Comments on: Birmingham Bloggers Meetup 3 - Coworking and a Social Media Cafe http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/ Create something every day Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:00:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Ruth Ward http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-11043 Ruth Ward Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:38:58 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-11043 I missed it too, but that was out of illness not disinterest. I've been thinking a lot about how we can get more women and other groups interested/involved. Although I can see the benefit of setting up different meets to suit people, I still think we need to encourage greater representation across the board, to share ideas rather than keep them separate. A big thing I noticed at SXSW was a real lack of diversity - at every level - and for the first time in my life I felt like I was in a real minority. Surely the beauty of new technology should be its accessibility - I'm going to be blogging about this soon! I missed it too, but that was out of illness not disinterest. I’ve been thinking a lot about how we can get more women and other groups interested/involved. Although I can see the benefit of setting up different meets to suit people, I still think we need to encourage greater representation across the board, to share ideas rather than keep them separate. A big thing I noticed at SXSW was a real lack of diversity - at every level - and for the first time in my life I felt like I was in a real minority. Surely the beauty of new technology should be its accessibility - I’m going to be blogging about this soon!

]]> By: Dom Barnes http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10881 Dom Barnes Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:15:52 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10881 Just realised that last bit might sound a bit snarky. It wasn't meant that way. In fact I quite like the idea of being a stay-at-home dad. Just realised that last bit might sound a bit snarky. It wasn’t meant that way. In fact I quite like the idea of being a stay-at-home dad.

]]> By: Dom Barnes http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10879 Dom Barnes Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:14:59 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10879 Just to chime in on the female blogger business, its certainly not a male geeky thing. My girlfriend blogs about feminism and unsurprisingly has many other female friends who blog regularly, none of which is of a geeky nature. I think its probably more a issue with people knowing about it. People who are less "geeky" probably aren't looking around for blogger meetups, more likely looking for groups related to their blog's topic for instance. Thats not to say they wouldn't want to come. Perhaps someone could put together a poster for the next one for display at uni's, coffee shops, notice boards, etc?And a parent/blogger meetup sounds fun! if only I didn't have to work...and had a child.... Just to chime in on the female blogger business, its certainly not a male geeky thing. My girlfriend blogs about feminism and unsurprisingly has many other female friends who blog regularly, none of which is of a geeky nature. I think its probably more a issue with people knowing about it. People who are less “geeky” probably aren’t looking around for blogger meetups, more likely looking for groups related to their blog’s topic for instance. Thats not to say they wouldn’t want to come.
Perhaps someone could put together a poster for the next one for display at uni’s, coffee shops, notice boards, etc?And a parent/blogger meetup sounds fun! if only I didn’t have to work…and had a child….

]]> By: emily http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10850 emily Wed, 02 Apr 2008 18:53:45 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10850 Charlotte - I'd love a women/parents bloggers meet with kids. And the Kitchen Garden would be perfect. Mornings after 10am are best for me. What about others? I would personally feel more confident in attending one of the bloggers meet-ups if I'd been to something like this first I think. I also like the idea of having a babysitting rota or something, if that's causing women to miss out. Or perhaps sometimes the men living with women who blog, could stay at home to babysit sometimes? Charlotte - I’d love a women/parents bloggers meet with kids. And the Kitchen Garden would be perfect. Mornings after 10am are best for me. What about others?
I would personally feel more confident in attending one of the bloggers meet-ups if I’d been to something like this first I think.

I also like the idea of having a babysitting rota or something, if that’s causing women to miss out. Or perhaps sometimes the men living with women who blog, could stay at home to babysit sometimes?

]]> By: brendadada http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10848 brendadada Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:33:36 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10848 Charlotte: yes, coterminous is what I thought too. Would love to be there. Good to 'see' you around btw, and thanks to Stef whose alter ego I've encountered somewhere. Charlotte: yes, coterminous is what I thought too. Would love to be there. Good to ’see’ you around btw, and thanks to Stef whose alter ego I’ve encountered somewhere.

]]> By: Craig http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10846 Craig Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:30:21 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10846 Missed it.......will hope to make the next one. Looks like it was the kind of fun my 'real' friends would consider geeky beyond help - and I mean that in a good way, folks. Missed it…….will hope to make the next one. Looks like it was the kind of fun my ‘real’ friends would consider geeky beyond help - and I mean that in a good way, folks.

]]> By: Charlotte Carey http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10842 Charlotte Carey Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:41:25 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10842 Brenda - I did consider the women/parents bloggers meet. I'm thinking Kitchen Garden cafe in Kingsheath and bring your kids. But to perhaps have this in addition to a generic mtg. Also what time of day would be good for most women? What would they want to talk about? I agree that, and I felt afterwards, that like all the folks there, I have a responsibility to encourage more women to contribute/turn up. Brenda - I did consider the women/parents bloggers meet. I’m thinking Kitchen Garden cafe in Kingsheath and bring your kids. But to perhaps have this in addition to a generic mtg. Also what time of day would be good for most women? What would they want to talk about? I agree that, and I felt afterwards, that like all the folks there, I have a responsibility to encourage more women to contribute/turn up.

]]> By: Josh Hart - impressive customer service | The Photography Pages http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10838 Josh Hart - impressive customer service | The Photography Pages Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:52:00 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10838 [...] “accelerated synchronicities” [...] [...] “accelerated synchronicities” [...]

]]> By: brendadada http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10837 brendadada Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:49:26 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10837 I'd definitely have been there had I still been living in lovely old Brum. That would make um, 6 of us, yes? Trouble with this 'redressing the balance' issue, is that you can't. Women are still massively under represented in most online/tech/geek activity, and the more meets there are, the more generally blokey it all looks. Thing is to make special efforts: if it's a childcare thing, get some of the blokes in a rota to offer babysitting (one a year each, say), and seek out women bloggers to ask them individually, don't just expect them to turn up. It can be way scary anyway turning up to something like that, without the thing being full of people of the other gender. Also, Charlotte: why not have some women blogger's meetups? I'd maybe even come to one of those, I'd definitely host one. I live by the seaside. ;) I’d definitely have been there had I still been living in lovely old Brum.

That would make um, 6 of us, yes? Trouble with this ‘redressing the balance’ issue, is that you can’t. Women are still massively under represented in most online/tech/geek activity, and the more meets there are, the more generally blokey it all looks.

Thing is to make special efforts: if it’s a childcare thing, get some of the blokes in a rota to offer babysitting (one a year each, say), and seek out women bloggers to ask them individually, don’t just expect them to turn up. It can be way scary anyway turning up to something like that, without the thing being full of people of the other gender.

Also, Charlotte: why not have some women blogger’s meetups? I’d maybe even come to one of those, I’d definitely host one. I live by the seaside. ;)

]]> By: Charlotte Carey http://www.steflewandowski.com/2008/04/birmingham-bloggers-meetup-3-coworking-and-a-social-media-cafe/#comment-10830 Charlotte Carey Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:38:29 +0000 http://www.steflewandowski.com/?p=388#comment-10830 Emily, Clare As Stef said I mentioned this on the night and have briefly blogged about it. http://creativeenterprise.blogspot.com I think there are bigger issues here around how women relate to technology and which language they respond to and whole host of other things. I'll blog about it in more depth but certainly through the research I come into contact with there is a serious short fall of women working in new technology areas, research refers to 'new boys club' (like old boys). It can appear very exclusive. def the whole 'Birmingham Bloggers' and folks talking about being 'geeky' (in a positive way) isn't that sexy. My personal experience of becoming a mummy had a big impact on my feeling able to stay on top of the rapid tech changes (not sure if this was real or percieved) and at the time I worked directly in that sector. I think Emily's point about risking loosing our voice is very important, I guess this was just the physical meet up and in fact there were also many other 'voices' missing. Charlotte Emily, Clare

As Stef said I mentioned this on the night and have briefly blogged about it.

http://creativeenterprise.blogspot.com

I think there are bigger issues here around how women relate to technology and which language they respond to and whole host of other things.

I’ll blog about it in more depth but certainly through the research I come into contact with there is a serious short fall of women working in new technology areas, research refers to ‘new boys club’ (like old boys). It can appear very exclusive.

def the whole ‘Birmingham Bloggers’ and folks talking about being ‘geeky’ (in a positive way) isn’t that sexy.

My personal experience of becoming a mummy had a big impact on my feeling able to stay on top of the rapid tech changes (not sure if this was real or percieved) and at the time I worked directly in that sector.

I think Emily’s point about risking loosing our voice is very important, I guess this was just the physical meet up and in fact there were also many other ‘voices’ missing.

Charlotte

]]>