women in free/open source software developmentwallach/talks/women_in_floss.pdf · hanna wallach...

Women in Free/Open Source Software Development

Hanna WallachUniversity of Cambridge/University of Pennsylvania

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Hanna Wallach [email protected] in Free/Open Source Software

Part I:Free and Open Source Software


It's everywhere!

Linux kernel:most famous free software project

70% of web servers

over 8 million accounts

powers Wikipedia


“Four Freedoms”

● The freedom to:– Run the program for any purpose– Study and adapt the program for your needs– Redistribute copies– Make and publically release changes


Free vs. Open Source

● (Nearly) identical groups of software● Different philosophies, histories● Open source: development methodology● Free software: social movement


Source Code

● 2 freedoms require access to source code● Would you buy a car if

– it was illegal to open the hood?– the hood was welded shut?– breaking weld points was a criminal offence?


Free Software and Business

● Commercial does not mean non-free● Can make money from free software


Distributed Development


Getting Involved

● Not just coding:– Testing, translation, documentation, “love”

● Ways to get involved:– Filing bug reports– Sending suggestions and patches


Users

$100 laptop project

Brazilian governement

City of Munich

Venezuelan government


Part II:Women in Free Software

Development


Proprietary Software

72.00%

28.00%

Men

Women


Free Software

98.50%

1.50%

Men

Women


Why So Few Women?

● No one knows– Lack of interest or experience?– Self-doubts and lack of confidence?– Hard to get involved?– Unwanted attention? (OMFG a g1rl!!)


FLOSS-POLS Project

● Studies on free/open source software● Universities of Maastricht and Cambridge● 2002 and 2005● Funded by European Commission


Aims

● Gather socioeconomic data● Find facts/opinions regarding gender gap● Identify possible causes● Establish recommendations for change


Methodology

● Quantitative online survey● Sample size: ~1500 participants● Ethnographic study● “Snowball” sampling


Median Age of First Computer Use and Possession by Gender

First computer use Own computer0

5

10

15

20

25

Male

Female

Ag

e in y

ears


Year of Initial Involvement in FLOSS

19

70

19

74

19

76

19

79

19

80

19

81

19

82

19

83

19

84

19

85

19

86

19

87

19

88

19

89

19

90

19

91

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Year

Median (men)

Median (women)


“Do women have less time than men to participate in FLOSS?”

Male Female0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

Very true

Mainly true

Mainly False

Very false


“For whom is it easier to get acknowledgement for FLOSS work?”

Male Female0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

Men

Women

Gender doesn't matter


“Do women often get more attention as a woman than as a FLOSS participant?”

Male Female0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

Very true

Mainly true

Mainly False

Very false


“Have you ever been asked on a date by another FLOSS participant?”

Male Female0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

90.00%

100.00%

Often

Seldom

Never


Summary

● Women tend to:– Get involved in free software later– Start using comupters later– Get their first “own” computer later– Have different experiences in FLOSS to men


Part III:The Debian Women Project


Debian GNU/Linux

● Linux kernel, GNU OS tools● >15,490 packages● 100% “free” software● Developed by a group of volunteers


“Universal Operating System”?


The Debian Women Project

● Founded in 2004● First such project for a Linux distribution


What We Do

● Provide role models● Give tutorials on Debian-related topics● Mentoring project● Presentations at conferences● Word-of-mouth advocacy


Debian Women Isn't...

● A dating agency● Solely concerned with support● Segregated● An “affirmative action” project● Striving for a Disney-like atmosphere


Who Are We?


Unexpected Results

● Many men are actively involved● Respect from the Debian community● “Good for women = good for everyone”● 9 women in the “new maintainer” queue!


Part IV:Conclusions, Resources


Conclusions

● Free software is a LOT of fun● Women in computing is not solved

– There are still areas with almost no women

● Not knowing WHY doesn't mean you can't start to change things!


Resources

● http://www.fsf.org● http://flosspols.org/● http://www.debian.org/● http://women.alioth.debian.org/

http://www.fsf.org/

http://flosspols.org/

http://www.debian.org/

http://women.alioth.debian.org/

women in free/open source software developmentwallach/talks/women_in_floss.pdf · hanna wallach...

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