[erikpukinskis]

> People do what they want, less women want to program

Fewer women want to program because they're taught from a very young age that they can't.

As a result, we're losing out on a bunch of great programmers, which I think is a loss. I also think it's sad that girls are made to feel like these things are off-limits to them. I think the world would be a better place if every kid thought they could do whatever job they wanted to.

[yelnatz]

Whose teaching them they cant?

[jacalata]

Everyone on this page who says something like 'I'm pretty sure that women don't normally like programming'.

[pjbrunet]

I don't know. My programming teacher in high school was literally on his knees begging the last two girls to continue to the next level.

[erikpukinskis]

It sounds like you're suggesting that since one teacher is encouraging two girls to program that therefore everyone in every girl's life is just as encouraging to them as they are to the boys.

[pjbrunet]

Is that true for anyone? If someone I really respect is encouraging me, that's very persuasive but there are so many forces at work when choosing a career, I don't think there's any way to quantify that decision. But of course teachers make a big difference, for better or worse. This particular teacher, I know one of his female students is a successful 3D graphics engineer, another classmate works at Intel, etc.