I'm too much of a sap, I guess. Everytime I see a dead dog or cat I have a momentary pang where I worry about a family missing their pet.

Well as an adult I'm much more empathetic towards the dead animal and the surviving family....

I'm not sure about the woman leading off this article. I mean, I can't imagine starting a Computer Science degree without any programming experience. Or if I did, I wouldn't be remotely surprised to find myself way over my head and need to drop out. I certainly wouldn't draw attention to myself by granting interviews. And, dude, my degree was Math and Computer Science -- and just excelling at math wouldn't have carried me through. Just because you can do math doesn't mean you can program.

Slightly relatedly, I'm taken aback by how many people I encounter these days in IT who don't have CS degrees, and who can't program. It just seems so limiting. And it becomes screamingly apparent when you watch some of them try and model data. The requirement for consistency and adaptability escapes too many.

I went to the big art deco bookstore last night and was absolutely flabbergasted by the number of books like The Lazy Husband and various other Here's-What's-Wrong-with-Your-Man- and-How-To-Fix-It-without-Him-Ever-Noticing titles that were out on prominent display. Although it has no direct bearing on my life, I feel like I should give the finger to women who regard their significant others as fixer-upper opportunities out of solidarity with my heterosexual brethren.

Now I know I'm never getting into Heaven for fear of how much time I'd spend bitchslapping St. Valentine over his damn holiday.

I agree, ita. She's a poor example of underrepresentation in the sciences-- there's a very good reason she had to drop out! But this sentence, however, should have been stricken:

"The long hours often required with computing jobs also may deter women who wish to raise children."

I mean, wow.

As opposed to those short hours in, say, the more traditional nursing field?

I mean, wow.

It pretty much renders the rest of the article irrelevant.

As opposed to those short hours in, say, the more traditional nursing field?

Definitely longer hours than, say, teaching.

No CS degree or programming skills here. I just don't have the patience for the latter. Once in a blue moon having them might be useful, but it's not required for my job. That's what our various System Administrators do.

What is your job, Kalshane?

I'd feel so naked without my CS degree or equivalent programming skills (because, really, in the 80s I could have gotten decent work straight out of HS and ended up where I am. But it'd be on the job experience of a similar sort, though it'd eventually limit my promotability or ability to compete).

Slightly relatedly, I'm taken aback by how many people I encounter these days in IT who don't have CS degrees, and who can't program.

t raises hand

I'm well aware that I suck. I haven't gone for a CS degree yet simply because I don't learn the way most CS departments teach, and I suspect attempting a degree would be a frustrating and ultimately pointless exercise.

I need lunch. Hmm, lunch...

I think I may be the only person on the IT staff who isn't a developer with a CS degree. I'm certainly the only one with an MS in CS.