Women and the Internet -- What are your experiences

» Julie - I have been invited to speak at a <b><a href=http://www.wiredwom

I have been invited to speak at a Wired Women's dinner (February 26) and was wondering if you "Women of the Web" could help. What I am looking for is different women's experiences on the Net - how the Net has add to/ taken from your life, interesting stories, impressions on how the Net will effect Women - that sort of stuff. I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

I know what my experiences have been, but I think it would be great to incorporate the experiences of others -- and I am sure there are lots!

Have any interesting tales to tell :-) Let's talk! Post it below or e-mail me

Thx!

Julie

--

Julie Bradshaw

Managing Director -- Real World Relationships

i5ive communications inc.

-- posted by Julie

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» Weddings - I talked to a young girl recently who summed up a large part of

I talked to a young girl recently who summed up a large part of what I see as the "female web" very well. She said that she could post a page on politics and issues that interested her and find people who listened to her opinions on issues that she would have trouble discussing with most adults. It's true that no one knows you're a dog on the web. I have never pretended to be a different sex, age, or race on the Internet--However, no one would know (within reson) if I did. I think that this sense of freedom and some anonymity is what makes many women on the Internet shine.

Unfortunately, many women have gone into business thinking that men have the advantage. Some of these women have given men the advantage with this very belief. The Internet levels the playing field.

Phew! You asked for experiences didn't you? I won a contest sponsored by Sony last year. this coincided with the opening of the Sony Station online. For a year I was asked, along with three others to offer opinions and suggestions about this growing site. For the first few months I didn't even know the names of the others involved. When I did learn names, I still didn't know how many males and females were in the group--much less our ages, locations, and backgrounds. I didn't learn any of that until we went to LA and met in person. It was an almost surreal experience to stand in an airport looking for someone that could be white or black or male or female or 18 or 97!

And that's why I love the Internet. that and I think women are great communicators--and this sure helps the phone bill with my family.

Jessica Hutson

Contributing Editor--Weddings

-- posted by Weddings

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» Julie - Thank you for sharing your story Jessica! And thx to those who e

Thank you for sharing your story Jessica! And thx to those who e-mailed me. This is great! It is so fascinating to learn about others experiences on such a new medium. A couple of people asked me to be a bit more specific in my request so I have written up a couple of questions you might like to comment on:

1. How did you get involved with the Internet?

2. Personal experiences while on the Net. (Jessica's above is a great example).

3. Why do you use the Net - to keep in touch with friends, to socialize, to find information. If you take on-line courses for example what sort of courses.

4. How much time do you spend on the Net

5. The Good and the Bad - your thoughts

6. The future of the Net

7. The part Women play on the Net

8. If you work on the Net, your experiences.

9. Where you go on the Net

10. Net stories

I hope this helps! I look forward to your comments - keep them coming in!

Cheers!

Julie

--

Julie Bradshaw

Managing Director -- Real World Relationships

i5ive communications inc.

-- posted by Julie

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» Gay_Klok - "Aged 61 and half the day and night on the Net? My "old" school

"Aged 61 and half the day and night on the Net? My "old" school friends are still amazed. Also annoyed because they have given up trying to get me on the phone.

I am rather surprised myself. Only a few years ago I was the loudest voice of doom and hated the idea of a computerised world. My life was the grown up children and the gardens, "Two things that would never become computerised", always an avid reader, nothing would surpass curling up in bed with a good book.

I was lucky in my first forays into this extraordinary world of the Internet by literally stumbling into an email group just starting up, which became a gardening group, [of course], of passionate, experienced and very knowledgeably gardeners from all over the world. I realised quickly that gender, age and physical characteristics don't matter a brass farthing when interacting with your Internet friends.

Within the first year of internetting, I was instrumental in suggesting that members who were attending a World Conference of Daffodil growers in New Zealnd, extending their experiences by hopping over the Tasman Sea and spending a few days in our beautiful Tasmania. Next month, a couple from America are calling into Hobart on an overseas liner and Kees and I will have breakfast on board and then we will take them to visit our two gardens, which they have read about in my "Tasmanian Journal" Suite101 and Home Pages.

Always dabbling with writing a few articles, my experiences with writing a monthly journal in Suite101, has helped loosen my typing two fingers! The exchange of thoughts, knowledge and philosopy has helped stay off senile decay. I have been flamed a few times and glad of it, glad that I am treated as an equal, not an old "fuddy-duddy". My mind has been opened to receive new ideas which sometimes extend outside the gardening world.

I have made friends, sure, they are Cyber friends but with a small handful,I now know them intimately. I have been through the death of a best friend of someone living on the other side of the world and they have helped me through the passing of my mother in the following year. I have, in my small way, let the other side of the world know about Tasmania. Only yesterday, I received an email through my homepage, from a chap who had always thought that Tasmania was a mythical Isle!

My life has been enriched dramatically, my knowledge, in my special field, has increased two-fold. I am still able to converse with people in the "real world" and, I think, with more animation. The only worst down-side is that my sleeping pattern has dramatically changed. From. "I must have 8 hours a night," I make do on approximately five. But this wrinkly gardener is not doing too badly on it, here is a photo of me with my daughter taken on my 61st January12th 1998 And look what I can do now, I couldn't do that two days ago

Tasmanian Garden Journal

-- posted by Gay_Klok

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» Gay_Klok - OOPs! It seems I still can't do it. Let's have another <b><A hr

OOPs! It seems I still can't do it. Let's have another go

Tasmanian Garden Journal

-- posted by Gay_Klok

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» Brandy - 1. How did you get involved with the Internet? My mom financed

1. How did you get involved with the Internet?
My mom financed a computer for me. I found that I was a natural to the Internet, websites, and computers in general. It all came so easy to me and I self-taught myself. I am not at a point where I need some outside resources, so I am taking classes at www.zdu.com and they are really wonderful, I highly recommend them.

2. Personal experiences while on the Net.
I found someone to foster-care a stray dog for me for a few weeks while I had to go out of town on Compuserve's Dogs forum. She lives about an hour away from me. That was 3 years ago... I just emailed her yesterday, we still keep in touch. Also, I found my wedding photographer and videographer on the Net.

3. Why do you use the Net - to keep in touch with friends, to socialize, to find information. If you take on-line courses for example what sort of courses.
I design website now, and host them to on a virtual host. My passion is dogs, so that is what takes up most of my time, but AOL's Instant Messenger is always in use with friends and family.

4. How much time do you spend on the Net
More than I would like to admit. I went to bed last night at 7:30am....I mean this morning.

5. The Good and the Bad - your thoughts
The good far out-weighs the bad. But I'm glad I don't have kids, don't have to worry about what they'd get into!

6. The future of the Net
It will keep expanding into charter unknown. I think what we are dreaming of today will be laughed at in 10 years as the Internet speeds up and changes every minute.

7. The part Women play on the Net
Women, in many respects, are the communication backbone of the world. Many women excel in writing, as well as speech. I think women in general may have found their haven on the Internet.

8. If you work on the Net, your experiences.
It is difficult to figure out how much is free and how much to pay (or charge). I think over the next 3 years this will become more clear as the big wigs, as well as more and more small enterprises begin to see financial potential.

9. Where you go on the Net
Dog places, learning places, and website development places.

Brandy
Dog Behavior & Training

-- posted by Brandy

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» StCatherine - Hi! I love the net. I have an"urban" soul living in a rural ar

Hi! I love the net. I have an"urban" soul living in a rural area, so I felt socially deprived. Now with the net, I can tour museums and interact at many sites (not quite hands-on, but close enough for me). I can meet interesting and intellectual people. And I still have my neighbors to keep me in touch with the un-wired world. My life is more well-rounded now.

Another great thing about the net, is that individuals can participate without being judged for their appearance. There's no one going,
"She's in her bathrobe and slippers. And have you seen her backyard, she hasn't raked or picked up limbs in since summer."

-- posted by StCatherine

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» techwrit - Ellen Roddy Adventures in Daylilies http://www.pcengineering.c

Ellen Roddy
Adventures in Daylilies
http://www.pcengineering.com/techwriter
techwrit@usit.net

I got involved with the Internet while I was still "enslaved" to a 40 hour work week as a technical writer. The Internet has opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me as a writer. It has enabled me to explore many opportunities that being chained to a desk would not have.

Taking a class over the Internet was my first experience with using IRC software. Chatting on-line was a new experience that I really enjoyed. We were learning to create advanced Web pages with animations and guest books. Forming our own groups was a unique experience, too! As we exchanged e-mail, "chatted," and uploaded our newly created pages, a sense of community developed and friendships were formed. It wasn't easy to set a time for the chats as we were all in different time zones, but we did it! It was a great experience that I hope to do again.

The Internet is a great equalizing field and provides an opportunity for all of us to meet people that we might never have had the opportunity to meet.

-- posted by techwrit

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» GailG_2 - Hi Julie, I agree with the others...the internet show no sex.

Hi Julie, I agree with the others...the internet show no sex. There really is no discrimination. From job searches to chat rooms, web sites to political issues. I find the internet better than going to the library or reading the newspaper. You can find exactly what you need with out browsing through unwanted topics. there seems to be a bond between the "internetly inclined". People look at the world wide web and find it comforting to see that others feel the same way they do when it comes to issues and hobbies. Whatever you are looking for, it is there and you can find it. I love the internet.

-- posted by GailG_2

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