So O'Reilly bloggers are all their own little stable of pet authors for their blogs. (see the "Blog Mafia thread on Tim O'Reilly's recent whine.)
What a crock. Then Tim has the gall to complain when Orlowski of The Register posts a piece that, among other things, accuses the O'Reilly bloggers of creating their own cultlike clique! This is like a bunch of inbred morons, marooned on a desert island, getting rich from trading hats with each other, and then wondering why the people who come to rescue them don't recognize their wealth and business acumen!
If you support a diverse field, then show it, Tim. You say that you seek out new technologies and new authors. You get these technologists turned author to explain their art in what often become timeless references. Why can't you do the same in O'Reilly Network??
You claim that the lack of women bloggers is due to the lack of women in tech, therefore absolving yourself of responsibility. That's like saying "We won't hire blacks because no blacks have experience in the field".
Catch 22.
Tons of women get relegated to the writing ghetto in tech, Tim. Have you thought about looking there?
Your own user group program has regular contact with LinuxChix. I know, I'm one of them. Some of our people regularly write damn thorough reviews of... O'Reilly books from a technical viewpoint. Yeah, only a few write tech blog matter. Others write regularly for industry mags. Heck, one is writing an O'Reilly book!
So when I look at your page of bloggers, Tim, I expect to see more than ONE female face in a sea of over fifty bloggers. The proportion of women to men in the field is more than 1:50. You know my email, Tim. I can give you names to ask if they will blog on tech for you. I can think of 5 off the top of my head.
Posted by ljl at April 28, 2003 05:38 PM | TrackBack