Why More Women Consider a Career in Computer Programming

Everyone knows that computer programming is a heavily male-dominated field. I think this is unfortunate. Over the years, I've come to conclude that there is a great deal that women can contribute to this field.

Why is computer programming regarded as a primarily masculine discipline? I think that in part, it's because men have a reputation for being more likely to tinker around with gadgets and gizmos. In part, it's also because computer science is supposedly a very math-oriented field, and men are supposedly more inclined toward mathematical disciplines.

(Incidentally, I know that such generalizations would offend certain people. I'd like to emphasize that this is not my intent at all, nor do I wish to make excessively broad generalizations about either gender. However, a multitude of psychological studies do claim that men have-on the average-a greater aptitude for mathematics and mechanics than women do, whereas women tend to perform better at linguistics and communication. These tendencies coincide well with my own observations, so for now, I'll assume that these studies are reasonable descriptions of gender differences.)

Anyway, people often claim that men make better programmers because they are more mathematically inclined. Personally, I disagree. It is true that computer science is very much mathematical in nature; however, computer programming often is not. It's true that a software developer should understand basic concepts such as binary computations, round-off error and Boolean logic; however, for most programming tasks, there is little need for calculus, group theory or other advanced mathematical topics. For this reason, I think that the importance of a strong mathematical aptitude is largely overblown.

Indeed, I think that linguistic skill is decidedly more important. I'd say that in years past, about 90% of the programmers that I encountered produced sloppy code-software that is clumsily structured, poorly documented and difficult to understand. I've also noticed a strong correlation between linguistic skill and the ability to generate clean, legible code. And why not? Computer languages are, after all, just that-languages. It's thus reasonable to expect that someone with a strong language aptitude will-on the average-produce cleaner, more understandable code than someone whose language skills are lackluster.

That is one reason why I wish more women would pursue a programming career. If it is indeed true that women have better language skills, then they are likely to perform well with computer languages as well. Again, this jibes well with my own experiences. I haven't known many female programmers, but most of the ones that I do know have produced some rather outstanding work. (To be fair, I've also known some lousy female programmers; however, these individuals had little passion for their field, and only entered it for the sake of a paycheck. That's a pretty good recipe for mediocrity, regardless of one's gender.)

Breaking into this field may not be easy. I'm sure that many women will have to combat the prejudiced notion that software development is a man's field, and that female programmers are mere dilettantes. Still, it is my earnest hope that more women will make their marks in this arena. If they have the right passion for this field, and if they understand their strengths, then I believe that they have much to offer.

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Computer Business Opportunity Provide Huge Profit Potential!

Many different ways to make money in the Computer Business Opportunity field. If you own a computer, you are part of the future. Home based and computer based businesses are popping up every hour in just about every field. Many professionals are now taking advantage of the knowledge they have gained in the corporate world and translating it into their own business from home. The question now is not what do you do for a living, but what skills do you have for sale.

The Computer Business Opportunity field, home based businesses, and have all gotten some negative feedback in the past. Even five years ago, people were being scammed and separated from their money by early "work from home businesses" who were out to make a quick buck selling off an idea or cheesy product. Now, however, there are more and more legitimate jobs in the computer business opportunity field than ever. Scams are still out there, so be careful what you get into.

Outsourcing and work from home opportunities are becoming a common way of life in many corporate circles. For example, virtual office assistants will do typing, transcription, memos and other necessary office administration duties, straight from home. This is often called telecommuting. Documents and files can be emailed, phone calls are minimal, and with the newer PDA's messaging can be instant. For the home worker, the benefits of such a position are invaluable - better pay, fewer hours away from home, no worrying over the rising cost of gasoline, no traffic jams twice a day, and no costly wardrobe.

In the computer business opportunity field the home based computer worker will have a few extra responsibilities that are usually taken care of by a regular employer. Working from home means you are responsible for your own taxes, insurance, and saving for retirement. These are all very easily taken care of with a little research. The benefits of managing your own home based computer business will far out weigh the extra attention you will have to give to your own payroll.

For the company that is outsourcing, the benefits are just as great. With no office space to rent, no employees to manage, no benefits packages to administer, no vacations to pay or wasted time with office politics and drama. Corporations of all sizes stand to benefit from outsourcing to someone in the computer business opportunity field. The competition for such positions is great enough that you will often find companies outsourcing simply to get better quality of work for a better price.

There are dozens of other opportunities in the computer business opportunity field that do not require terrific office skills. The sales industry is also outsourcing a great deal of its market as well. Anyone with sales experience can work as a salesperson, consultant, or open their own product line from the ease of their home. This often can pay better than the commissions some companies pay. With the rising cost of expenses, even working part time for your self on the computer can be very profitable to earn extra money.

Computer consulting business opportunities abound on the Internet. If your have design or web content experience, you are in a field rich with home based business opportunities. Freelancing and contract work are often more popular these days due to the high cost of maintaining qualified people in these specialized fields. Web site design is a competitive but lucrative computer business opportunity due to the dramatic increase in Internet usage by small businesses to promote their products and services.

Of course, there are other profitable endeavors such as survey taking, affiliate programs, writing copy for advertising, graphic design, computer repair business, and many more fields. With all the jobs out there, you should not have trouble translating your current skills into a profitable home based computer business. The Computer Business Opportunity field is the way of the future!

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