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Ada Lovelace Day
Oct. 7th, 2011 12:36 pmHappy Ada Lovelace Day! What is Ada Lovelace Day? Basically it's about celebrating and promoting women in science and technology ... Suw can tell you more.
Part of the goal of the day is to get people to post blog entries about women in science and/or technology who have inspired them ... I think perhaps the fact that I can think of no especially inspiring woman in these fields, in my own life, says as much about the gender imbalance* as does other people's naming them.
Then again, for most of my childhood I was certain that when I grew up I would be a scientist. I can't ever recall thinking that it this was not an OK career choice for a girl, or indeed that the shape of my genitalia had anything to do with what I could or could not do with my life.** Apparently I was capable of arriving at this decision without any sort of female role model. Does this mean that feminism has succeeded and up-and-coming generations are generally incognisant of gender barriers? Or does it just heap more evidence on the argument that I did what I liked without caring what was 'suitable' or what other people thought of me?
That is all inconsequential! What really matters is that the intelligent and talented Sydney Padua has released an iPad App for her absolutely fantabulous Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace & Babbage. It looks super cool! I cannot attest to this first-hand as I do not have an iPad, but this app is so far the only thing to make me sort of consider thinking about wanting one, which should be evidence enough of its worth. Speaking of worth: IT'S FREE! Well, the first comic is, anyway; the second, full-length one is £1.99.
*or perhaps my memory
**besides obvious things like 'pee without undressing' or 'have a hysterectomy', but these are not what one commonly thinks of as 'life goals.'
Part of the goal of the day is to get people to post blog entries about women in science and/or technology who have inspired them ... I think perhaps the fact that I can think of no especially inspiring woman in these fields, in my own life, says as much about the gender imbalance* as does other people's naming them.
Then again, for most of my childhood I was certain that when I grew up I would be a scientist. I can't ever recall thinking that it this was not an OK career choice for a girl, or indeed that the shape of my genitalia had anything to do with what I could or could not do with my life.** Apparently I was capable of arriving at this decision without any sort of female role model. Does this mean that feminism has succeeded and up-and-coming generations are generally incognisant of gender barriers? Or does it just heap more evidence on the argument that I did what I liked without caring what was 'suitable' or what other people thought of me?
That is all inconsequential! What really matters is that the intelligent and talented Sydney Padua has released an iPad App for her absolutely fantabulous Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace & Babbage. It looks super cool! I cannot attest to this first-hand as I do not have an iPad, but this app is so far the only thing to make me sort of consider thinking about wanting one, which should be evidence enough of its worth. Speaking of worth: IT'S FREE! Well, the first comic is, anyway; the second, full-length one is £1.99.
*or perhaps my memory
**besides obvious things like 'pee without undressing' or 'have a hysterectomy', but these are not what one commonly thinks of as 'life goals.'
