Are there any female computer geeks out there?

It seems as if only men are interested in computers and games

Friday, September 1, 2006 by Life is a Game | Discussion: Personal Computing

A question that I often ask myself. I didn't seem to meet any female computer/games geek out there so I'm asking does she/them exist in the real world or only she/they are only a fantasy. For example when my coworker got a new computer (P4 2.4 Ghz, 1024 MB memory) I asked her if it's faster then the old one (P3 600 Mhz, 256 MB memory) she replied: "I didn't notice any difference". The second example is I just started with playing the new Heroes of Might and Magic V and when I asked another my friend what she thinks about it when she was watching me playing it she said: "Colors are nice". How about this example. Another coworker got an OS upgrade from win2000 to winXP and she didn't even notice that I upgraded her OS?!

OK I admit those examples are a 'bit' extreme but it made me thinking about females and computers. Is it that computers are made by male for male that there are a lot more male computer geeks out there or is it just that generally females are not that attracted by technology. Shouldn't someone make computers and games that would appeal more to female users.

Please if they are any female computer geeks out there reply to this article just that I will know that female computer geeks exist in the real world as well and not just in my fantasies. Also can you write what kind of computers and games do you like. Me for example like laptops with big screens 17"-20" and good speakers. The most I like playing turn-based strategies (Civilization and Heroes of Might & Magic) and Sci-Fi RPGs (Star Wars: Knights of Old Republic) and NBA Live series.

Comments much appreciated.
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Fairyy~
Reply #41 Monday, September 4, 2006 12:50 PM
Think that dude had way too much coffee today
tiburongirl04
Reply #42 Monday, September 4, 2006 8:19 PM
Here's my bit...

I just recently upgraded from a Toshiba to an Alienware m3200. For me the smaller the better. I wanted a laptop that is light and easy to carry, that's one of the reasons why I chose Alienware. Of course another reason I chose it was for the wow factor. Everytime I take it out in class to type notes I get comments on how "cool" it looks. I haven't yet uploaded any games on it. Hopefully soon though I can get my star wars games, call of duty 2, and fable installed. A friend keeps telling me that I need to get onto WoW, but I'm not sure and I don't know if I will have the time to pay to play.
PsychoMistress
Reply #43 Monday, September 4, 2006 9:51 PM
I think I agree with your assessment that females just aren't really into technology unless it's for their body.

The only reason I'm into computers and video games is because I started at a very early age and I grew up around a bunch of boys. I started gaming with the NES and computing with a 500mhz Compaq in '99.

Most of the games I play now are for nostalgic reasons or competition. For competition I play Halo or Street Fighter and I can rape most guys in either. Big fan of Zelda Otherwise, I just play adventure games. No puzzle or RPG games except for the Lunar series, SW: KOTOR and Snather(?).

As far as computers, I just troubleshoot hardware/software as a personal hobby. I repair for friends or my boss, but no professional experience at all. I own a few computers and one laptop. Being broke, I only have a 15 inch flat panel Dell monitor (which was free anyway).

Basically I'm just a tech-head and I tinker around in a variety of areas. I do some repair on gaming systems and A/V equipment. I own a high-end Home Theatre system as well as an aftermarket system for my vehicle. Big sound is a must in my world.

The bottom drawer of my dresser is filled with random electronic components and devices along with my thongs

Currently in school now for possibly electrical engineering.
XtinaanitX
Reply #44 Monday, September 4, 2006 11:00 PM
Im a female whos into computers.. I love skinning/customizing, gaming.. (RPG, those escape from.. games, and strategy/adventure games (slient hill, scratches stuff like that.) and photo manipulation. I also fix all my friends computers.. they call me a computer geek. Ive loved computers/gaming systems since i was like 7 maybe younger.
Liandral
Reply #45 Tuesday, September 5, 2006 10:52 PM
We arent a myth - though apparently we are rare according to my Geek Fiance'

Games played: Meridian 59, Everquest, Underlight, Dark Ages of Camelot, Ultima Online,Anarchy Online,

GM for: Meridian, Underlight, Everquest

Current job - Applications Specialist (Exchange) - Corporate Affairs

Cindersis
Reply #46 Tuesday, September 5, 2006 11:00 PM
I am a 50 year young female and I do play some games on my computer mostly not online and i fix stuff too. I am selftaught which I believe qualifies me as a geek. I trouble shoot my system and the systems of my friends. I cracked my first computer 10 years ago. It was a acer and my first desktop. I crashed that one the day i bought it home. I was scared I had broken it!Fortunatley I was able to get everything back to working with the help of the computer technician. Since then i have installed and set up hardward ie zip drives, cd drives, dvd drives, hard drives, the fan, added ram and memory installed usb ports, modems, sound cards video cards, ethernet networking hardware, installed wireless and wired networks. I have installed basic windows on my computers and upgraded them from 98 to 2000 to xp home to xp professional. I have installed new hard drives of 80-100 gigs and installed the operating system and other hardware and software necessary for the computer systems to work efficiently. I change the processor performance to suit my needs and also the memory usage and virtual memory.
I have assisted many friends and family members with many different computer problems, software compatibility issues, setting up desktops for individual usage, defamenting hard drives, etc. I have owned 3 laptops and 4 desktops in the past 10 years. i have modified all of them or installed things into them over the past 10 years. there is only one laptop that is not still workng very very well. All of my desktops are still working. they have been given to my friends and family members. I have had windows 98, 2000, xp professional and xp. I like avg antivirus far beter than Norton and MacAffee. I use 3 diferent browsers IE, Netscape and Modzilla firefox. I consider myself a experienced geek, and a very feminine woman. So Yes there are woman computer geeks out here we are just not talking about it unless someone asks us to help them solve a computer problem. I love to chat and go to diferent communities to visit my friends. I also enjoy playing games such as big jig, Mahjongg, scrabble, and other games. At this time I am now learning how to manipulate pictures using adobe photoshop and powerpoint. This site.....starbucks has broadened my horizons to include making skins, screensavers, and various destop enviornments. To do that I am learning how to do many diferent software changes to my computer and i hope to be able to share some of the things I am making with others in the future.I am also learning how to set up my web page with pictures I have taken. My web site is www.sweetcindersister.com I have 3 pages and it has taken the entire summer to learn how to set it up and manage it. I will also be placing something on my web page here at stardocks once I figure out how to upload stuff on it efficiently.
Ms Sprinkle
Bebi Bulma
Reply #47 Wednesday, September 6, 2006 3:15 AM
#6 You haven't met one Ms. Bebi Bulma then. Yummmmmmmm Bebi!

You haven't met one Ms. Bebi Bulma then.

Actually, neither have I.

Wow, am I infamous or something and didn't know it?

I hadn't seen this thread, I tend not to post much. But yep I'd consider myself pretty computer-geeky. More so than any of the guys I know. I'd rather receive a hot new piece of technology for a gift than flowers and candy. I'm just drawn to anything technical. Not to mention I'm obsessed with customizing my pc.

Computers, hi-tech tv's, any of the stuff at the local technology store or even the tech hardware section at Sam's Club...I'm all over it. Don't stop there, SciFi is one of my fav channels. Can't wait for Battlestar Galactica to start up again. Count me out on video games though, they put a bad taste in my mouth.
KiloKrash
Reply #48 Wednesday, September 6, 2006 3:25 AM
Wow, am I infamous or something and didn't know it?

Hey, you got my attention...Yummmmmm.
Bebi Bulma
Reply #49 Wednesday, September 6, 2006 3:39 AM
I'll take that as a compliment.

Seems the thread went whacky, everything's all bold. 


Oh yeah, does anime qualify too? '
Tom Harmon
Reply #50 Wednesday, September 6, 2006 5:21 PM
"...What do you suggest we should do, because I think it's kind of confusing if we have the same avatar..."


I believe that a fight to the death may be in order.
CerebroJD
Reply #51 Thursday, September 7, 2006 1:49 PM
You haven't met one Ms. Bebi Bulma then. Yummmmmmmm Bebi!


Whoah! *makes note to introduce himself*
KiloKrash
Reply #52 Thursday, September 7, 2006 1:57 PM
Whoah! *makes note to introduce himself*

Cool yourself C...I saw her first..
Bebi Bulma
Reply #53 Thursday, September 7, 2006 8:25 PM
LOL! You guys are so silly.

Oh yeah, we were supposed to post our pc specs or something? If so, here's mine, all home built of course (it's long):

19" Balance TFT LCD Monitor
Windows XP Pro SP2
AMD Athlon XP 2400+ (T-Bred), 1.99 GHz
EPoX EP-8KRAIPRO Socket A (Socket 462) VIA KT880 ATX AMD Motherboard
ANTEC 400watt ATX12v SmartPower power supply
2x512 mb Kingston DDR PC2700 RAM
XTASY Radeon 9600xt 256mb AGP 4x/8x
2x120GB Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm
1x250gb Seagate Barracuda 7200rpm
Creative Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit (7.1) Channels PCI Interface Sound Card
NEC 16X DVD±R DVD Burner Beige IDE Model ND-3550A
SAMSUNG Beige 16X DVD-ROM 52X CD-R 32X CD-RW 52X CD-ROM 2M Cache IDE Combo Drive
Logitech® Cordless Click!™ Plus Optical Mouse
Logitech® X-530 5.1 Configuration 70 Watts speakers

I also get the pleasure of troubleshooting pc probs in the family (but of course when I have issues I go to my uncle). My cousin dropped of my aunt's computer last week or so because they were complaining that something was wrong with it. I hooked it up and noticed it wasn't booting anything...anything except the Win98 setup! Some bonehead had put in a Windows 98 setup disk in the floppy drive. How on Earth they managed to have one and then think to load it up is beyond me. It's one of those lame AOL-optimized pc's you get from Wal-Mart. Originally had XP Home on it, so I knew the Win98 nonsense was just that, nonsense. So now I get to reload XP on it, fun fun. But I'm making sure to keep the Win98 floppy and get them setup with Firefox, some anti-spyware/malware protection and all the works.
jgiraffe
Reply #54 Friday, September 8, 2006 8:31 AM
This a good question..... Though why would anyone, in their sane mind want to be considered a "Geek"? I was under the impression that the word "geek", in today’s society equals “somebody who is considered unattractive and/or socially awkward”

In the world of computing a geek appears to be somebody who enjoys or takes pride in using computers or other technology, often to what others consider an excessive degree.

Either way I do not classify “the human geek” as a positive human representation, an idol for all human-kind or an ambassador for other intelligent life. Perhaps those who are called or gladly consider themselves as geeks associate with the above definitions with no peril. Well good for you! For myself I am trying to escape membership from this select club.

So in your hunt for the Cool Coding, Hardware hammering female I bid you good luck
pawztoo
Reply #55 Friday, September 8, 2006 11:43 AM
I don't know if I am a 'geek', but I am certainly a female, and I play computer games ( Egosoft's X-series mostly) and I also rebuild old machines and mend computers for folk. Does that make me a geek? If so,I am a grannie geek, several years into what is supposed to be 'retirement', but actually I am fixing more computers now than I ever did while working, only now i do it for free and the pleasure of helping.
MySecret
Reply #56 Friday, September 8, 2006 12:45 PM
Hello, I am a self taught 41 yr old female geek...thats what my friends call me lol

I taught myself by subscribing to all the good computer e-mail subscriptions. At first I couldnt understand half of what I read...Also I go to techguys forums and read problems people have with computers. I also go to computer help chatrooms and learn more and listen to online tech radio stations. Now I can trouble shoot issues and fix my friends computers...As a gift to myself I customized a new dell computer in Nov/2005
Pentium D....3.4
17" flat panel
1 gb ram....nvidia geforce 7800 GTX dual 256 mb
and Creative soundblaster 5.1 surround sound
250 gb hardrive & Xp Pro

I just installed Satelite internet
and added a Linksys Wireless-N router
& a Maxtor 100 gb external hardrive
I also have a Mac but only has 256 mb & 40 gb hardrive

I live in the boonies and need to be self sufficient and make sure that I have quality equipment. I search endlessly online before making any purchases and so I am very happy with what I have.
And I am proud to say that in the 4 yrs that I have been using my computers I have not had any spyware, trojans or viruses...

I play invisible war...my 1st first person shooter
I also just bought Hitman Contracts and Half-Life & Half-Life 2..Really like them both.
Funniest thing that happend was when I purchased Hitman and Half Life the young male cashier couldnt believe that I would play those games..I didnt look the type...

I use Avg, Zonealarm, Spybot Search & Destroy, A-squared, CCleaner, Mru blaster & Xp Anti-Spy . I use Firefox browser after trying many different ones....And Vlc for movies and Quintessential player and Winamp.

I am a geek and love it !~!

Its My Secret
Bebi Bulma
Reply #57 Saturday, September 9, 2006 1:21 AM
This a good question..... Though why would anyone, in their sane mind want to be considered a "Geek"? I was under the impression that the word "geek", in today’s society equals “somebody who is considered unattractive and/or socially awkward”

In the world of computing a geek appears to be somebody who enjoys or takes pride in using computers or other technology, often to what others consider an excessive degree.

Either way I do not classify “the human geek” as a positive human representation, an idol for all human-kind or an ambassador for other intelligent life. Perhaps those who are called or gladly consider themselves as geeks associate with the above definitions with no peril. Well good for you! For myself I am trying to escape membership from this select club.

So in your hunt for the Cool Coding, Hardware hammering female I bid you good luck


Definitions of terms can change over time, plus if you willingly take on a term to yourself, you embrace it and make it your own instead of letting someone else use it against you in a derogatory manner. Same thing happened with terms used against certain groups of people 50 years ago. Now those people have taken those words for themselves and used them as means of calling out their friends, family, and others within their defined group.

Would I consider myself unattractive because I identify myself as a geek? Not likely. Looks can be deceving for one thing. "Never judge a book by it's cover" right? Socially awkward...maybe. But yes I do take pride in being computer literate and fascinated with technology. I'd rather be considered a geek than a jock, for example. The same thing is true there, for those in the higher end of human intelligence, being called a jock would be an insult (though that statement probably insulted those who would like being called a jock). On the other hand, I'd label myself more of a nerd than a geek. I consider myself pretty good with computers, in comparison with the majority of computer users, but my interests in scifi, anime, learning in general would put me in the nerd category (I want to know everything about everything). I'm comfortable with that, that's what matters.
Life is a Game
Reply #58 Saturday, September 9, 2006 4:59 AM
I am a computer geek and I'm proud of it
jebro
Reply #59 Saturday, September 9, 2006 5:24 AM
I am a computer geek and I'm proud of it


Me, too...
starkers
Reply #60 Saturday, September 9, 2006 6:09 AM
My wife (mrs starkers) isn't exactly a computer geek, but she talked me into getting her a 286 with 32megs of RAM to play with. Personally, I wasn't in the slightest bit interested in PC's, computing, games or related technology, but once that 286 came into the house I was totally hooked.

Since then I've been tinkering with, customising and upgrading PC's with a passion ....all thanks to my lovely wife, who knows enough to get her by if it's not too technical, but who still comes to me when it gets a bit too tricky. Thing is, I'm no expert/geek, either, so our machines will still see the insides of PC repair shops for a while yet. We've been meaning to enroll in some computing courses to expand our understanding and horizons, but unfortunately a family crisis arose and we've had to put that on hold for a while.

I love the Myst series! I have them all


My wife and I are really into the Myst series as well, but unfortunately we don't have the entire collection as yet....we still have to get the Uru spinoffs and Myst V. However, I was very fortunate to snaffle a rather rare collectors boxed set containing the original Myst, Riven and Myst Exile. Myst Revelation was purchased separately when I spied it on sale for $6.95, new. The boxed set, however, comes in a box that resembles one of the Myst books and probably is now only available in second-hand/swap shops because it was released as a very limited edition and is no longer in production. We have been offered considerably larger sums of money than we originally outlaid for it....but simply put, it's just NOT for sale, NOT EVER.

As for full blooded female computer geeks, my niece Renea can install/repair fix anything PC related.....if not it just CAN'T be done. Her only trips to the PC store are to purchase new items, never ever for tech support/advice. Sadly, when I need hands-on assistance, she's over 3500 miles away and can only TRY to talk me through it.

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