1. Women in IT & FOSS 20th November 2009, GNOME.Asia Summit 2009
Pockey Lam, President of Beijing Linux User Group

2. Women VS Men studying CS
Average of 10% women in CS and it's declining
Blue line: Men
Pink line: Women
Sources: National Science Foundataion (

3. Perception of CS Spending all day long in front of computer...
No life!
CS = Programming
I wouldn't be
good at it!
Working overtime
all the time?
IT is difficult
IT is boring
IT career?
No future?

4. Similar in FOSS Mainstream projects: only 2%
Some FOSS projects: 5% to 10% (Perl and Drupal)
BLUG: 5% to 30% depending on the topics

5. Why want more women in IT?
Half more population working on solving critical problems
Pick from the best of both genders and a broader mix of skills and personalities
Women have qualities, can add real value to the talent pool of IT
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said:
"If you want something said, ask a man.
If you want something done, ask a woman."

6. How to get them involved?
Improve the IT and geek image
More female role models to inspire young women (business opportunity and IT career)
Talk to them
FOSS contribution is not just programming (localization, documentation, QA, graphic design, marketing, event organization...)
Welcome them
Value all kinds of contributions

7. Women in GNOME Fond of having our own identity, be unique
Colors, icons, pointer, sound effect....

8. Women Role Models in GNOME
Executive Director
For GNOME Foundation
Lead Organizing Members of
GNOME.Asia Summit 08,
Founding members of
Beijing GNOME User Group
Lead organizing member
of GNOME.Asia Summit 09

9. GNOME.Asia Summit 2009 Volunteers meet up
Full of women :)

10. Join Information Technology! Join FOSS! Join GNOME!
Thank you!
Join Information Technology!
Join FOSS!
Join GNOME!