Dear Women Java Posse Listeners, Are you out there? Am I the only one? Can't be true.
I'm wondering why no other women Java programmers have attended the Java Posse Roundup in years past. This year, I suspect that the Roundup will sell out, at 70 attendees, but once again, I may be the only female attendee. Am I to believe that our numbers are 70:1 in Java development? Or is it that the remote location for the Roundup (in Crested Butte, CO) preselects against women? Or is March just a bad time? Something else? Once again, I will have (two) bathrooms to myself at the conference location. When sessions are recorded, it will be obvious when I speak up because mine will be the only female voice on the recording. And once again, I will wonder why there are no other women at this top- notch technical event. The event really is quite welcoming to all, and an amazing experience. I've learned a lot at each one of the 2 previous events, and I'm really looking forward to this one. The other attendees are very fun, engaging, and interesting conversations are to be had everywhere. The .NET conferences and Python conferences that I've attended have had other women. I've heard that the Ruby conference has a nice following of women. So why not Java? Is JavaOne similarly under- represented? If it's the skiing, don't let that stop you! Honestly, many of the men don't ski either! I honestly dislike downhill skiing. Each year, I've found a group of people who wanted to learn to x-c ski and we've gone out together on the trails. And last year, one afternoon, I stayed back to work on some code with some of the other attendees. If you're worried that it's a conference as an excuse to ski, it's not like that at all ... instead people are together (by choice) pretty much from 8 am til 10 or 11 pm each day, with VERY little of that time on the ski hill. Honestly, at other conferences, I've seen more time spent at bars than people spend skiing at the Java Posse Roundup. Groups form even when sessions are not ongoing and conversations or coding happens. The evening lightning talks are open to everyone (including spouses). It's really an incredible learning event. I have to believe that there are female Java Posse listeners out there. I just wish I understood why you don't attend conferences! Please comment (or email me). And if you're a man with a female Java programmer coworker, feel free to comment as well. I'm curious ... . Better yet: join us. March 3-6 in Crested Butte, with March 2 as an optional Alternative Languages day. Dianne --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/javaposse?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
