[Actionchix] *Vote: Linux Chix mag "audience", "title" and "motto" - Closes Saturday Sept. 15th

[Pat Day]

Maria McKinley wrote:
> Selbak, Rolla N wrote:
>
> Taking the below votes (mark all choices that apply for each question)
>
>
> 1. ** What is our content? **
>
> A) An open source publication (Linux, Solaris, etc.).
> B) Linux-centric (open source).
> C) Linux-centric with no emphasis on open source vs. non-open.
> D) Women-centric regular columns (like upcoming women software events,
> etc.).
> E) Specify Other.
>
>   
I'm a little confused how to answer these, but will do my best.

I think I will choose A)  An open source publication (Linux, Solaris, 
and if the etc. means other operating systems, then also cygwin, mingw, 
because they provide ability to use Linux programs on the other 
windows-based computers.  It is very useful to me in my work to have 
interoperability between systems.  How windows and Linux talk to each 
other, how to achieve Linux like behavior on windows systems is also 
useful.  I am amazed at the number of open source software that now will 
run on windows, some without and some with the aid of cygwin, mingw.  
DJGPP allows compiling 32 bit source on windows and gives the 
opportunity to explore standard libraries that are built for windows 
programming.  Linux as a concept, rather than just pure Linux, is at 
least, IMO, one of the several reasons Linux has become so popular.  
RHIDE, the console IDE runs on both Linux and windows, for instance.  
People just learning programming can use this kind of environment to get 
experience in C/C++ and other languages without hurting anything.
Still, the main thing is Linux centric, so maybe I should choose B). 


>> 2. ** Who is our audience? **
>>
>> A) All (experts/newbies, all gender identities).
>> B) Emphasis on Women in the tech world, but friendly to other gender
>> identities as well.
>> C) Emphasis on Women in the tech world period.
>> D) Specify Other.
>>
>>     
Somewhere between A) and B).  It may be hard to establish the right 
balance.  What women are doing in the tech world is often covered in 
many of the other trade journals like Information Week, eWeek, as far as 
that goes.  It is the technical subjects they deal with, how they do it, 
that interests me, and is only found in LJ or Mac Tech or the late Sys 
Admin.   But audience must be large in order to survive as a 
publication.  I notice that LJ often covers software affordable only to 
large corporations.  Maybe that is to interest advertisers with the big 
money...  There are likely many aspects to publishing that play against 
each other when matching content to potential reader.
>> 3. ** Any cool ideas for the title of our mag and our motto? **
>>
>> A) Specify your suggestion.
>>
>> Things to consider:
>>
>>     
I still vote for Tech Linux
>> - Do we want to use the "Linux Chix" trademark?  Will it help us in
>> reaching our audience?
>>     
It would go well inside the magazine, in the area devoted to granting 
credits to those who produce and operate it, which is found in most all 
magazines near the Table of Contents.  A logo / icon would be great.
>> - Do we want a title that doesn't include any gender references so we
>> can have a broader audience?
>>     
Gender reference in the title could be a turnoff.  What would it prove, 
or indicate to the reader?  The title should reflect the real content 
one might expect to find inside the covers.  The idea was to provide an 
outlet for women to demonstrate their technical knowhow about Linux, or 
anything that would pertain to Linux, particularly programming, software 
design, language facility, and so forth.  By teaching others how to do 
it, a great public service is rendered.  It should not be a place just 
to say how smart women are.   "Look, we have our own magazine!", might 
turn out to be somewhat embarrassing.   I don't think a Women's Linux 
World, or Ladies Home Linux is it.  It would be difficult to know how to 
write for such a magazine.

I believe a broad audience can be had by demonstrating technical ability 
at the same time as being useful to all who might read it, be they in 
the corporate world, or private hacker world.  When mistakes are made, 
or there is fault to be found, and surely there will be, it would not be 
good to have tech women as a class be the immediate scapegoat.  It is 
the way of the world to desire scapegoats.  I just think it would be a 
mistake to set things up so that it is convenient for small thinkers to 
generalize their antagonisms against women in general.  I've tried to 
say this several different ways, hoping I won't be misunderstood.

>> - Do we want something witty, wacky, or straightforward?
>>
>>     

Straightforward, by all means.  Doesn't mean writers can't be witty, but 
it isn't really about witty.  If witty can be helpful to understandng 
the material, ok.  Sometimes there is way too much witty.  If the 
article is about a comical robotic penguin, sporting Linux powered 
innards, a little wacky might be appropriate.

Thanks for listening,  Pat