Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

adainitiative.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 181 posts

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#51

Post by archon »

steveklabnik wrote: post #24
archon wrote: post #5

> This reluctance has good reasons behind it: fear of being told they are bad programmers, fear of being publicly mocked or harassed, and even fear of losing job opportunities. All of these are greater risks for women on average than men. [Citation needed] Edit, to expand on the kneejerk reaction: I find it difficult to accept the premise that this is a female-only problem. I've been reluctant to post my code before…

> I find it difficult to accept the premise that this is a female-only problem. It doesn't need to be a woman-only problem. It just needs to affect women disproportionately. Scratch that, it doesn't need to be _anything_. Giving free repos to _anyone_ does no harm to anyone who's not getting them, so the only thing this does is help a group of people. Now, you may argue that GitHub should be helping a specific group…

Yeah, I could have worded my objection better. I'm not doubting that the rather brutal nature of OSS is a problem for both men and women. I'm just skeptical that it affects women disproportionately.

If you say "getting your code ripped to shreds in public sucks," I'd wholeheartedly agree with you. If you say "getting your code ripped to shreds in public as a woman sucks more," that's where I get skeptical. And if that's the case, why is it a bigger problem for women?

Note that I'm not arguing against GitHub giving private repos to whomever they please. They can sponsor who they like. I was just looking for some explanation of that "women are more affected by this than men" claim.

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#52

Post by rdouble »

bdg wrote: post #49
Voidkom wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Females as a noun is used to refer to lower animals, I believe you mean women.

Source? Right now that's just reading like a baseless claim and it sounds ridiculous to me that "females" is derogatory. I've never heard of such a claim before in my entire life.

Pretty much only creeps refer to women as females.

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#53

Post by jcoder »

TomaszZielinski wrote: post #36
jcoder wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope, just giving support to a demographic that they'd like to see growth in. It's what smart companies do.

You mean you would support them as much if they supported white males with blond hair ?

Annnnnnd we've gone full Godwin in less than an hour! Nice work, HN. Hit the showers.

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#54

Post by eridius »

anoncow wrote: post #29

How do female programmers differ from male programmers? I find this offensive. There are better ways to help promote programming among women. Equal salaries for starters could be a real equaliser.

Yes, I too am offended that an organization would dare donate anything to the Ada Initiative. Since we obviously live in a post-sexist egalitarian society, any sort of donation to one organization is clearly discriminatory against those not part of or benefitting from the organization!

I'm pretty damn sure GitHub can't affect the salaries of women that aren't direct employees of them. In what way does GitHub doing what it can do, which is donate to an organization like the Ada Initiative, cause offense?

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#55

Post by pifflesnort »

Voidkom wrote: post #26
archon wrote: post #5

> This reluctance has good reasons behind it: fear of being told they are bad programmers, fear of being publicly mocked or harassed, and even fear of losing job opportunities. All of these are greater risks for women on average than men. [Citation needed] Edit, to expand on the kneejerk reaction: I find it difficult to accept the premise that this is a female-only problem. I've been reluctant to post my code before…

Females as a noun is used to refer to lower animals, I believe you mean women.

In a conversation that's already quite likely to run off the rails, playing a one-sided vocabulary shaming game is unlikely to improve the dialogue.

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#56

Post by alxp »

seivan wrote: post #37

What about LGBTQ, what about transgendered? Does this only apply to cis-females? So if this is a demographic Github wants to see an increase in, does this mean they don't care enough about others?

An advocacy group for other minorities in tech probably just got a great idea of something they can lobby for themselves, and are very thankful to the Ada Initiative for the idea.

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#57

Post by raganwald »

Pewpewarrows wrote: post #48
raganwald wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

HN often takes the collective position that businesses should be able to discriminate as they see fit, to do business with whom they see fit, and to set prices (e.g. other threads about "price gouging") as they see fit. Perhaps Github is merely a business doing as they see fit?

There's a difference between HN believing that businesses should legally be allowed to do all of the above, and HN believing that it's socially / morally wrong to do any of the above. (Note that this is merely a reply to your comment in a vacuum, and shouldn't be construed as me supporting either "side" in this thread.)

My statement isn't actually supporting either side of this thread either, just pointing out that their behaviour seems quite consistent with the things HN has vocally defended with all the zeal of a college freshman who has just discovered "Atlas Shrugged."

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#59

Post by hnewser1 »

clintonc wrote: post #3

I'm actually pretty angry about this. A much better plan would have been to offer free private repositories to any not-for-profit entity. Offering exclusively to women seems, to me, discriminatory. Edit: Reading the article more closely, I'm not as bothered as as I was. Technically, Github granted unlimited private repositories to the Ada organization, who (I suppose) delegates their use to its members. It's not as t…

you are angry? lol. how dare they make you angry? take a breathe, turn-off your computer and get out. come back when you grow up.

Re: GitHub donates private repositories to women learning open source software

#60

Post by bdg »

Voidkom wrote: post #19

For those crying sexism, go take a look at the amount of women in the business, now THAT's what sexism looks like.

You haven't demonstrated sexism, simply numbers. This is like saying child and youth workers (or any other female dominated roll) is sexist towards men.
Post reply on HN