I.T. Girls

Posted at: Thursday 16th October 2003 by Rhianna Pratchett

Only men like PCs right? Wrong. Rhianna Pratchett discovers the differences between the sexes on a hardware level

The PC has long been thought of as one of the bastions of maledom. Often getting lumped into the same category as cars and football, computing is regarded as being something that women may enjoy from time to time, but only men really and truly 'get'.

But, in actual fact, the love affair between computers and women has been around since 1833, when a young girl named Ada Lovelace worked alongside the inventor Charles Babbage to create and refine the Difference Engine, a calculation machine that was to form the precursor to the computers we know today. In fact, it was Ada's notes that went on to lay the foundations of computer programming.

Now, regardless of speed, power and design, the PC is gradually becoming as much a part of our everyday lives as the microwave or fridge. Generations are now being born into a PC-savvy world where their tender technological fumblings are more likely to be with Lara Croft and a Pentium 4 than Pacman and a pocket full of ten-pence pieces.

Women are definitely part of this IT-savvy generation and Custom PC caught up with some latter-day Ada Lovelaces to look at what makes PCs and the fairer sex tick.

WOMEN WHO GET IT
It won't come as news to anyone that women make up only a relatively small percentage of PC enthusiasts - just wander round a computer fair and try to spot any women who are there by choice, and not just to sell burgers. However, that's not to say that women don't use PCs - they do, just differently.

Anyone who's ever heard a woman on the phone to her best mate will know that women are born communicators, so it will probably come as no surprise to learn that communication is one of the key factors that draws women to technology. A recent study of women's online habits at www.womentodaymagazine.com cited women as making up 45 per cent of internet users, with the prediction that this figure could rise to as much as 60 per cent by 2005.

'Women like to communicate, and they are often the family member whose responsibility it is to maintain communication with relatives and friends, organise dinner parties and remember birthdays,' says Emma Payne, author of 'Technology with Curves' (Harper Collins). 'Women also spend less time on their PCs than men, so we're always looking for quick, efficient ways to get things done, and email and chat are great ways to keep in touch quickly and efficiently.'

But although chatting to friends may make up a large percentage of PC usage, it isn't the only thing that draws women to computers. It may be a sweeping generalisation, but it's probably fair to say that women care more about how something looks than the hardware inside. That said, there is a rare breed of women who do like to know what's inside their tin box.

One such lady is Lisa Powell, who works as a system support engineer. 'I was fortunate enough to have a PC as a kid, so always thought they were great,' enthuses Lisa. 'Now I can't really imagine life without them, I can't imagine an office without one, or a home for that matter.'