It's Time To Apply For Outreachy Winter 2015

[phoronix]

Phoronix: It's Time To Apply For Outreachy Winter 2015

There's less than two weeks ago for those identifying as women or belonging to certain ethnic groups within the United States to apply for this winter's Outreachy program to get paid to be involved with free/open-source software communities...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Outreachy-W2015-Apply

[L_A_G]

It's a bit odd that the part aimed to increase the ethical diversity only applies to people living in the U.S.

If those who identify as women can apply from anywhere in the world, why can't people of color apply from anywhere in the world? Are people of color in the U.S somehow more worthy of these internships than people of color elsewhere? If women all over the world can apply, why can't people of color from all over the world?

Then again we are talking about an American run program here so it's probably just Americans doing what they do best, i.e only care about themselves and nobody else. Actually make that second best, reaping death and destruction is what Americans do best.

[FireBurn]

Oh dear, I'm sure it won't be long before the forms are buzzing with misogynist rants. We've already had an American one.

[L_A_G]

Oh dear, I'm sure it won't be long before the forms are buzzing with misogynist rants. We've already had an American one.

I see we have the first of the usual "All criticism of modern day feminism is misogyny"-posts.

[nirvanix]

"misogynist rants". Hmm, somebody was raised by lesbians.

I'm always miffed by special interest groups that complain they're being singled out because of their race/gender orientation differences, but when they're getting singled out for exceptional treatment like this program the complaining suddenly evaporates.

[FireBurn]

I see we have the first of the usual "All criticism of modern day feminism is misogyny"-posts.

That isn't what I said at all, but if you have read the post on here you'll hopefully understand why some woman wouldn't want to be involved in the forums here or opensource in general. This has got nothing to do with not being able to accept technical criticism and everything to do with a bad attitude towards woman and minorities (remember woman aren't a minority but are in Tech) and seem to feel threatened then they're told it's unacceptable.

Who do so many on here think it's OK to dish out criticism saying it's part of the culture, whilst being unable to accept criticism themselves

[FireBurn]

"misogynist rants". Hmm, somebody was raised by lesbians.

I'm always miffed by special interest groups that complain they're being singled out because of their race/gender orientation differences, but when they're getting singled out for exceptional treatment like this program the complaining suddenly evaporates.

Hmm I think you've proved my point. No I wasn't raised by lesbians. I'm friends with lesbians who have kids and I have friends who were raised by lesbians and I'm really not sure what that really has to do with anything. The fact that you raised it, whilst complaining that programmes such as Outreachery exist, proves exactly why they're needed.

The sooner straight, white males realsise they have life that little bit easier the sooner we can fix it.

There was a good blog that tried to explain it, that life was a computer game and playing as a straight while male was "easy" mode and non-straight non-white non-male was playing on "extra hard" mode. Making clear that the came could be completed in either mode.

I'm not sure this is the original: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/1...ting-there-is/

[kaprikawn]

"misogynist rants". Hmm, somebody was raised by lesbians.

Lewis's law :

The comments on any article about feminism justify feminism

[L_A_G]

That isn't what I said at all, but if you have read the post on here you'll hopefully understand why some woman wouldn't want to be involved in the forums here or opensource in general. This has got nothing to do with not being able to accept technical criticism and everything to do with a bad attitude towards woman and minorities (remember woman aren't a minority but are in Tech) and seem to feel threatened then they're told it's unacceptable.

Who do so many on here think it's OK to dish out criticism saying it's part of the culture, whilst being unable to accept criticism themselves

There's a difference between genuinely bad stuff like when Torvalds loses his temper on the mailing lists and starts talking about how people should be retroactively aborted and when he just makes harmless jokes about Linux kernel developers living in their mothers' basements. The former is generally considered unacceptable and they've genuinely clamped down on that. Last time something like that happened on the Linux kernel mailing lists was a little over 2 years ago. However despite clamping down on the genuinely bad stuff we still have people like Sarah Sharp going on about how uninviting Open Source is and getting upset over jokes like the one about kernel developers living in their mothers' basement (she's actually done just that on the Linux kernel mailing list)

These days with all the feminist talk about Open Source being hostile towards women and people of color I have a hunch that this is actually the main thing driving away women and people of color, not anything the Open Source movement is actually does. It's basically something of a self fulfilling prophecy and I suppose it fits the feminists just fine as they can continue to complain about Open Source not being inviting to women despite Open Source trying to do just that.

As for not being receptive of criticism, you do know how something called "a dialogue" works? It's generally a back-and-forth rather than one side always getting whatever it wants.

[NerdTaco]

Hmm I think you've proved my point. No I wasn't raised by lesbians. I'm friends with lesbians who have kids and I have friends who were raised by lesbians and I'm really not sure what that really has to do with anything. The fact that you raised it, whilst complaining that programmes such as Outreachery exist, proves exactly why they're needed.

The sooner straight, white males realsise they have life that little bit easier the sooner we can fix it.

There was a good blog that tried to explain it, that life was a computer game and playing as a straight while male was "easy" mode and non-straight non-white non-male was playing on "extra hard" mode. Making clear that the came could be completed in either mode.

I'm not sure this is the original: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/1...ting-there-is/

I really feel that we need some other view in this whole debate. I really don't have a problem (nor am I in any way against) talented individuals who aren't properly represented to be able to contribute to the community at large, but my main problems with Outreacy is that it isn't about getting these talented individuals contributing, its more about the social issues. There is also the fact that a long time kernel developer who was known for stirring stuff up in the LKML also recently stepped up into a high position within Outreachy, but thats a whole other issue.

My problems with this program aren't about race, or gender, or sexual orientation, because they are irrelevant; its about this programs failure to keep talented underrepresented developers to keep moving stuff forward. Id much rather we focus on getting people who know what they are doing into these projects than just focusing on who they are.

As for that final comment, this really just assumes every single straight white male gets a free pass and drifts by in life without struggles. We all have struggles of our own, so lets not downplay what others have gone through for your own sake. Stereotyping a group really doesn't make you any better than the groups you are trying to criticize.