study of women hackers (fwd)

[Marloth _at__ t-online.de (H. Marloth)]

> ---------- Weitergeleitete Nachricht ----------
> Betreff: study of women hackers
> Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 12:38:37 -0500
> From: "Paul N. Edwards" <pedwards _at__ pcd.stanford.edu>
> Subject: Pre-1985 Women Hackers
>
> I'm a historian of technology. Most of my work concerns the political,
> social, and cultural history of computers and their uses. Members of this
> list may know my book The Closed World: Computers and the Politics of
> Discourse in Cold War America (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1996). More
> information about me is available on WWW at the URL below.
> I'm now working on a historical article about women hackers, based largely
> on email and telephone interviews. The purpose of the article is to
> investigate myths and realities surrounding the role of women in computing,
> especially during the 1960s and 1970s, when most authors have argued that
> hacking was more or less exclusively male. As I've met more and more women
> recently who describe themselves as hackers, I've become interested in the
> particular experiences of the small minority of hackers who were female.
> (NB: I am purposely leaving the definition of the term up to respondents.)
> I'd like to hear from women who fit any of the following categories:
> 1) self-identified hackers;
> 2) women who have had extensive involvement with hacker communities in some
> way, while not necessarily identifying as hackers; and
> 3) women computer professionals who have done serious thinking about the
> gender roles of hackers.
>
> I'm especially (but not exclusively) interested in women whose experience
> dates from the period prior to 1985. I would like to interview as many of
> you as possible, either by telephone, or by email. I've prepared a short
> (but broad) questionnaire that can be the basis for either oral or written
> responses. Interviews can be confidential, if desired.
> I'm also looking for:
> 4) documents relating to women hackers. These might include, for example,
> old email, other correspondence, newsgroup postings, or published
> literature. Again, I'm primarily but not exclusively interested in the
> period before 1985.
> Hope you'll be interested. I will be happy to send you a copy of the
> questionnaire or to interview you by phone. It would also be helpful to
> have names/emails of other women who might be willing to participate.
> Paul
> --
> Paul N. Edwards
> Senior Research Scholar and Lecturer
> Program in Science, Technology, and Society, Stanford University
>      http://www.stanford.edu/group/STS/edwards.html
> Director, Information Technology & Society Project
>      http://www.stanford.edu/group/itsp/
> TEMPORARY ADDRESS, AUGUST 25-DECEMBER 20 1997:
> University of Michigan               (313) 647-8029 (office)
> School of Information                (313) 764-7414 (Residential College)
> 403B West Hall                       (313) 764-2475 (fax)
> 550 East University Ave.
> Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1092
> Email remains the same: pedwards _at__ pcd.stanford.edu
> PERMANENT ADDRESS:
> Bldg. 370 Rm. 111                    (415) 723-6817 (o)
> Stanford University                  (415) 725-5389 (fax)
> Stanford, CA  94305-2120
> pedwards _at__ pcd.stanford.edu

Liebe KollegInnen,
fast jeder von uns weiss, dass die informatik ihre fuehrende stellung in der 
technologischen entwicklung mathematischem und ingenieurmaessigem denken, 
interdiziplinaerer zusammenarbeit und herausragenden einzelleistungen verdankt. 
unter den einzelkaempfern spielen die sogenannten 'super-programmierer' und die 
'hacker' eine besondere rolle.
details sollen hier nicht weiter ausgebreitet werden. andererseits kann die 
rolle der frauen in der informatik von niemandem uebersehen werden. kenner 
wissen, dass die besten lehrbuecher der informatik zu einem grossen teil von 
frauen stammen [und dass uebrigens eine der ersten programmiererinnen, eine 
verwandte von byron, eine frau war]. in den kulturwissenschaften haben sich 
frauen bereits mit dem INTERNET befasst, als maennliche bibliothekare noch am 
ueberlegen waren, ob das wort computer mit einem oder mit zwei "m" geschrieben 
wird.
ich leite aus diesem grunde die anfrage aus stanford/usa gerne an sie weiter.
mfg   H.M.
--
Heinz Marloth, Seehofstrasse 15, D-60594 Frankfurt, Germany
Tel.  069  61 23 94   eMail  marloth _at__ t-online.de
~~
   "Die Vermutung, dass die Herren der Buecher leitwolfartig die digitale 
Revolution in der Branche anfuehren und die Damen den Niedergang des 
Schoengeistigen im Zuge technologischer Innovationen beweinen, laesst sich nicht 
verallgemeinern. Das Konservieren der Information in Datenspeichern, die 
Bestandserweiterung durch elektronische Medien, die Virtualisierung der Archive 
durch Cyberspace und Internet - alle diese Neuerungen haben manche 
Bibliothekarinnen zu Biblionautinnen verwandelt.
(Christiane Schott in: "Die Schnacks der Schnepfen", Frankfurter Rundschau vom 
11.10.1997). Kontaktadresse zu diesem Beitrag: Deutscher Bibliotheksverband 
e.V., Berlin.