that will be used to power the machine, other than that they are being developed by IBM Corp. and ATI Technologies Inc.

"This is the console where the big idea can prevail over big budgets," Iwata said.

With Xbox 360 and PS3, meanwhile, snazzy technology able to deliver cinema-quality graphics and sound has been the center attraction.

Xbox 360 will have three speedy processors and custom graphics chip from ATI, a removable 20-gigabyte hard drive and wireless capability for cable-free access to the company's Xbox Live online multiplayer service.

And while Xbox 360 can play movies, music and television, it won't replace the desktop computer as an ideal nerve center for such content, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said. The company on Tuesday announced an extender for its Media Center operating system that allows users to stream media from the desktop onto their Xbox 360."

Can't wait to try it out!

:: Netwoman 6:46 PM [+] ::
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Think Feminism is dead? Think again

School tells teachers to cover up with aprons
Tue May 17,12:25 PM ET

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Women teachers at a school in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar have been told to wear aprons so that senior male students do not get distracted by their bodies, Indian newspapers reported Tuesday.

"The unconscious exposure of a body by a lady teacher during teaching could be an object of amusement for male students inside the classroom," K.C. Satpathy, the principal of DAV Public School, was quoted in The Times of India newspaper as saying.

"By wearing an apron, the quality of teaching could improve."

Satpathy said the decision by the school in the eastern city was the result of a two-year study that showed adolescent boys in higher classes were "losing concentration" inside the classrooms of some female teachers.

In India, many women teachers wear saris which can cover up as well as reveal a woman's figure, depending on how they are worn.

Women's groups are outraged.

"What does the principal expect? Should women teachers come to classes clad in burqas?" Katuri Mohapatra, a woman's activist, told The Hindustan Times newspaper.

:: Netwoman 6:40 PM [+] ::
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Implications of Wireless Tech

Where do we go from here? Playboy has the answer:

Sex cells: Wireless operators find that racy cellphone video drives surge in broadband

Thursday, May 12, 2005
By Cassell Bryan-Low and David Pringle, The Wall Street Journal

Pornography helped drive the early adoption of new technologies such as the VCR and the Internet. Now, wireless providers in many countries are counting on sex to spur the use of their broadband cellphone services.

Customers of French operator Orange, for instance, can view video clips on their cellphones from the company's wireless portal that feature women in the shower or cavorting half-naked on the beach at sunset. Orange, a unit of France Telecom SA, says as much as a quarter of all videos accessed from its portal are erotic -- the equivalent of about 3,330 hours of viewing each month.

Starting in June, cellphone users in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia will be able to chat with Vivienne, a "virtual girlfriend" created by Artificial Life Inc., a Hong Kong-based maker of interactive games. She says on her Web site, www.v-girl.com, that she won't have real or cyber sex with her admirers. But "we can have exciting conversations about all sorts of things," she says.

:: Netwoman 9:26 PM [+] ::
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Technology, social capital and class

Blackberrys are a sign that you are part of the tech-elite:

"From a historical standpoint, BlackBerrys are the modern equivalent of having the most feathers in war bonnets, said anthropologist Michael Murphy of the University of Alabama, who has studied humanity's propensities over the centuries.

"New technology gadgets serve as marks of distinction, much like early beaver hats from America did in Europe," he said. "Prestige hierarchies are established by possession of novel bits of material culture. The more expensive they are, of course, the better. They become markers of social identity."

Article Gizmo glut bothersome to biggest generation
By Bill Hendrick - May 16, 2005


"Men and women are about equal in the "tech-shy" category, but more men own BlackBerrys than women.

Women are much more likely than men to use instant messaging on computers or cell phones. But generally speaking, the older people get, regardless of gender, the more gadgets tick them off, analyst Fetto said.

"It's partly because we're busy," said Mitchell Wade, 45, a Salt Lake City technology expert and co-author of the book "Got Game," which explores why it's easier for people younger than 30 to understand techno-stuff. "We just have less patience and would rather spend two hours reading a good book than a manual. We're in new territory here."

Given that they are expensive, it's not surprising that more men have them then women - if they are part of being top management, then we can count on our fingers the number of women there are - let alone blackberrys.

:: Netwoman 9:17 PM [+] ::
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Wired Woman Launches New Updated Web Site

VANCOUVER, April 27 /CNW/ - The Wired Woman Society is excited to
announce that our new web site is launched! We are thrilled with all the new
features available and believe that this new format will add dimension and
value for our members, offers streamlined access to events as well as chapter
and national information to all users of the site!
Features available to the public include:

- general information about the society including a new FAQs section
- up to date information on our upcoming AGM
- streamlined individual chapter sections
- great new events listing and calendar which includes events across the
country
- community polls and news

Additional features for our members include:

- "My Profile" where members can include information to share with other
members
- members listing as well as a tool to search for other members for
networking
- community bulletin boards with forums on topics such as Tech News,
Tech Support, Mentoring and Jobs to name a few

We would be pleased to welcome you to our new updated web site at www.wiredwoman.com

About Wired Woman Society
The Wired Woman Society (www.wiredwoman.com) creates an open environment
for women and girls to explore opportunities in the high technology and new
media sectors. Through networking, industry events and a strong mentorship
program, women are encouraged to play a positive and increasing role in the
growth and development of Canada's technology economy. With Chapters in
Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Winnipeg, the Wired Woman Society has members
coast-to-coast.
Incorporated in 1996, the Wired Woman Society (WWS) is a Canadian,
registered non-profit society. The society is completely volunteer-run and
receives corporate support from their partners: Electronic Arts, Microsoft,
Plesman Communications, CNW Group and other progressive corporations.

For further information: Media Contact: Joyce Goebel, National Director
of Public Relations, Wired Woman Society, pr@wiredwoman.com

:: Netwoman 3:17 PM [+] ::
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Blogrolls - Good or Bad?

As always, Shelly has such interesting and thought provoking commentary over at Burningbird. In particular, Shelly sends her message:

"In fact, to every weblogger who has a blogroll: you are hurting all of us. Rarely do people discover new webloggers through blogrolls; most discovery comes when you reference another weblogger in your writings. But blogrolls are a way of persisting links to sites, forming a barrier to new voices who may write wonderful things — but how they possibly be heard through the static, which is the inflexible, immutable, blogroll?"

It's true that many 'people' refuse to link to the 'little people' of the blog ecosystem, and they often get lost in the shuffle. It's the link game, it's often a popularity contest. If a D list blogger is blogging, and no one is around to read it, are they really blogging....but anyway, you get the point...

Having said that, Shelly took down her blogroll, and encouraged others to do the same, which Lauren and others have done.

Some, such as Bitch PhD and myself, think that this might not be the way to go.
The problem is that we are missing some of the 'less popular' bloggers and promoting those who are already popular - the blog celebrities. Many people find other bloggers via blogrolls. Popular bloggers can be found by searching Google - but not the case for those bloggers with a small readership.

Really, I think it is our 'duty' to actively seek out these bloggers (somehow) and link them and talk about their ideas (if that is indeed what they want, as some people don't blog for the audience, but rather for themselves). Removing our blogrolls really defeats the purpose. Perhaps we should think more closely about who we include in our blogroll and the reasons why we do so. I don't have a blogroll on here, but you have access to my RSS feeds through Bloglines. Have a look.

Shelly says :

"Then we would all start fresh. It would be a new start, and the emphasis would be less on who we know and who we are, then what is being said."

We can't read what they say, if we don't know they're there.

:: Netwoman 2:21 PM [+] ::
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Canadian Politics - Commentary

Slightly off the techno-topic, but important anyway. Over at XX Blog, Trish points out "Canadian Govt. Approves Plan B For OTC Sale":

"Canadian Government Approves OTC Status for Emergency Contraception

Canada's federal government announced on Tuesday that it will now allow emergency contraception (EC) to be available over-the-counter (OTC) to women for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy. EC, sold under the name Plan B and distributed by Paladin Labs Inc. in Canada, will be kept behind the counter and dispensed without a prescription from a pharmacist."

Well you know, it all seems and fine and good - but let's consider some things.

I am all for access to birth control and emergency contraception, and indeed it appears that Canada is progressive and by permitting women over the counter access to EC. It may be easier to access but there costs - and i mean literally. Let's consider these scenarios:

1. Woman One requires EC and goes to the clinic for advice, where she is given them on the spot after a brief chat with the doctor.

2. Woman Two requires EC to emergency after being sexually assaulted and is given EC.

3. Woman Three with health insurance requires EC and goes to her Doctor who gives her a prescription, which she fills at the pharmacy.

What's the common theme of these scenarios?

These women didn't have to pay for EC.

What's really going on here? It's not at all about the women who really need EC.
Not really. Who are we kidding? It's about bringing revenue into the pockets of pharmaceuticals and Health Canada.

Making EC available over the counter may mean that women can go to the local pharmacy no questions asked (except perhaps dealing with the person who doesn't want to give it you) and get their EC. But the problem is that women have to pay for it. They won't get it for free at the clinic, they won't get it in emergency (perhaps in some situations), and their health insurance won't cover it.

How will women pay for EC?

Many women in Canada cannot afford birth control (it's about $25-30/pack), they sure won't be able to afford EC (which is about $25). Where does that leave them?

The bigger picture here is that EC over the counter brings money in for the government and further marginalizes lower socio-economic women.

Same old same old. Always some bad with some good.

:: Netwoman 1:57 PM [+] ::
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Closing the Gender Gap

Fort Worth Star-Telegram (04/24/05); Cromer, Katherine

"With a $12,000 grant from Texas Instruments and the Dallas Women's Foundation, the University of Texas at Arlington has developed the Metroplex Area Gender Equity Institute with the goal of boosting the number of girls pursuing math and science careers. Attaining this goal requires reforming the teaching habits of middle school educators, which set up a gender inequity in the classroom that can discourage female students' interest in math and science. Teachers convene at the institute to work out strategies for giving both genders equal representation in the classroom and to share technology and other resources to help maintain girls' interest.

Cultural expectations often dampen girls' ambitions for math and science careers: Whereas boys are taught to be independent and aggressive at an early age, girls are more often sheltered by parents and educators. Director of Texas Woman's University's Science and Mathematics Center Cathy Banks says attracting girls to science and math in middle school and retaining them through high school is critical, and adds that cultural gender bias toward males can have a negative effect on the economy and the business world, as it cuts out an entire segment of the work force. Texas Instruments VP Tegwin Pulley says the socially meaningful and family-friendly aspects of technical careers must be played up if more women are to be drawn to them. There are signs that the gender gap is shrinking in Texas public schools and colleges, although girls are still underrepresented in more advanced subjects such as physics and computer science. Experts again blame cultural expectations for this shortfall."

View Full Article
(Access to this site is free; however, first-time visitors must register.)

:: Netwoman 11:23 AM [+] ::
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'Net-illiterate' parents seen failing children

A different spin on the Digital Divide and how it may perpetuate itself...Parents aren't able to help their children on the internet, which might have ramifications on their schooling and future job prospects.

"Now that many young people rely on the Internet for information, homework help and careers guidance, the more it matters that some of them are getting left behind," said Sonia Livingstone, Professor of Social Psychology."

More information on the study by the London School of Economics located here.

:: Netwoman 11:56 PM [+] ::
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