:: Netwoman ::

:: Monday, February 20, 2006 ::

Internet users go online for fun
See...I'm not the only one who just goes online for fun!
Sat Feb 18, 12:35 PM ET
Anick Jesdanun, AP

NEW YORK (AP) - Some people go online just for the sake of it: A new study finds that on any given day, nearly a third of U.S. Internet users log on just for fun or to pass the time.

Compared with other online tasks, recreational surfing ranks behind only e-mail and search and it's about even with getting news online, according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

"What it says about the Internet is that it is becoming a full-blown destination in itself," said Deb Fallows, the Pew senior research fellow who led the study released Wednesday. "They are just led there just to see what is going on." Pew credits the growth in broadband connections at home and the increase in the number and variety of Web sites available.

The 30 per cent of Internet users who went online for fun on a given day represents an increase from 21 per cent a year earlier.

Skeptics may see parallels with television channel-surfing, an activity often dismissed as mindless.

But Fallows said the Internet is different: "It's not a passive activity that you're just sucking yourself into. You are navigating yourself around, you are discovering things, learning things."

The random telephone-based survey of 1,931 adult Internet users in the United States was conducted Nov. 29 to Dec. 31 and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus two percentage points.

:: Netwoman 5:09 PM [+] ::
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Blogging, Blogs and Finding a Mate
Smart at Love talks about love & blogging:

Could blogs be good for your love life?

No doubt about it. Blogging is changing the way people date and mate. Only time will tell what’s good -- and possibly bad -- about that. Take Ken Yarmosh, for example. He's a single blogger in his 20s who recently described why he considers blogging to be an attractive thing about a woman:

"It means that the wheels are turning upstairs. It shows that someone is observant, pensive, and engaged in the world."

Ken also believes that blogging can play a positive role in the World of Dating and Mating:

"It may sound funny but blogging may actually help foster more successful dating relationships. Why? We'll just take a look at their blog either before or after a date and you'll begin to get a pretty decent picture of their beliefs, ideology, and interests."

I'm all for anything that encourages single people to look for meaningful information about each other. But I wonder. Can you really get that "pretty decent picture" from most people's blogs? Or, is there a lot of room for misinterpretation in Blogland? Apparently Ken isn't worried about it:

"Blogs could make dating a whole lot easier for me and many others out there."

And maybe those same blogs could also make it more complicated in unexpected ways? Still, considering that dating isn't the easiest, hopefully Ken's prophecy will come true...As for the rest of you...what do you think? Is blogging the next big love life enhancer?

Personally, it hasn't worked for me ;)

:: Netwoman 3:26 PM [+] ::
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Where I want to be this weekend!!!
Games for Women, Games by Women
February 18, San Francisco
Fort Mason Conference Center -1 pm to 7 pm

This half-day Women In Games International event is sponsored by title sponsor Microsoft Game Studios, event sponsor Ubisoft and series sponsors International Game Developers Association (IGDA), Game Developers Conference (GDC), Girls in Games, Mary-Margaret.com, ThemePark Studios, WomenGamers.com and BusinessWire.
General Attendees - $45, WIGI Members - $35, Students - $30

Attendees will learn how to advance their game industry career in panels and round-table discussions with top experts in the field. This conference provides useful information for women and men, as well as new and veteran game developers. Meet your fellow participants, socialize and make connections at our post-conference networking party.

Oh my goodness - this looks delicious! If only I could go for the weekend. Anyone want to sponsor Netwoman to go to this conference? I would promise minute-to-minute blogging??!!

Oh well, maybe next time...

:: Netwoman 10:02 PM [+] ::
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Kids Aren't the Only Ones Playing Video and Computer Games
By Karen MacPherson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In keeping with the last post about the changing demographics in video gamers, this article talks about women gamers - and parent gamers, a nice new focus.

Jan. 27--WASHINGTON -- More than one-third of American parents -- nearly half of them women -- play computer and video games, sometimes by themselves and sometimes with their children, according to a survey released yesterday.

The survey, sponsored by the Entertainment Software Association and conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, showed that the typical "gamer parent" is 37 years old, has been playing video and computer games for an average of 13 years, and spends 19 hours each month on the activity.

Overall, the survey showed that 35 percent of U.S. parents play video and computer games. Of those, 80 percent play video and computer games with their children, and 66 percent believe playing the games has brought their families closer together.

"Gamer parents," as defined by the survey, are those who play video and computer games other than just desktop card games or children's games.

Douglas Lowenstein, president of the association -- the trade group representing U.S. video and computer game publishers -- said the survey was the "first-ever" study to look at "gamer parents," adding that it "dramatizes the increasing and positive role that video games play in American family entertainment."

Game-playing parents most often play card games, the survey found. Other types of games played by parents, in order of popularity, include puzzle, board and "game show" games, sports games, action games, strategy games, and downloadable games.

The survey indicates a clear connection between a parent's interest in playing video and computer games, and whether their child takes up the activity. Eighty-five percent of kids of "gamer parents" also play computer and video games themselves, the survey found.

In addition, 36 percent of game-playing parents said they introduced their children to games, while 23 percent began playing because their children were playing, the survey said.

Researchers (such as Barry Wellman) have argued that the internet doesn't replace physical interactions (whether individual or communities of people), but instead the internet used in conjunction with face-to-face exchanges. In Bowling Alone, Putnam (2000)argues that computers are partially responsible for the decline of cohesion in the family (people spending less time together, less family meal times etc). In my own research I've found that while household members spend considerable amount of time online alone (for many different reasons), people still spend some time online together - the notion of 'showing & sharing' of internet content. This article talks about something similar, in which households are spending time together playing video games - a new way to pass the time together as a family (whatever that might mean to people).

This is good insight into how people's relationship with technology is changing and evolving.

:: Netwoman 10:35 AM [+] ::
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Can a Gaming Console Do Too Much?
Some concerns over at Sony that the PS3 will actually do TOO much, covering a broad market that will move the focus from gaming:

Sony's new super-packed PS3 handles a lot more than games. That, some say, could confuse buyers

Picture this: you plug your TV into a box the size of a phone book and go online to check headlines. You get bored and click over to a Giants game. Later you download Casablanca, play Metal Gear Solid against an opponent in Seoul, then chat with a friend in Seattle. What sort of box is this? It could be a PC, but Sony (SNE ) hopes it will be a PlayStation 3, the video game console it plans to introduce this spring.

Six years in the making, the PS3 is a crucial component of Sony's strategy to dominate the digital home with a full lineup of super-sharp TVs and other gear. To attract teens and parents alike, the console plays high-definition games and movies from Blu-ray DVDs. It boasts a huge hard disk to store photos, music, and TV shows. And it can connect to the Net for play against far-flung rivals, while a new multimedia chip called "the Cell" -- developed by Sony, IBM, and Toshiba at a cost of $400 million -- juggles the workload.

I'm not sure the concerns are warranted, but then marketing is not my academic area. Personally, I am interested in a console system that WILL do everything. It's not confusing - it's practical.

Perhaps there needs to be more attention (and research) on the demographics of the gamers, as the number of gamers increases and the type of gamer changes. Do these companies do any market research? Do they test the console before releasing? I'm sure they do - this should give them an indication of what gamers - in all demographics - want.

If Sony wants to compete successfully with Microsoft, perhaps they need a more competitive spin. Are there demographic differences in console games? I've had this discussion with people who have more expertise in the area and some might argue that Sony Playstation has more gender inclusive games - more games that 'women' might be interested in (games that are more interactive and less combat - yes this is somewhat essentialist). Xbox on the other hand has more games that are combat style, fighting and so forth. Are there gender differences in not only the types of games that each company offers? Are there gender differences in the ownership (and playing) of console systems?

What about race and ethnicity?

BIGresearch's Simultaneous Media Study VII, a survey of over 15,000 participants during December 2005, yielded as one of its results a look into the racial demographics of the current crop of video game systems. The study examined the game platform ownership of groups of white, black, and Hispanic gamers aged 18-24 and 25-34, in an effort to assist marketers with targeting game advertising toward specific groups.

In the 18-24 segment, the overall most popular gaming platform was the PC -- though the specific wording of the question, "Which of the following video game platforms are currently used in your home," may simply mean that more respondents had a PC that could theoretically play games. However, usage among white respondents greatly outstripped the Hispanic and especially black respondents. Parity was more apparent with PlayStation 2 usage, where all three groups indicated around 50% ownership. The most common racial group to own no game platforms at all was the black respondents.

In the 25-34 segment, things changed slightly: fewer respondents all around reported PC game usage, and the black respondents came out ahead in PS2 ownership. The older black gamers also used handheld systems such as Game Boy Advance and PSP on a rate more consistent with the other demographics, compared to the younger set who were less likely to have a handheld console.

So my point is that perhaps these console systems target a different audience. Does a console system that "does everything" appeal to a certain age cohort - say 25-45? At a time when the focus may be mobile gaming, marketers might be concerned that they are heading down the (monetary) wrong path. However, I think that companies must broaden their marketing net to encompass all gamers.

As I mentioned, I want all of my gagets in one system - television, console game, internet, DVDs, mp.3s. I want a media hub in my living room that puts everyone together - but perhaps consuming different media. I can't be alone in this...am I?

:: Netwoman 9:49 AM [+] ::
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FemmeVox
Volume 1: 9 February 2006

WHAT'S NEW
Womenspace is proud to virtually launch "Womyn's Voices", our current initiative centered on women's equality, ICTs, and related issues. The hub of the "Womyn's Voices" initiative is www.womynsvoices.ca - an active and INTERactive website where you are invited to gather, share, and learn.

Right now, you are reading the premier edition of FemmeVox, our bi-monthly e-zine that will offer you the latest in news and resources regarding ICTs and the "Womyn's Voices" project.

What is Womyn's Voices?

This project is intended to strengthen women's involvement in policy development and public education on equality issues affected by the use of ICTs, and continues to work towards enshrining women's equality perspectives in strategies developed for new and emerging ICT issues, policies, and programs.

Objectives:
A) Develop a virtual feminist community for active engagement and consultation on violence and exploitation of women to help strengthen organizational capacities.

B) Engage women of Canada, including equality seeking women's organizations, in the federal government ICT initiatives and collaborate on strategies to eliminate online violence and exploitation of women and girls.

C) Develop recommendations for government for the inclusion of a women's cluster in the Government Online Initiative.

D) Expand our current online resources to create a comprehensive, interactive set of web-based resources, offering cutting edge feminist analysis and information on women's equality and ICT issues.

WHAT'S HOT
FemmeVox - your latest tool

Every two weeks, FemmeVox will highlight a fresh aspect of the "Womyn's Voices" initiative, keeping you in the loop with up-to-the-date information about what's happening and how to be an active part of it.

FemmeVox will tell you about the latest in new technologies, providing you with tips on how to make those technologies work for you and your organization, and how they can assist us in building on-line feminist communities together.

Lastly, FemmeVox will feature an organization or project that is using ICTs to help women become informed and active with ICTs. It's all a part of connecting with each other in new ways to forge this vital community.


WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
. about Cyberstalking
In the same way a person can be stalked in real-life - when movements are tracked or when you are watched or harassed - this can happen too on the internet. It is a phenomenon dubbed "cyberstalking" and it deserves more attention than it currently receives.

Cyberstalking is a specific form of online harassment - internet, email or other forms of electronic communications devices are used to track and repeatedly harass a target. When we are online, we need to be aware of the possibility of being followed around the net into websites, chatrooms, message boards, forums, newsgroups or even the mailing lists we participate in.

Online stalkers harass and follow those they meet online, sometimes with tragic real-life consequences. In addition to it being a women's safety issue, another growing concern is the protection of children from online pedophiles.

While it is tempting to dismiss cyberstalking as just bothersome emails, it is a serious crime that can often be a prelude to offline offenses. Given the growing integration of online services into daily life, stalkers can interfere more and more with simple everyday activities such as email and online transactions.

Click here to learn more about this topic and for links to other resources.

. about ICTs and Domestic Violence
Consider it a reversal of powers. The internet era has seen a proliferation of communities and resources to support survivors of domestic violence. Given the culture of silence that still exists around violence against women, many survivors find themselves unable to seek help in the real world. Luckily, the online world has developed as a source for crucial support, information, and resources - especially for survivors in rural or remote areas who may be apart from networks of family and friends.

Some domestic violence organizations have emerged as leaders in the use of the internet for posting vital information and emergency advice about domestic violence. They are harnessing the power of the internet for organizational visibility, direct services, community education, advocacy, and for securing resources.

As strong as online women's communities are becoming and as helpful as the internet is as a way for women to reach out for information and support, we have to remember the internet is public. Batterers too are using the internet, more as a means of controlling their partners' activities. They are committing high-tech eavesdropping, tampering with email, monitoring home and internet activities, and tracking the locations of their victims.

The best option available to survivors is to use a safe computer that the abuser cannot access, such as one at the public library, a friend's house or at work.

Click here to learn more about this topic and for links to other resources.


WHO TO WATCH
Since June 2005, the British Columbia Rural Women's Network has been running the "Online safety for women" project.

Recognizing the power and potential of the internet for empowering women, yet cognizant of the safety implications, the BC Rural Women's Network launched this project to address issues of cyberstalking and related threatening behaviours that qualify as violent acts.

Striving to help women become savvy internet users, the Network has developed a toolkit and training package to assist staff and volunteers of public internet sites to gain a greater understanding of online safety concerns facing women. The project has also been advocating for appropriate responses by government to address the potential instances of violence faced by women on the web.

Ultimately, the project shares our collective goal of aiding women to navigate the internet safely.

Click here to learn more about the BC Rural Women's Network and its "Online safety for women" project.

STAY IN TOUCH
The success of the Womyn's Voices initiative will depend on you. We are looking forward to making this an integral part of your activities. As the title of this project implies - we need your voice. Throughout this initiative, we will examine a variety of topics through a range of interactive formats. We welcome your participation and feedback!

Here's how you can reach us:

Womenspace || Espace des Femmes
302-1066 Somerset St West
Ottawa, ON K1Y 4T3
tel 613-729-0746
info@womenspace.ca

What the heck is an ICT anyway? ICT stands for "Information and Communications Technologies".The Womyn's Voices Project is all about empowering and enabling women to use ICTs for equality.

Womenspace would like to thank the Women's Program, Status of Women Canada, for funding this initiative.

:: Netwoman 9:25 AM [+] ::
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Media Release: Network Households

I am part of the NetLab research team at the University of Toronto, and it has been given much media attention over the past few weeks. In December, I was interviewed by the Associated Press about the 'differences' in how women and men use the internet. You can still access it here. Also, Jeffrey Boase played a huge role in the recent Pew report - The Strength of Internet Ties.

I thought I would give a short media blurb about where I'm at with my thesis. You haven't heard much about it lately (and I won't tell you why this is the case), but it is progressing - albeit slower than I expected:

Connected Lives - Networked Households

The Connected Lives Project, headed by Professor Barry Wellman and the University of Toronto, indicates that internet is an important tool for everyday life in Canadian households. 75% of Connected Lives participants in the East York area are connected to the internet, spending a median of 10 hours per week, and sending emails a median of 21 times per week. People are more connected than ever, and using the internet for the mundane tasks of daily life.

Communicating with others and seeking general information are still the most common uses of the internet from home, with women spending more hours a week (3.5) communicating with people then men do (3.1 hours). Men spend 3.7 hours per week searching for general information, whereas women spend 2.4 hours per week.

Tracy Kennedy, a PhD candidate and lecturer at the University of Toronto and Brock University says the internet is becoming domesticated, much like the telephone; "What we are seeing is that daily internet use is quite pervasive to the point where it’s almost invisible". Kennedy's research investigates the household internet, and what the effects are on both individual and families; "Given the diversity of families in the East York area, we see the internet is changing the way household members carry out their daily tasks, whether work, school or leisure related; it's becoming increasingly integrated into people's everyday lives with households utilizing the internet in different ways from paid work, to communication with family and friends and general information to more context specific tasks such as seeking health information for children, looking for recipes for dinner and planning family vacations", says Kennedy.

Kennedy argues that not only are household routines changing, but also the layout of the home itself is as well. People are giving more consideration of where to put the computer with internet access; 62% of participants put their computer with internet access in what might be considered a private space such as office or study, whereas 51% of respondents indicated the location of the computer with internet access in the living room, family room or kitchen area.

While researchers in the past have argued that ICTs interfere with family life, the Connected Lives Project doesn't see this happening; 60% say they never argue about who gets to use the internet and that little stress or conflict happens. As well, participants report that some of their online tasks are shared with household members. "People are 'showing and sharing' their online information with others, making internet use less solitary and more communal," says Kennedy. "This indicates to us that the internet isn't necessarily challenging cohesion in the home, but instead is reinforcing it in some situations". Travel information, real estate and researching products is often a collective activity in East York homes, as well as communicating with distant family members via instant messaging and web cameras.

Importantly, most people do not feel their time online interferes with household life, but instead the internet is a necessary tool for managing busy personal schedules and meeting the demanding routines of household members.

:: Netwoman 1:02 PM [+] ::
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Essentialist Media Commentary on Girl Gamers
Girl gamers got to have heart
By: Evan Brooks

Video games have it all. Action, adventure, puzzles, music - it's all there.
Video games are there for the good times and bad. But they can't satisfy every need.
The whole world of video games is missing one thing: girls. There just aren't enough girls who play video games.
There are several reasons why. Most video games deal with violence and destruction; girls don't like that stuff as much as guys. Some video games require precise and agile hand-eye coordination, which can't be learned overnight - only those who have grown up playing video games possess this skill. But, perhaps, the biggest reason why girls don't play video games is that when they are introduced to a game by some dude, that dude will end up beating the fragile and slightly uninterested girl into a bloody pulp at this new game, making her experience of video games no fun at all; thus, perpetuating this vicious cycle of video games without females.

There are quite a few generalizations and myths in here:

1. Girls & Women don't like to play "violent" video games.
Once again, we have generalization with little empirical evidence to support the claim that women don't like fighting games or violent ones (however that might be operationalized). I myself prefer games that include hand-to-hand combat. I can't be the only one can I? I know of at least one female gamer that feels the same way (see the blog of my research assistant - Joanna S. Robinson).

2. Boys have already learned Gaming 'skills' - girls have not:
The assertion here is that not only does gaming require hand-eye coordination, but that women do not posses these skills because they haven't played as long as boys. First, there's an explicit assumption about the type of skill that is required to play games successfully - the social construction of a skill set that assumes there is one way of doing something. Are these 'gaming skills' learned in other facets of people's lives? What about creative ways to beat the game? Granted, these skills might not be learned in a short period of time, but perhaps they are learned elsewhere?

3. Boys introduce girls to gaming - girls are fragile & uninterested - boys will kick girl's butts in gaming:
Again, this situates gaming as a masculine or male domain; the assumption that boys are the mentors. There is also an assumption here that girls are fragile (!!) and of course, that boys are better players. Perhaps given the experience that boys have, they might be better - but to assert that they will crush girls in game play is problematic. Also, the assumption that boys beating girls might disuade girls from playing removes any sense of agency or resistance for women and girls.

The article continues to talk about a woman - Morgan - who overcame these 'hurdles', but the sexist discourse that surrounds his discussion of Morgan - moves the discussion of gaming and skills - to one that discusses her as a 'hot' woman. He's objectified her, and situated her not as a legitimate gamer - but as an attractive woman:

Morgan Webb was the first hot girl I was aware of that was good at video games. She knew her stuff. She was like a goddess to me then. But now that I've matured - a bit - I look at Morgan as a hard-working and innovative female who helped pioneer gaming for girls all over this fine country of ours.

She's hot. She's smart. She's Morgan.

Really, who cares what she looks like? Why do discussions of female gamers lead to their appearance? It's all an example of the gaming field as masculine terrain...

:: Netwoman 11:27 AM [+] ::
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New Article: Using Games to Promote Girls' Positive Attitudes Toward Technology
by Richard Van Eck
Journal of Online Education
February/March 2006
Volume 2, Issue 3

Abstract:

Studies show that women make up only 35% of the IT workforce, and the schism between boys' and girls' interests in math and science is well documented. Richard Van Eck suggests that providing girls with more positive experiences with technology may impact their overall attitudes toward technology and perhaps even toward math and science. Van Eck chose games, naturally engaging experiences, as the basis of a two-semester study involving 92 fifth- and sixth-graders participating in game playing and authoring experiences in the classroom. He analyzes the differences in experience, attitude, and interest level between boys and girls. His results suggest that the use of a wide variety of games experienced in mixed gender groups may improve girls' attitudes toward technology.

Interesting approach, and this is certainly one positive step towards shaping girls' relationships with technology - on a micro-level. However, there are many other systemic issues that cannot be changed so easily; the institutional constraints and the embedded sexism (for example) are tied into ideological notions of technology & masculinity (and femininity if we think of the telephone).

:: Netwoman 11:03 AM [+] ::
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The Flow of Information Never Stops

The Type-A Bathroom
For workaholics, it's the new home office. Jon Weinbach and Peggy Edersheim Kalb on showerproof computers, mirrors with stock quotes and the latest water hazard: 'BlackBerry dunk.'
By JON WEINBACH and PEGGY EDERSHEIM KALB
Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
February 3, 2006; Page W1

With a BlackBerry, two mobile phones, three office computers and wireless Internet for his car, Greg Shenkman is never far from his work. But recently the CEO of San Francisco-based Exigen Group eked out more productivity by wiring the final frontier: his bathroom.

When Mr. Shenkman answers the speaker-phone in his shower, the water automatically shuts off. He can open the front door for deliveries while shaving. He's also put the finishing touches on a waterproof computer that will let him answer emails from his sauna. "I took Gates a little too literally," he says. "The flow of information never stops."

So it's come to this. The humble bathroom, long a place of refuge and solitude, is playing quiet host to more workplace transactions. Bathroom business has gone way beyond tapping out furtive emails on a BlackBerry. Lately, more hard-driving homeowners have converted their loos into virtual satellite workspaces, with retractable desks or waterproof touch-screen monitors. Manufacturer Acquinox of New York says sales of its steam shower/whirlpool units -- a hands-free phone is standard in each -- nearly tripled last year to 14,800 modules. Wisconsin-based Seura, meanwhile, reports rising sales of its vanity mirrors, which feature LCD screens in the glass. The mirrors, starting at $2,400, let users check their tie-knot, then flip a switch to watch the embedded TV.

Many Type-A bathrooms are showing up in high-end "smart homes," which feature computer systems that let homeowners control music, temperature and lights from wall-mounted touch pads. Now, builders and interior designers say, more owners also want toilet-side technology. Future Home, a Los Angeles-based entertainment-system installer, says half of its clients request tech gear in the bathroom, up from about 10% five years ago. A year ago, New Jersey-based smart-home installer Crestron began offering an Internet option on its home touch-screen monitors. And Audio One says about all of the 30 home-automation systems it's installed near its Miami head office in the past year -- prices can reach $200,000 -- have featured TVs in the bathroom. "It's become a given," says company engineer David Sussman. "There's not much sanctity left."

A peek into the future of the 'smart home'. We can expect to see more things like this throughout the household of the future.

:: Netwoman 10:44 AM [+] ::
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WoW - Homophobia - Not Surprising!

Blizzard of GLBT gaming policy questions

Sara Andrews thought it was a big misunderstanding when she received an e-mail from a game master in Blizzard Entertainment's popular online role playing game "World of Warcraft" citing her for "Harassment - Sexual Orientation."

Andrews had posted that she was recruiting for a "GLBT friendly" guild in a general chat channel within the game.

Believing that her notice had been accidentally flagged, she e-mailed Blizzard to correct the problem. Blizzard, to Andrews' surprise, upheld the decision.

Other gay guilds have been alerted and are planning to request clarification on the policy from Blizzard.

Blizzard's policy on "Harassment - Sexual Orientation," which is set forth in the games' "Terms of Use" and cited in the e-mail to Andrews reads, "This category includes both clear and masked language which insultingly refers to any aspect of sexual orientation pertaining to themselves or other players."

A series of e-mails back and forth concerning the incident, seems to make it clear that Blizzard may be inadvertently using a policy meant to protect GLBT people as a way to discriminate against them.

Danah Boyd notes:

As has been noted over and over again, queerness is an identity not just a set of sexual practices. By silencing people's identities and not allowing people to have bigot-free spaces, Blizzard is upholding a level of discrimination that far outweighs the 'potential' sexual harassment that might occur if people's sexualities were known.

See the letter sent on the Many 2 Many Blog and Terra Nova's Blog:

Apparently, Blizzard has recinded their decision:

We understand that Blizzard was seeking to defuse the potential for harassment and griefing, but this justification is both wrong and extremely damaging. Let us be clear here: we are not saying that homophobic people should like gay people, or that they should accept gay marriage, or any other hot-button issue within modern American life. We are saying that it is inappropriate for Blizzard to characterize the mere mention of homosexuality as an insult to those who hear it.

Here's the media article about their 'change of heart'

Blizzard stormed on 'GLBT' policy

Blizzard Entertainment, after being inundated on its message boards and by press regarding its controversial GLBT harassment policy for its popular World of Warcraft game, last week released a statement defending the policy and saying that it would rewrite portions of its "Terms of Use," and that the company would be clarifying the policy's enforcement with its online game monitors.

If they think that not talking about people's sexualities will result in less homophobia, harassment and abuse, they are sadly mistaken. Out of sight, out of mind politics don't work - and do nothing to challenge the source of the hatred. Their entire notion of 'protection' is bizarre considering the amount of harassment that already takes place in WoW.

:: Netwoman 12:57 PM [+] ::
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MentorNet
From the Center for Women and Information Technology (CWIT) - I'm passing this along...

Dear colleagues:
I'm contacting you on behalf of eWeek, MentorNet, and Symantec Corporation about a software development competition that will take place during eWeek (February 22 - March 1, 2006), with prizes totaling $18,000.00. Your help is requested to distribute the following announcement as widely as possible to reach interested students in computing (residing in the US or Canada, age 18 or older), and especially those who are women, people of color, or others underrepresented in computer science and engineering.

EWeek and Symantec are sponsoring this competition to increase awareness of career opportunities software development and to encourage students to pursue engineering careers. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that in the future, the number of jobs in the professional technology workforce will outnumber available, qualified candidates by two-to-one.

The promotion will be kicked off on February 22 and will end on March 1, 2006, taking place during the largest student engineering event in the country. It will give students one week to program an artificial life-form that must survive and thrive within a virtual world. The entrant that builds the most efficient and robust virtual organism will win the competition, as well as one of several lucrative prizes, and have the opportunity to meet Symantec's Chief Technology Officer, Mark Bregman.

We'd like your help in spreading the word. Below is an announcement regarding the competition. Thank you for taking the time to distribute, post or otherwise announce this upcoming event.

You can find more information about the competition at http://www.symantec.com/specprog/university/. The full details about the competition will not be posted until the start of the competition.

Please let me know if you have any questions or if you would be interested in including this in your curriculum for the month so that I can provide you with any additional documentation you may need. Contact me at 408-296-4405 or via reply email (info@mentornet.net).

Thank you for your assistance.
Regards,
Carol Muller
------
Carol B. Muller, Ph.D.
CEO and Founder
MentorNet, the E-Mentoring Network for Diversity in Engineering and Science www.MentorNet.net

tel: 408.296.4405
fax: 408.296.4404
cbmuller@mentornet.net

MentorNet
1275 S. Winchester Blvd., Suite E
San Jose, CA 95128-3910
USA

SYMANTEC ANNOUNCES PROGRAMMING COMPETITION

Symantec Encourages Technical Literacy and Innovation through Competition for University Students

CUPERTINO, Calif. - Feb. 7, 2006 - Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC) today announced its first university programming competition aimed at encouraging creativity and innovation in software engineering. Symantec's Programming Competition begins Feb. 22, 2006, and ends March 1, 2006.

The competition is open to applicants who are enrolled in a university program in the United States or Canada, are residents of the United States or Canada (excluding the province of Quebec), and have reached the age of majority in their state or province of residence. Competitors have one week to program an artificial life-form that must survive and thrive in a virtual world. The software model upon which the competition is based will work on a variety of platforms, enabling students to compete regardless of their computer type. Entrants do not need to have knowledge of a specific programming language to participate in the competition. Students will develop their programs in a simple, specially designed programming language, offering entrants with even introductory programming knowledge the opportunity to participate.

"Symantec believes that cultivating the next-generation of technologists is a vital long-term investment that will help ensure that consumers and businesses have the tools and solutions needed to thrive in our incredibly dynamic, information-driven society today and in the future," said Mark Bregman, Symantec chief technology officer. "Hosting a programming competition for university students is part of Symantec's ongoing efforts to foster student interest in software engineering to meet the growing demand for high-tech talent."

The competition coincides with National Engineers Week 2006. To build interest and excitement around the competition and about software engineering, Symantec is partnering with the National Engineers Week Foundation, a formal coalition of more than 70 engineering, education, and cultural societies and more than 50 corporations and government agencies dedicated to raising public awareness of engineers' positive contributions to our quality of life. An annual event, National Engineers Week includes a series of programs that promote recognition among parents, teachers, and students of the importance of a technical education and a high level of math, science, and technology literacy and that motivate young people to pursue engineering careers.

"The demand for software engineers is real," said Leslie Collins, executive director of the National Engineers Week Foundation. "In our society, computers permeate our daily lives, playing a key role in how we learn, work, communicate, and play. The National Engineers Week Foundation is grateful for Symantec's actions to promote student innovation and creativity in such a critical area."

All eligible entrants will have their submission judged in an identical, automated fashion to ensure that each entrant is on equal footing. No human or subjective judging will take place and the top three entrants will win cash prizes. Symantec employees and contractors and their relatives are ineligible.

The entrant who builds the most efficient and robust virtual organism will win the competition. The first place will receive US $10,000 cash; the second place will receive US $5,000 cash; and the third place will receive US $3,000 cash. All three entrants will win a trip to Symantec's Mountain View, Calif., office to meet with Mark Bregman, Symantec chief technology officer, and Carey Nachenberg, Symantec fellow and chief architect with Symantec Research Labs.

For information, eligibility requirements, and the official rules regarding Symantec's Programming Competition, please visit http://www.symantec.com/specprog/university/. Applicants must submit their entry via email; competition materials, judging criteria, and complete submission instructions will be available at http://www.symantec.com/specprog/university/ beginning on Feb. 22, 2006, at noon Pacific Standard Time. All entries must be received by noon Pacific Standard Time on March 1, 2006. Only one submission per individual entrant is permitted and team entries will not be accepted.

:: Netwoman 6:09 PM [+] ::
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New Initiative Will Empower Women on the Web

February 9, 2006, OTTAWA: Womenspace announces the virtual launch of Womyn's Voices, an innovative initiative centered around women and ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies).

"Given the dramatic under-representation of women on the internet, we want to provide a virtual space for active engagement and consultation on issues like violence and exploitation of women," says Kathy Marshall, project coordinator for Womyn's Voices and Executive Director of Womenspace.

A leader in the promotion of women's participation in information and communication technology, Womenspace launches Womyn's Voices as a portal to an interactive set of web-based resources, offering cutting edge feminist analysis and information on women's equality and ICT issues.

"This ground-breaking initiative will link women together on the web, connect them to resources and ideas, and provide a safe virtual space where we can examine and discuss equality issues affected by ICTs," says Marshall.

A key project objective is to build women's capacity to engage with ICTs in a savvy way. The project aims to enshrine women's equality perspectives in strategies for new and emerging ICT issues, policies, and programs.

The hub for "Womyn's Voices" is www.womynsvoices.ca - an active and INTERactive website where women and equality-seeking women's organizations can gather, collaborate, and learn.

Concurrent with the launch of womynsvoices.ca is FemmeVox, a bi-monthly bilingual e-zine with pan-Canadian distribution that will offer the latest in news and resources regarding ICTs and the Womyn's Voices project.

Womenspace is a Canadian non-profit that promotes women's participation in ICTs through development of online resources, research, education, and initiatives that support the use of the internet for women's equality.

Womenspace believes inclusive access, peer networking, and creative use of communication technologies are powerful vehicles for social equality.

:: Netwoman 11:40 AM [+] ::
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Bionic Woman Fembot
Originally uploaded by Netwoman.

The Bionic Woman - Early Fembot
From Anne - a reminder of one of my favourite shows when I was a child.

The Bionic Woman was my earliest affiliation to a Cyborg. While I thought the Six Million Dollar Man was pretty funky, it was Lindsay Wagner in the Bionic Woman that I could really identify with. She was one my idols (I've mentioned this before) and she helped shape and change my perceptions of technology, and helped me form my own relationship with gender and technology.

Who knew that 30 years later I would be studying this stuff. Thinking back, there were a lot of early indicators of my eventual life path in technological academia!

:: Netwoman 1:53 PM [+] ::
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Women who inspire me Part 3

Each suburban wife struggled with it alone. As she made the beds, shopped for groceries, matched slipcover material, ate peanut butter sandwiches with her children, chauffered Cub Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her husband at night — she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question — "Is this all?"

Betty Friedan, philosopher of modern-day feminism, dies
Saturday, February 4, 2006; Posted: 11:15 p.m. EST (04:15 GMT)
Feminist author Betty Friedan died Saturday at 85.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Betty Friedan, whose manifesto "The Feminine Mystique" became a best seller in the 1960s and laid the groundwork for the modern feminist movement, died Saturday, her birthday. She was 85.

While Friedan was a Liberal feminist, her ideas sparked the second wave of feminism in the United States. She identified the "problem with no name" that many women in the suburbs were feeling, but couldn't quite put their finger on it. At a time when women were encouraged to re-populate (after World War II), and become homemakers to the 'real' labourers of society (men), Friedan legitmized women's feelings of isolation, loneliness and 'false consciousness'. The 'Feminine Mystique' illustrated that women's natural and biological functions in society are in fact socially produced expectations. This book situated the domestic division of labour, and family ideologies as part of a systemic issue - one that marginalized women.

I remember when I first read this book (despite some obvious gaps), I thought how this book must have had women nodding their heads in agreement. I thought about how relieved many of these women must have been when they read Friedan's words - that it was ok to feel like you'd been ripped off, it was ok to feel unhappy about their social situation - and above all, that they could do something about it.

She inspired me. She showed me that the mundane tasks of everyday life can be problematized and that there is much more going on then what we 'see'. Thank you Betty.

:: Netwoman 11:32 AM [+] ::
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The Online Generation
Looks like Microsoft has the right idea, and recognizes the next wave, or shift in Console gaming.
Online console gaming primed for take-off

A new generation of game consoles is ushering in online features that promise to make playing with others over the Internet easier and more compelling than sitting on the couch and playing solo or with a friend.

Game enthusiasts say Microsoft Corp's Xbox Live online game service has gained share with help from its blockbuster game "Halo 2" as well as its new Xbox 360 console. The service offers multiplayer competition and skill-matching, voice and text chat, buddy lists and shopping -- all key pillars of online gaming.

"The difference between online and offline play will disappear," predicted Chris Donahue, director of Windows graphics and gaming technologies at Microsoft.

:: Netwoman 11:48 AM [+] ::
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Fantastic Four
I usually don't post things that are too personal on this blog, but Swirlspice has a meme going, and since four is my lucky number, I'm going to play along:

Four jobs you've had in your life:
1. Grocery cashier
2. Cosmetician
3. Art Teacher
4. Retail District Supervisor (fashion)

Four movies you could watch over and over:
1. Frequency
2. The Matrix
3. Hackers
4. Alien (any of them)

Four places you've lived:
1. Windsor, ON
2. Montreal
3. Markdale, ON
4. Germany

Four places you've been on vacation:
1. St. Lucia
2. Mexico
3. Cuba
4. Las Vegas

Four blogs you visit daily:
1. Culture Cat
2. Terra Nova
3. Apophenia
4. My own - Netwoman

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Pad Thai
2. Sushi
3. Popcorn
4. Coffee (is that a food?)

Four places you'd rather be:
1. Las Vegas
2. Arizona
3. Anywhere warm without snow & ice rain
4. Room 240 - Defending my dissertation

Four albums you can't live without:
1. Anything Nelly
2. Anything Missy Elliot
3. This is harder than I thought - do people still listen to & purchase full CDs?
4. How about a genre I can't live without - Hip Hop & Rap

Four vehicles you've owned:
1. VW Rabbit
2. Neon
3. Pontiac Sunfire GT
4. Mazda RX7

There you have it - tid-bits about Netwoman.

:: Netwoman 11:19 AM [+] ::
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Blogging Behind Bars
I've long been interested in the use of the internet from prison; how it's being used and why. I haven't seen much research regarding this (so if you want to write a grant proposal with me - email me!), but apparently the Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty (CCDA) maintains about 500 webpages for inmates across the world. Here is their note about it:

The CCADP is pleased to provide free webpages to death row prisoners. Information on the prisoner webpages is provided by the individual prisoner and his or her supporters. The CCADP has not investigated or verified the information provided on the pages. We are providing this space to the prisoners so they have the opportunity to be heard in a public forum. We invite you to further investigate these cases - both by contacting the prisoner or supporters for more information, and by seeking out other materials available online.

Of course the whole notion of "public forum" is interesting in itself - do people even know this exists? If you're over 18, you can become an penpal too.

I just stumbled on this media article:

A Death Row Blogger's Advice for Life
By Eric Rich
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2006; Page B01

As Vernon Evans sat in his cell on Maryland's death row last spring, he had more to ponder than his own execution.

There was the lonely Brazilian who needed his advice, and a fellow from the District whose question deserved a reply, and a global audience tuned in to the wisdom of a man whose life was on the wane.

Evans was blogging from behind bars.

Vernon Lee Evans Jr. -- amateur advice columnist and convicted murderer -- is scheduled to die next month by lethal injection. He is one of the very few death row inmates to have a blog and, activists say, perhaps the only condemned man worldwide to use a blog to take questions from readers.

You can read Vernon's blog HERE and if you're interested, you can check out inmate webpages HERE. Here's what the message says:

Death row inmates are alone in a cell 23 hours out of every day. Often the highlight of their day is when they receive mail, a brief reprieve from the outside world in an otherwise lonely and isolated existence. A few words, a postcard, and the fact that you took a moment to write can mean a great deal. You can make a difference. The CCADP encourages you to write. Don't prejudge. You may be surprised, and make a good friend !

It's a lot to digest, but the whole process fascinates me. I think a content analysis of inmate webpages would be interesting, as well as interviewing inmates (via email) about their use of the internet.

One might argue that in prison, one should be confined to the walls of the prison, cut off from the population. Doesn't using the internet breach this? It certainly calls into question the old public/private debates - but in a new light.

thoughts?

:: Netwoman 7:09 PM [+] ::
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Tech Literacy in Teens
New Exam Aims to Measure Tech 'Literacy'
By JUSTIN POPE, AP Education Writer Thu Feb 2, 7:43 PM ET

When it comes to downloading music and instant messaging, today's students are plenty tech-savvy. But that doesn't mean they know how to make good use of the endless stream of information that computers put at their fingertips.
ADVERTISEMENT

Educators and employers call those skills "technology literacy," and while everyone agrees it's important to have, it also is difficult to measure.

Now a test that some high school students will begin taking this year could help.

The ICT Literacy Assessment touches on traditional skills, such as analytical reading and math, but with a technological twist. Test-takers, for instance, may be asked to query a database, compose an e-mail based on their research, or seek information on the Internet and decide how reliable it is.

The test's initials stand for "Information and Communication Technology," and a version is already used by some colleges. On Friday, the nonprofit Educational Testing Service plans to announce details of a new version that some high school and first- and second-year college students will begin taking this spring.

ETS also designs and administers the SAT, but says this isn't designed as an admissions test. Rather, the goal is to show schools whether their students know how to use technology effectively and responsibly.

But the exam may prove difficult to sell to schools in an era of tight budgets and concern about over-testing. And "technology literacy" skills aren't as precisely testable as, say, geometry.

Still, Princeton, N.J.-based ETS says educators increasingly recognize the "three 'r's" have to be mastered not just on paper but also as part of the tech-heavy 21st-century workplace. Education officials in at least two states — Texas and West Virginia — are monitoring early results to see if the test would be useful.

"Students know how do a lot of things with their iPod, but what is the educational value of accessing a lot of information?" said Anita Givens, senior director for instructional materials and educational technology at the Texas Education Agency, which is also considering whether the test could help evaluate teachers. "Having a lot of information at your fingertips is like going to the library and not reading anything."

Students will receive an individual score on a point scale of 400 to 700, and schools will get reports showing how students fare in seven core skills: defining, accessing, managing, integrating, evaluating, creating and communicating information.

The new "core" version that will be sold to high schools can be taken in a school computer lab over about 75 minutes and consists of 14 short tasks, lasting three to five minutes each, and one longer task of about 15 minutes. Students may be asked, for example, to determine what variables should go where in assembling a graph, and then use a simple program to create it. They could also be asked to research a topic on the Web and evaluate the authoritativeness of what they find.

Students "really do know how to use the technology," said Dolores Gwaltney, library media specialist at Thurston High School in Redford, Mich., one of a handful of high school trial sites for the test over the next few weeks. "But they aren't always careful in evaluating. They go to a source and accept it."

Cassandra Barnett, library media specialist at Fayetteville High School in Arkansas, another trial site, said she can't be sure her district will eventually adopt the test. Tests like the SAT and ACT, integral to college admissions, will always get priority, she said.

But Barnett said she thinks schools increasingly recognize the importance of such skills.

"When our grandparents went to school, there was a finite amount of information," she said. Now, she said, the focus is "not so much that I have to learn everything there is to learn, but now I need to learn how to find what I need to know."

I think we will see some interesting results from these tests - perhaps reinforcing recent arguments about the skills (and literacy) divide (see Hargittai). I am also curious to see who is putting this test together, and how they will measure skills and tech aptitude. This also indicates the value that our culture is putting on technology, and the expectation of the required (gendered?) skills needed the knowledge-information society.

:: Netwoman 12:50 AM [+] ::
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New Women Gamers Blog
Much to my delight, I just discovered a new blog called Guilded Lilies, which talks about women who play computer games (among other things):

Guilded Lilies is my newest blog project designed to explore the unique experience of being a grown woman playing computer games. Let's face it, computer gaming is a man's world, or better yet, a boy's world. At this stage in the development of computer games we, as grown women, are still visitors in a strange land. Most of us like it there, like it enough to spend hours at our computer monitors every week, so this is not about complaining. Perhaps like me though, you have found yourself wondering about these fantasy worlds created, for the most part, from an entirely male perspective.

There's a useful tid-bit of information reflecting typical masculine discourse in the gaming industry. GL points to an editorial column about hardware in PC Gamer magazine

". . . this rig is so damn beautiful, I just wanted to make it dinner and run it a hot bath. But only a fool rushes into a relationship based on looks and specs alone; first, you've gotta make sure it puts out."

Yikes! If that ain't sexist, I don't know what is. I've never referred to my hardware like this (not surprising). All I have to say in response to this (male) discourse is - size does matter.

:: Netwoman 9:55 PM [+] ::
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UMBC center makes sure women have a place at IT table

Here is an article that was sent to me via list-serv from Claudia Morrell - Executive Director, CWIT. Unfortunaly, I can't find the URL for this article.

February 3, 2006
Females an untapped resource in technology
Stereotypes are standing in the way of progress in computer sciences.

'Women don't feel welcome in the field' of information technology, says Claudia Morrell, executive director of the Center for Women and Information Technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Photo by Max Franz

Outdated ideas of what women can, should and even want to do mean fewer and fewer women are entering the area of expertise.

"Women don’t feel welcome in the field," said industry observer Claudia Morrell. "They don’t feel comfortable."

Morrell is the executive director of the Center for Women and Information Technology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The center was founded in 1998 to help confront and combat this growing trend.

According to the center, women accounted for nearly 36 percent of all computer-science degrees in the United States in 1984. That number dropped to about 28 percent in 1994. At the undergraduate level, women accounted for about 19 percent of the degrees in 2000 and dipped to 17 percent in 2004.

Not good for a group that, overall, receives "more than half of all bachelor-level degrees awarded," according to the center’s Web site. What's more, a look around at the computer-sciences pipeline — the university students taking classes today — gives every indication that number will continue to decline, Morrell said.

The problems

Morrell cited a number of possible explanations for this trend, as well as a number of possible ways to begin to turn it around.

First, there is gender bias. Many areas of the economy still suffer from the old "boys club mentality", where men have their men things, and women have their women things. This anachronism has been beaten out of a number of fields, she said, but still exists in many areas of the computer sciences world.

Morrell pointed toward the defense industry, which accounts for a great deal of the U.S. computer-sciences work and advancements, yet whose ties to the military also mean it is susceptible to the "boys club" way of thinking.

However, she was quick to note that companies such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Booz Allen Hamilton work closely with the center and have made "significant advancements" to root out and remove these old ways of thinking.

Second is that early exposure to computers is too often through games which are themselves grounded in stereotypes, Morrell said. While it is certainly not the case that no young girls want to play action and adventure games, there is no question that such games are marketed more toward young boys.

The solution, she said, is to create games with no gender focus. She points to classic, family-friendly games such as Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit, or to more recent life simulators such as "The Sims."

"Frankly, there is more diversity within gender than there is between gender," Morrell said.

Also in line with the problems with early exposure are all the studies showing how boys tend to dominate class discussion and participation early in school careers. She said teachers at all levels need to work harder to engage girls early and to show them all the possibilities of computer sciences. Get them early and you can get them interested.

Third, she said, is the issue that faces women across all fields: Many women choose to leave their careers for several years to start a family. In some fields they can come back and start right where they left off, but the nature of the computer sciences makes returning difficult.

"Technology is one of the fields that matures faster than others," Morrell said. The industry moves so fast it is sometimes easier for women to start fresh in a new field rather than go through the extensive training to catch up on the years of advancements they missed.

And fourth, as there are fewer women currently working in computer sciences, there are fewer role models for girls and women who might consider entering the field. The trends indicate a sort of vicious cycle leading to less and less representation.

Finding answers

Morrell said the center focuses on four key areas in its work to advance the role of women in the computer sciences: K-12 education, the college and university level, work force retention and work force advancement. The center has a number of programs that target girls and women at these levels.

For school-age girls the center offers programs such as Enhancing Science & Technology Education & Exploration Mentoring, or ESTEEM, an after-school and summer program that targets middle-school children.

Morrell said the hands-on training helps get girls interested early, so by the time they enter college they are already comfortable in the subject and won’t allow outdated ideas of gender roles to stand in their way. Along the same lines, the center has programs such as Computer Mania Day. Last year more than 700 middle-school students — mostly girls — spent the day at UMBC getting to know the world of computers, she said.

The center also runs the CWIT Scholars Program, a “merit scholarship program for talented undergraduates majoring in computer science, computer engineering, information systems, or a related program” at the university, according to its Web site. The program offers four-year scholarships for up to the full cost of tuition. Morrell noted that the scholarship is open to men but the center focuses its efforts on bringing women into the field.

Then there is the ACTiVATE program, a technology transfer program that takes mid-career women and teaches them the entrepreneurial skills to move technology out of federal laboratories and into new, successful businesses. Morrell said the program currently has approximately 100 applications for the 30 spots available in its next class, and that it expects to start as many as five new businesses in the coming year.

Competitiveness

Then again — does it matter? What is the problem if fewer women want to enter the computer sciences field?

The problem, Morrell says, is that too many women are making the decision to stay away because of the flaws in the system. If women know all the possibilities available in the field of computer sciences, then decide to pursue something else, that’s perfectly fine. She just wants to make sure they are making an informed decision.

Morrell said the decline in the number of women in computer sciences is also a problem for the technology industry. It’s a global marketplace now, she said. Maryland isn't just competing with Massachusetts and California, but with every advancing country on earth.

Fifty-one percent of the population and 45 percent of the U.S. work force are female, yet by percentage they remain underrepresented in the technology fields. For example, a 2003 report from the American Association for the Advancement of Science found that while white women constituted 35 percent of the work force, they only accounted for about 15 percent of the “science, engineering and technology” positions. These will be among the fastest-growing positions in Maryland — and the nation — over the next several years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

If Maryland and the United States want to be competitive, then they need to be able to tap into all their resources and make sure women get the opportunity to contribute, Morrell said.

"By eliminating half of our work force from the pool, we will always face that challenge," she said.

Maryland and the United States "cannot make significant progress without addressing the significant decline in women" in the computer sciences.

:: Netwoman 11:04 AM [+] ::
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