Another Y2K Sociology Question

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In keeping with Ken Decker's interesting start to the sociology of Y2K....

One of things that struck me when I first started visiting Y2K forums was the large number of female posters. From what I've read, females represent about 25%-30% of internet users yet, from my completely unscientific count, I'd estimate that females represent at least 50% of the postings on Y2K. So, what's the deal? Are there females who became net users specifically because of Y2K? Did this issue set off alarm bells that had some unique meaning to females?

I'll be interested to read the responses.

-- Jim Cooke (JJCooke@yahoo.com), March 07, 2000

Answers

Uh, we're responsible for maintaining most of the JIT items in the household, oh, and that mama bear instinct thingy, too.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), March 07, 2000.

I got into it with about 5 other computer programmers who branched off a technology forum to start a Y2k board for remediators. Once the general public got involved, I followed the topic. Speculation and misinformation were RAMPANT on the internet. I knew about TB2000, but had heard it was NOT a forum wherein ... well...let's just say I didn't hear good things about it from those who had visited previously. I checked it out in June of 1999. I'm quite sure my first post here was a correction of misinformation. TB2000 pointed me to the Debunker forum. The rest is history.

-- Anita (notgiving@anymore.thingee), March 07, 2000.

1. Women are well represented in the programming profession, and this site attracted a lot of programmers.

2. I suspect not all of the female names belong to actual females.

-- kermit (colourmegreen@hotmail.com), March 07, 2000.


If asked, I would have guessed only 25 percent of the Y2K regulars were female. In truth, I thought one of the fixations of Y2K was the "traditional" male desire for gadgets, equipment and other "stuff." The more "serious" pessimists (neo-survivalists) seemed mostly male... particularly on any thread involving firearms or home defense. It was, at times, a testosterone rich environment.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), March 07, 2000.

You hit the nail squarely on the head...for me at least.

Dec. 1998, I read a front page article in the Boston Globe about people heading for the hills and such because of Y2K. It was a very pessimistic story.

I needed to find out more...the parental thingee kicked in and I went to the net for more info. So I can honestly say that I became a net user because of Y2K.

Found GNIABFI (Biffy) on Jan.1,1999 and the rest is history.

It was and continues to be a unique learning experience.

-- Peg (pegmcleod@mediaone.net), March 07, 2000.



I'm responsible for maintaining both of my family's home PC's for our medical transcription service. I first heard about Y2K in late July/early August 1999, and did loads of research and prepping - doing everything I could to protect my family's home business and PC's. I started on the MSNBC Y2K board (nods to Dennis and Anita), and gradually ended up here...

-- Deb M. (vmcclell@columbus.rr.com), March 07, 2000.

With business computers to maintain and a home PC, I came to the forums to find reliable answers. Not fiction, but fact. Wanted to hear what the REAL people who were programmers, thought about the Y2K situation, and what their take was.

I don't think the search for information can be considered either "polly or doomer," as research and education are the main ingredients for making an intelligent decision.

This group of people are highly intelligent, and the discussions (not always agreeing) are priceless. The diversity of opinions is a great way to see all sides of the issue, and maintain a healthy balance.

-- suzy (suzy@nowhere.com), March 07, 2000.


PS: This female name does actually belong to a female! A 5-4 inch 108 pound little stick of dynamite!

-- suzy (suzy@nowhere.com), March 07, 2000.

Susy:

I keep telling folks that I'm really a short, fat, bald guy, but nobody believes me.

-- Anita (notgiving@anymore.thingee), March 07, 2000.


Oh Anita, why did you have to say this? Just when I thought I could sign off and go clean the bathroom, you just gotta wind me up! Thought about all the things I could say, but won't, like "Anita, guys don't generally sign off with their "thingee, they usually have other things to do with it!" But I am not going to say that or anything else, and will just sit here and laugh to myself.

-- suzy (suzy@nowhere.com), March 07, 2000.


LOL, Suzy.

I never thought about that. I once used notgiving@anymore.com and the sysops said that .com, .gov, .mil, etc. COULD be valid ISP's, so I had to quickly think of something else. Being one who ALWAYS concentrates on the correct technical term to use [NOT], I just used the term I ALWAYS use to identify the unidentifiable.

[Could I still sell you on the short, bald part?]

-- Anita (notgiving@anymore.thingee), March 07, 2000.


"Could I sell you on the short, bald part?" Probably NOT!

-- suzy (suzy@nowhere.com), March 08, 2000.

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