Re: Effect of Gender in Learning Ada - OT

[prichtmyer@yahoo.com (Peter Richtmyer)]

Robin KAY <komadori@myrealbox.com> wrote in message news:<1051447321.38985.0@iapetus.uk.clara.net>...

> Given that the abilities of an average male and female candidate are 
> roughly equal, then a fair and non-discrimatory hiring process should 
> result in roughly equal numbers of male and female empolyees. A single 
> sex enviroment of any significant size is indicitive of something having 
> gone wrong.

These topics are very complex... let me just expound a bit more.

"Given that" - Above, do you mean "Assuming that" or "Since it has
been proved that"? Is it hypothesis or fact?

"Abilities" - to do what? Get good grades? Impress the hiring agents?
Or to
effectively produce as a good team member? I have seen lots of people 
with "abilities" to work, cramming 4 hours of so-so work into 8 hours,
and
being praised for what they do (really for how the "look").
Measurement is
VERY difficult.

Robin's first sentence above, instead of "equal numbers", should
(IMHO) be
"numbers proportionate to the applicant pool" or something to that
effect.

Though I still do not agree that every software group (or any group)
must be proportionate to the applicant pool on the basis of gender,
race, ethnicity, (dis)ability, religous (un)affiliation and sexual
preference. Isn't that the
total package? Or did I leave out any criteria?

Robin's last sentence above should (IMHO) have a "possibly" between
"is"
and "indicative".  So many factors ...

enough for now   :-)
Peter