There is an assumption that businesspeople are smart, and the bigger the business, the smarter they are. This is so not true as has been demonstrated time and again, and in this particular rant, as demonstrated by the New York Times.

I was surfing Salon.com, and being a cheapskate, I used the “Free Day Pass.” Watch an ad, then enter the site. Not a bad deal, and one of their main advertisers is my favorite bookstore, Powell’s. So I often click on the ad and purchase too many books. Today’s ad was an offer to receive a downloadable edition of the New York Times. It has the same look and page layout as the printed version. You can download it to read offline at your leisure, and have it delivered every day like a “real” newspaper. That sounded like a cool deal, so I clicked on the ad to give it a try.

It took a fair bit of digging to find out that it requires Windows and Internet Explorer. This is not mentioned up front- in fact they take pains to make it sound like it works on any PC. You may read it in Netscape, but the reader software requires IE .dlls.

Why are businesses so extremely clueless when it comes to computers? The same managers that argue over the price of paper clips and Post-Its blithely sign software “licensing” agreements that cost them gazillions, and give “permission” for invasive “license audits” that they must pay for, and they don’t even get a warranty or assumption of any kind of vendor responsibility in return. This particular deal must have been expensive to develop and implement- you’d think someone would ask, before they spent all kinds of money, if it would work for everyone just like a printed newspaper?

There is no shortage of cross-platform data formats. The whole point of the Web is universal availability. The New York Times (or any other business), by requiring the customer to use Windows/Internet Explorer demonstrates that:

1. They have a callous and inexcusible disregard for their customer’s PC security
2. They have zero concern for the users of other computing platforms. Yeah, we’ve all heard that “Windows owns 95% of the desktop PCs. ” I do not believe it. Linux and Apple alone account for far more than 5% of desktop users. My own guesstimate is at least 10%, and outside the US it’s a lot higher. And it’s pointless to exclude anyone in any case (see “no shortage of cross-platform data formats,” above.)

My money goes to businesses who don’t require the use of the most insecure computing platform on the planet, and who do not erect barriers to my being a customer.

Related link: http://bratgrrl.com/authorsbb/

I made a brand-new online forum for technical writers and wannabe technical writers to hang out in. Come share your successes and frustrations. Give and get encouragement. Talk shop with people who most likely will not be bored and yawn in your face! If you make any part of your living from writing, this is your home away from home.

Sometimes it is difficult being a woman in IT. Even I, even tuff old cranky yet charming me, have encountered some pretty crappy treatment just for the crime of being female.

The good news is the tech world is full of really cool, smart people, if you know where to find them. For me, online communities have been a lifesaver. I remember when I first went online back in 1995, with Netscape 1.0 and Pine. Suddenly, I had a 2400 B/ps window to the entire world! It was a real thrill to talk to people all over the planet. Now I live in a rural area, where I am the only geek for miles, so my online hangouts are vital for my mental health and professional development. I can’t be the only geek who gets tired of hearing “ew, computers scare me!” Just gotta have folks to talk shop with.

Linuxchix is a great community. There are but two rules: Be polite. Be helpful. Linuxchix has a number of different-purpose mailing lists: Techtalk, Newchix, Kernelchix, Programming, Courses, and some social lists. There are also a number of Linuxchix chapters where you can get together with real live Linuxchix, in the flesh.

WorldWIT, Women In Technology. For women in business and technology.

WITI, Women in Technology International. For women technology professionals.

WomenGamers. Because women do play!

Webgrrls. As the web site says, “Webgrrls International provides a forum for women in or interested in new media and technology to network, exchange job and business leads, form strategic alliances, mentor and teach, intern and learn the skills to help women succeed in an increasingly technical workplace and world.”

A brand-new group for women interested in becoming Debian maintainers, or participating in other ways, such as bug fixing, writing documentation, assisting non-native English speakers, and such, has started up: Debian-Women. The Debian project is large, complex, and not always the friendliest, so it can be rather daunting for a newcomer to find a niche. Debian-Women was formed to encourage and support women and girls to participate in Debian, and in high-tech.

I encourage all women in tech to be more visible. Visibility is everything. You don’t have to be doing anything spectacular, like curing the common cold or making world peace or doing protest marches or burning your undergarments. Just letting folks know you are there is a big encouragement for girls considering tech careers, and women already in tech careers.

What are your favorite resources for women in tech?