[Actionchix] Magazine

[Pat Day]

When I first asked about the possibility of a women owned Linux magazine 
where the majority of articles would be written by women, I wasn't 
thinking about publicizing the women owned aspect. 

I was thinking how nice it would be to subscribe to and read a 
technically oriented Linux magazine where the writers and contributors 
were women instead of the status quo, men. 

I subscribe to only one of the Mac magazines ( not thinking about the 
gender of the writers), Mac Tech.  I subscribed to Linux Journal because 
it carried technical articles on Linux.  Also, I subscribed to Sys Admin 
which is now unfortunately gone out of publication.  ( A case study for 
would be magazine publishers, perhaps? )

I wasn't even thinking about the rarity of content composed by women in 
the field.  Until I read the posts regarding same on the grrls-only list.

I did imagine a title for a women owned magazine:  Tech Linux.

I don't see the value of making the emphasis of the magazine, should it 
come to pass, to be Women only, Chix Linux, Linux by Women, or anything 
of that nature, simply because if it were to bomb, women wouldn't 
benefit by the effort.

If women were to forget, so to speak, themselves, and focus on the need 
for technical articles about how to use Linux in the best possible ways, 
including articles most helpful to women just entering the field, women 
who have been in the field but missing the special comradeliness held so 
close by males unwilling to share the limelight, whatever, much energy 
could be conserved for the real tasks of building a Linux publication 
more suited to our needs. 

As for what those needs are, it would be good to account for them.  
While I did enjoy the LJ article on a home built arcade machine, I'd 
still like to see more home built security systems explored, for example.

I would like to see more on how to use Linux to design and build a home 
to live in, utilizing open source CAD software to build a home that uses 
solar energy and other alternative power sources.  Or more on using 
Linux for green cottage industry, or how to use Linux to empower women 
with micro loans for building small business.  I don't want to see 
harangues about men and their bad ways.  I think it just feeds their 
collective over inflated egos.  And it bores me.

 I'd like more articles on how women can expand opportunity and 
knowledge using Linux, how to build Linux hardware, putting Linux on 
Mac.  I'd like to see those kinds of articles and research accomplished 
by women.  I am tired of hearing from men how women suck at mathematics 
and engineering.  It simply ain't so, but at least I wouldn't have to 
see that reinforced ad nauseum in a women's publication.   I'd like to 
see the statistics on women who use computers turned upside down.

That women own it, write for it, determine hiring and editorial policy, 
yes, but don't advertise the fact, since it would, from a business sense 
at least, be unwise in my opinion.
Let the magazine exist and prosper on its own merit.  Again, LJ doesn't 
advertise its male dominated stance.  I see no reason for Tech Linux (or 
whatever title is chosen) to advertise a female dominated stance, even 
if it is in fact female dominated.  So what?  The magazine will exist 
because we make it so.  That is enough.

Nevertheless, that women Do run the magazine, will be seen and 
acknowledged by others who will read it, and it will be judged on its 
own merits. 

I am reminded of the difference in the way different languages describe 
the manner in which an individual might introduce herself. 

English:  Hi, my name is ....
German:  Hi, i am called ...

How do other languages introduce the individual?

The difference is in the modesty of the introduction.  I is not 
capitalized in German.  My name is ... implies a bit of arrogance 
compared to i am called ...
That subtlety is totally lost on the American who has never taken a 
foreign language.  Would a gender specific title to a magazine remove 
thousands of would be readers?  My guess is that it would.  Why start 
there?  It will become apparent soon enough on publication.  Let it be so.

Thanks for listening.    -- Pat