Rosie the Riveter meets Bill Gates

December 05, 2007

ABCNews.com/Technology posted a great article by By Susan Donaldson James yesterday. It details the story of the ENIAC women programmers and highlights Kathy Kleiman’s efforts to develop a documentary, as well as the risks faced by US software industry workplaces which are often not receptive to women and where those that are welcoming continue to have challenges recruiting and retaining women.

Jean Bartik, one of the ENIAC programmers, who went on to have a successful career in software developments is quoted in the article with a message that every young person should hear:

“Do what you love, because it’s not really work,” Bartik advises girls intimidated by computing. “There are no stupid questions. Act as if you have permission to do things and don’t let anyone intimidate you.”

“What I did seemed like play because it was fun,” she tells them. “Even though we were pushing back frontiers.”

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