Conference turris::womannotes-v1

	Name:  Jym Dyer
	Site:  ZKO, Spitbrook (ZpitbrooK?), South Nashua, NH
	Job:   Developer for Spitbrook Document Development System, also
	       known as DOCUMENT and/or SDML.  A new name is sought.

	    My original relationship to feminism and women's issues was
	from an egalitarian standpoint.  I started rubbing elbows with
	some rape crisis center volunteers and learned a bit more.  My
	next step was to read all the important books and learn feminist
	theory.  Then I took a course on the psychology of women (I am a
	social psychology major) and found out about the women's therapy
	movement (which is a revolution in psychology, if not yet estab-
	lished as a major paradigm).
	    While all this education has given me a clearer view of our
	culture (and other cultures), my basic view is still mainly de-
	rived from egalitarianism.  (This sometimes puts me at odds with
	those whose feminism is based on some sort of dogma.)
	    I'm a rape crisis counselor with Rape Crisis Services of
	Greater Lowell, an occasional assistant for various feminist
	events happening at the University of Lowell, and a participant
	in many discussion-oriented notes conferences (promoting egali-
	tarianism every chance I get).
	    I'm concerned about the future of feminism, and I have hopes
	that the women's movement will become more inclusive, eliminat-
	ing racism, classism, prejudice on basis of sexual orientation,
	ageism, and everything_elseism, including sexism (often directed
	at men).  In truth, I'm actually hoping to see various movements
	for equal rights converge, but that won't happen very soon.
			<_Jym_>
	P.S.:  It has been suggested in some quarters that I'm not a
	real man because I hate what high heels do to people's feet.

        Name:	Tom Blinn
        Site:	MRO, Marlboro, Massachusetts
        Role:	New Products Consulting in Volume Operations, a new
        	job I'm starting next week; for the past 2-1/3 years,
        	I've been a Technical Consultant in Large Systems
        	Marketing (36-bit systems).
        
        As Maggie remarked in one of the introductory notes, I sent her
        mail almost as soon as this conference was announced, asking
        whether participation by men would be welcomed, because I feel
        that issues of interest to women will be, of necessity, of
        interest to men as well. 
        
        While I think that _some_ of the concerns about sexism, feminism,
        call it what you will, are overblown (and arise as a reaction to
        our unfortunate tendency to be rude to our fellow humans, both
        male and female), I also believe that there is legitimacy in MANY
        of the arguments.  I'd like to live in a world where every person
        has an equal opportunity to live well, and where rewards are based
        on accomplishments, not who you know, or the color of your skin,
        or whether your sex organs protrude.  Obviously, we're not there
        yet. 
        
        You'll probably see me other places as well -- SEXCETERA (unless
        the yahoos get it abolished), and even the SOAPBOX, as well as
        many "work-related" files (but aren't ALL of these work-related,
        in the sense that they help us know our fellow workers better, and
        hence improve our interactions with them?). 
        
        While I agree with <_Jym_> that high heels can be bad for the
        feet, I'm not about to tell someone he or she should not wear them
        if it brings a sense of self-satisfaction.  Vive la difference!
        
        Tom

    Name:  Bob Wyman
    Site:  VBO, Valbonne, France
    Role:  Starting a new engineering group for "Computer Assisted Software
    	   Engineering". Worked on translation issues for the previous
    	   year, was with ALL-IN-1 from it's early days before that
    	   and started with DEC in Metro Boston Software Services.

    I became seriously interested in "women's issues" in 1971 when I
    began to get involved in Maryland State politics. I was then working
    on a number of "student/youth" related issues. One of the big issues
    was the teenage pregnancy problem and availability of birth-control
    information. So, I helped organize a "Women's Education Program"
    for the schools in my county and helped raise money to fund the
    printing of books, etc on birth and body control/rights for women.
    Women's Rights also became a central issue for the "Maryland Student's
    Union" lobbying group that I co-founded. My participation in these
    issues continued actively through Democratic party work and volunteer
    work for the Women's Caucus and other groups around DC until I joined
    Digital.
    
    Later I was impressed to discover that while getting a job was no
    problem for me, my three sisters all started working as secretaries
    even though they had vastly superior educations to mine... I've
    also found it difficult to avoid seeing the sexism in other countries
    as I travel and/or live overseas. (Europe and Africa mainly)
    
    Many people argue for the case of women based on empathy,
    egalitarianism, some vague notion of "rights", etc. For me the real
    issue is one of *waste*. We are wasting people by tolerating sexism
    and racism. It's that simple.

       		bob wyman
    

        Name:	Dave Butenhof
        Site:	Spitbrook Rd. facility; Nashua, NH
        Job:	Software Engineering Productivity and Human Interface
        	research for Commercial Languages and Tools group,
        	interface functions with MCC (Microelectronics and
        	Computer Technology Corporation, in which Digital
        	holds a share, and participates in several research
        	programs).
        
        My interests in "feminism" are, from most to least specific,
        that a) I have a wife, who happens to be a woman (things
        work better that way), b) I happen to like women in general,
        and think most of them are pretty neat people, and c) I happen
        to like humans in general, and think most of them are pretty
        neat people.  Obviously (to me) we have nothing to gain by
        attempting to prevent a large number of humans from achieving
        and contributing whatever they are capable of achieving and
        contributing.
        
        Prejudice and prejudicial descrimination are hazardous to
        everyone... the equally includes feminists who like to claim
        that "men don't/can't/don't-want-to understand us", or "men
        are the enemy" or any of a number of other prejudicial slogans.
        
        Prejudice is the only enemy.  Whether it disguises itself
        as "macho", "feminism", "patriotism", "conservation",
        "progress", or any of a thousand other names.  Take pride
        in being a man, a woman, an American, an employee of Digital,
        or whatever... but don't forget that first and foremost you're
        an intelligent lifeform, and we all have should have a strong
        personal interest in cooperating.
        
        Ah hem... time to step down from the video soapbox.
        
        	/dave

    	Dave Clark
    	FPO, Burlington MA
    	Software engineer - Producer/IVIS engineering
    
    Like .5, I'm mostly curious ... I've been working at DEC for 2 1/2
    years now ... I've recently gotten engaged, and have an extremely
    happy relationship with this person.
    
    I guess I'm mainly interested in finding out what women perceive
    to be "differences" between themselves and men.  My fiancee and
    I have noted how, the longer we've been together, the more we naturally
    come to think of each other as a "person," rather than a "man vs.
    a woman."  We've both been very pleased to discover that we have
    similar hopes, needs, fears.
    
    -dave

    Name: Steve Lionel
    Location: ZKO (Spit Brook Road, Nashua, NH)
    Occupation: Principal Software Engineer, Technical Languages and
      Environments.  Most recently, project leader for VAXELN Ada
    
    I have been observing this conference for a while, partly from
    curiosity, but a curiosity that is born of my general respect for
    women and a desire to better understand their view of the world.
    I have been fortunate to have had several good friends who happened
    to be women, and I have enjoyed the opportunity to talk with these
    friends without the usual "sexual" baggage that some people might
    try bringing in to such a relationship.
    
    My hope is that this conference is where women at DEC will feel
    free to discuss topics of interest to them, without undue interference
    from men.  I might suggest that those men who are watching this
    conference try to exercise some restraint, in an attempt to encourage
    those more reluctant to write.

Byron Glick
MK1-1/h02
 Senior Software Specialist in COG supporting VTX.  (Think I got that right).
Just started this job after 2 years working on WPS-PLUS performance in ZK.

Why am I here?   Hmmmm.   As somebody who has acquired a few opinions I
find it a constant struggle against having a write-only impact on the world.

Fortunately a few years back I got mixed up with a self-described "man-hater."
A few months later we got married (what does that say about my manhood???).
Lisa helps combat the write-only tendency by being bright enough to truly
confound me sometimes.  She exposed me to a whole set of ideas/realities
that I simply couldn't be write-only on.    I'm a reader and so read a
bunch of books (fiction and non-fiction) about and by women.  Still, the
most profound experiences have come from personal interaction, not
literature, which can only provide context at best.  

Lisa often reads these notes over my shoulder and about half the
intelligent things in my notes I've picked up from her.

-Byron

    Fred M. Eines
    LKG (Littleton)
    Maintainability Engineer with NCSE, NaC CSSE
    
    Back in the '70s (ah yes, a  tear of nostalgia comes to my eye)
    I was a student at Antioch College, in Ohio.  This was a wonderful
    time for me, and I became aware of the elevated level of conciousness
    alot of women were trying to achieve there.  I took a "women's course",
    The Politics of Being Female.  I was one out of two men in the course,
    and got a crush on the teacher, who reminded me of the lovely Gloria
    Steinhem.  Hey, what do you want, she's a nice looking woman!  Anyway,
    as part of a project for the course, I helped organize an evening
    rape prevention escort service for the campus.
    
    My motivation?  I love women!  I'm sorry, I just can't help myself.  My
    mother is a woman as are wife and sisters. I love men too, but not in
    the same way.  I'm fascinated with women.  I remember when I used to
    think that the best way to achieve equality between men and women was
    to pretend that we were the same, apart from our physical differences.
    WHAT A STUPID IDEA!!!  As someone just said, "Viva la differance"
    (sorry, for any misspellings of the French).  We ARE different, and
    thank God for that. 
    
    I agree with what Jym said in .1.  There aren't women's issues
    per say, but people's issues.  Hey, let's not pretend to be all
    that altruistic though; if they're unhappy, WE'RE unhappy.

    
    							Fred
    
    ps I hate what high heels do to a women's feet and posture too, but
    don't they look great!? 

hal shubin
HLO (Hudson, MA)
Artificial Intelligence Technology Group, advanced development.
	We apply AI techniques to problems that traditional software
	techniques don't work on.  There are many definitions of "AI", but
	simply put, it's an attempt to make computers use the knowledge that
	experts have (at least as practiced here).

I was introduced to feminism over the years by, among others, 3 women
that I've been involved with. It began a long time ago with "How come
your sisters clear the table while you and your brother sit there?".
No one had an answer to that, so things started to change. I've
watched with pride as female friends have fought against closed-mined
men, but felt shame and sorrow that it was necessary.

Believing in equality for women (and everyone else) is a generalization
of my feeling I should be able to do things my way, ignoring the
"supposed to" rules that are so arbitrary. 

I hope to learn more about women's problems through this notesfile,
although as mentioned in an earlier note, it's may be impossible to
really understand the problems. I think that i can contribute, as well
as learn.


re: .9 

As far as high heels: you might think that they look great, but watch a
woman's feet instead of her legs. Heels are very unstable, and i've seen
feet doing some very serious wobbling. (Just another ploy to keep women off
balance?) If there's one thing that's kept me convinced that feminism
is important, it's women's fashion. On the one hand, women are freer
in dress than men are, but to a larger extent, they're much more
restricted.

    I'm a software engineer with the Technical Languages and
    Environments group at Spitbrook.
    
    I'm interested in this conference because (like Dave Butenhof)
    I have a wife who is a woman, and a daughter who some day will
    be one
    
    	[aside... anyone want to start a node on gender stereotypes 
    	in childraising?]
        
    and because I believe that "women's" issues overlap strongly
    with other issues of personal freedom.  I expect to be primarily
    a reader rather than a writer in this file.
    
    	-Neil

        Someone pointed out that I was genderless (as I often Just
        sign q).
        
        Well my wife would probably take exception to that.
        
        I am Peter Quodling, I have been with Dec 7+ years, in a variety
        of roles from Field Circus Engineer through Software Specialist
        to my current position of Technical Consultant. I am 30 years
        old, married to Barbara, who is self employed. We live in Sydney,
        Australia. I did major at UNiversity in Psychology, which has
        given me an interest in people ( although I find computers
        far more rational.)
        
        I guess I have been watching and contributing to this conference
        to watch for and give comments about what the consensus
        was on issues of Equality. 
        
        I am, by the way, of minimal scot extraction and definitely
        over 5'7"  :-)
        
        q
        

    Bob Lewis
    NRO4 (Northboro  MA)
    Corporate Distribution / Loss & Recovery
    
         I have been with DEC for about four and a half years in a variety
    of positions and was introduced to "Multicultural Awareness" about
    two years ago while working for the Low End Business Center (now
    the Options Business Unit).  I have attended workshops concerning
    woman-man issues conducted by Kaleel Jameson & Assoc. (sp?) which
    has greatly increased my awareness of the pain and suffering caused
    by all types of discrimination.  I am currently a member of a small
    discussion group (5 women, 2 men) that meets once/month to discuss
    "woman-man" issues.  
         I feel that this forum will help increase my understanding
    of the problems women face as well as how I may contribute towards
    "working" these problems (and not add to them).
    
    Also:  I have read a few of the notes and must make one comment:
    
    I feel that "contributions" such as those made by "Dave/Davina?"
    have no place here.  Such "comments", though disquised as humor,
    only add to the problem of discrimination.
    
    Bob

    Senior Software Consultant
    Florida District Software moving to southern area software
    I've been with Digital down here for 8 years.
    
    I'm just a plain ole man.  I am not a educated feminist.  Being raised
    a southerner I feel that women deserve special courtesy and respect.
    
    I have two teenage daughters and I want them to have EVERY possible
    opportunity, of course.  I believe that EVERYONE deserves every
    possible opportunity.
    
    My very best friends have ALWAYS been women.  I've never understood
    why.  I certainly intend those who note about this conference which
    looks to be a good one.

    Software Engineering Supervisor
    LJO2 - Littleton/ Personal Computer Software Engineering
    Been with Digital 8 years and change, in NYC, Mill, PK
    
    Over the years, I've known several women with strong feminist passions.
    I support the ideal of an egalitarian society, but I find that many
    of the emotions of the feminist movement are negative - anger,
    bitterness and hate - and I've tried to help my friends to adopt
    a more positive, tempered outlook, with varying degrees of success.
    
    Q: How many feminists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
    A: (shouted) THAT'S NOT FUNNY!
    
    My essential position: the ideal of an egalitarian society will
    be realized by virtue of its inherent beauty and benefit. No number
    of shrill voices shouted into megaphones will bring that happy day
    any closer - and indeed, may delay its arrival.

	My name: John A. Wasser  (John to most, JW to a few, Moxie to about 2)
	My location: LJO2 in Littleton, MA
	My job: Software Engineer
	My life insurance? New England Life, of course. Why? [Splat]
	My Scotch: None, thank you.  I'm driving.  Do you have Ginger-Ale?

	I am here to learn and to help others to learn.  

    Lee Timmons
    VWO/CO8B
    Senior Process Engineer, Field Service Logistics.  Been with DEC
    for about 1.5 years.
    
    I'm here for primarily because I am a single parent with 4 kids,
    three of them daughters.  My ex-wife lives in Maine, as does my
    older daughter, Leslie, 19 (she lives close to her Mom).  I have
    my son Mike, 21, Julie, 17, and Kerrie, 14, with me.  
    
    I grew-up in a triple-decker.  We lived on the 3rd floor, my maternal
    grandmother and 2 aunts were on the second, and my mother's great-aunt
    lived on the first.  So, my Dad and I were surrounded my women.
    Yet, we didn't seem to learn very much.
    
    With Julie graduating from H.S. tomorrow, and Kerrie graduating
    to High School this year, I have been, and will continue to be,
    faced with handling situations with which I am totally unfamiliar.
    I guess I was a bit chauvinistic when I was younger, but for the
    past few years I have changed my views, as I worry more about my
    daughters than my son as regards that Big Bad World out there.
    
    Perhaps I can help my daughters realize what fields are opening-up
    more for women.  I would like to understand women better, so that
    I can at least be more sympathetic when they ask for advice, or
    want to discuss a problem/situation.  While I can't walk in your
    mocassins, maybe I can learn something by reading your comments.
    
    Great idea for a conference.  Good luck with it.
    
    Lee

Since I've already had MAIL conversations with some members of this
conference I guess it's time to introduce myself.

I'm a principal software engineer working in Merrimack Design Services. My
job here is to support computer aided design tools used for printed circuit
board layout. Before this I was a developer of commercial software products.

Readers of the MUSIC and COMMUSIC (computer music) conferences may have seen
some of my postings.

I've been a feminist since I was a teenager, and I tried to figure out how
come I was so much more uncomfortable with girls than with boys. One answer
that I couldn't formulate in those days is that I'm more comfortable with
egalitarian relationships. I don't like being the one who's (supposed to be)
stronger, smarter, bigger, older and all the rest.

I'm a member of NOW, and I support other Lesbian and feminist causes such as
battered women's shelters, woman-oriented presses and publications etc. I
beleive in affirmative action, I support the ERA, I'm pro-choice, and I
VOTE!

Am I politically correct yet? (8-)
Don.

    I'm another mostly casual reader, but having written one reply, might
    as well jump in with both feet - this is certainly one of the more
    worthwhile personal interest conferences.
    
    I'm an engineer in a Q/A group at Laboratory Data Products in MRO. I
    wouldn't call myself a feminist, since I'm not an activist in any
    relevant area. I LIKE women (no leer or anything there, OK?), and have
    benefited greatly from the insight and empathy of close female friends
    (qualities which, by nature and/or nurture, women DO seem to display
    lots more of than men.) One of my sisters (the blood-related kind)
    is an amazing person about whom I can't say enough and won't try
    right now. I hail from around Madison, Wisconsin, where feminism
    flourishes (relatively speaking, at least.)

    Regards, Chuck Schneider

    My name is John Heffernan and I have been reading this file for a
    while.  I am trying to get some more formal education on women's issues.
    

    hi,
    
    my name is steve marshall, a senoir engineer in thin-film heads,
    i've been at dec just over 3 years now. (by the way, that's senior
    engineer, and electrical at that) i think of myself as being fair
    and reasonable, but that doesn't mean its so. my main purpose (like
    a few other guys here) is to listen and learn, and look for prejudices
    i may unconsciously be carrying around.
    i expect to mostly be read-only, but i'm sure i'll be poking my
    nose in every now and then.
    
    steve m (beware the fractal dragon)

Martin Minow, Principal Engineer with the DECtalk group.
Been at Dec 14 years now, having started in Sweden as
a software specialist.

Just a causal reader without much of an ax to grind.

Martin.

    
    Ok...I'll do it...but I want you all to know I don't like it
    and I don't want to...but here goes....
    	If you're wise...you'll type "next unseen" before I get too
    verbose!
    	I ALWAYS get too verbose!
    
    
    	rik
    	single parent of 2 lovely-but-warring daughters for the
    past ten years.
    	don't believe in marriage but do believe in love/relationships
    and am currently involved in one.
    	left-wing-radical-liberal.
    	musician/composer at heart and desperatly seeking a recording
    contract.
    	at dec on/off for the past 15 years....operations, cobol program-
    mer, tops-10/20 instructor...and a multitude of other vocations
    to earn money while I await my musical ship.
    	currently in stride at westford in the mailroom....while waiting
    for the next assignment.
    	why am I interested?
    	partly cuz i hate inequality and injustice and capitalist pigs and
    greed and pompous, selfcentered men who make this planet such a
    difficult place to live. partly cus I believe in all causes for oppressed
    peoples...regardless of sex, color, nationality, height, sexual
    preference or taste in music. mostly cuz I recognize that I need
    to know more about all peoples if I'm ever to be able to help and
    understand them better. lastly, but not leastly, cuz I have those
    2 lovely but antagonistic daughters and I want them to have all
    the justices and equality that they deserve.
    	
    
    	P.S. to avoid your getting the wrong idea....I DO NOT want the
    recording contract for fame or wealth!...I don't believe in either
    fame or excessive wealth.....I do want the contract cuz if I get
    the contract..I can then do the most good for the most people. I
    can redirect whatever "wealth" comes my way in directions that will
    help as many people as possible. the music i right is mostly social
    political, which in itself is an attempt at making the world a better
    place. one of my dreams is to have enuff money to buy/build a nice
    complex to house artists of all kinds at a cheap cost to them so
    they can afford to spend more time/energy developing/nurturing their
    arts. Another dream is to finance many of my friends who work at
    places like dec but would prefer to own a "flower shop" or a "jewelry
    store" etc.......it may not happen in my life time...I only hope
    my daughters carry on the fight!
    
    	

    Ed Luwish
    OEM Technical Support Engineer, with DEC for almost 6 years (wrote
        LSI-11 ROM code such as bootstraps, ODT, etc.)
    Married for 2 years to Pam, who writes for DECsell.
    
    I have been reading this conference since the day it was announced,
    since I want to improve my ability to nurture others.  A major obstacle
    for me (and probably most men) in nurturing others is the baggage
    I carry as the child of a gender-divided society.  I hope that by
    listening to women I can learn to contribute more to them, and
    ultimately to all people.
    
    I don't feel the urge to debate in this conference - I don't think
    that there are two sides to womanhood and that one is compelled
    to choose a side, although most of the male contributors seem to
    disagree with me.  Furthermore, I don't see how I can contribute
    to a discussion of women's experiences as women, since I am not
    a woman.  My role is to listen and learn, and have contributed this
    reply only because I was invited to by the moderator.  I will
    contribute again only if invited by the women participants in this
    conference.  I wish that other men felt the same way, since they
    alter the tone of this space in (I think) a way that could destroy
    this very fragile and beautiful conference.  I hope that WOMANNOTES
    thrives and grows strong, since it benefits all of us.
    
    Ed
    

    I've been a voyeur for about 4 months, so I guess it's time to log
    in and be counted.
    
    Dirk Lust
    Sr Programmer/Analyst
    Storage Systems Group
    MLO1-5/T33
    223-7198
    (SSVAX/SSGVAX)::LUST
    
    Been a Digit for 5 years now, having been introduced to DECulture
    by some friends (Hello, Bonnie) who had been Digits for a long time.
    
    My interest in this notesfile is manifold:
    
    	1.  I have 3 daughters.
    
    	2.  At least half of the people I know are women.
    
    	3.  It is basically about people.
    
    D.

        Name:	Jim Burrows, a.k.a. Brons
        Site:	ZKO2-3, (Spitbrook)
        Job:	Principle Engineer. Project leader for EVE, SARAH
        	and the EVE Common Kernel.
        
        My major reasons for checking out this file are that for my
        entire life I've been more comfortable around girls and women
        than boys and men, and I find that my tastes and interests don't
        fit a lot of the standard male interests (probably because I hung
        around with girls more than boys). 
        
        When I was young I was the only boy among the kids my age in the
        neighborhood. As a result, I played with girls or dogs or by
        myself. Later I managed to be the least popular kid in my class,
        and the favorite person to beat up. Again, I was more
        comfortable around girls--they were very nearly the only people
        my age who didn't beat up. Still later, I started dating early,
        mostly from the fear that if I didn't get a head start on the
        other guys, I'd never catch up. When I graduated I was the only
        guy in the top six in my class and one of only two in the top
        twelve. Girls did academics. Boys did sports and cars.
        
        On the other hand, I can't claim the interest in or dedication
        to feminism and "women's issues" of some of the other men in
        this file. In many ways I tend to be pretty conservative. I
        won't deny that there have been, and continue to be inequities
        in the world, or that these need to be fixed. I just don't tend
        to feel that harping on past inequities or even present
        difficulties is as important as getting on with our lives and
        making them all as good as they can be. I'm not much of a
        one for causes or politics. I'd rather just see each of us
        living a life based on principles.
        
        No doubt some of my attitudes (for example, I'll admit to being
        and elitist) will be a little unpopular among some noters here,
        so I will attempt to be on my best behavior, and not too
        intrusive. Please believe that at least there is no ill-will
        behind any of my views. 
        
        JimB. 

    Seeing as I have entered a reply, I suppose I'd better say who I
    am. My name is Michael Nicholls and I am an analyst programmer with
    MIS in Sydney, Australia. I have been guiltily reading this conference
    since day 1, and have read things that both pleased and annoyed
    me. Politically I lean to the left and get annoyed by the things
    around me that are out of my control that I consider wrong.
    
    Enough for now....
    
    - michael
    

    Doug Gordon
    I work for ISWSS out of PKO1, but I'm resident at TWO with MEIS
    at the moment.  I've been with DEC less than a month.
    
    	I'm a people watcher, particularly females. I would describe
    myself as a confirmed NOTES addict and an information junkie. Most of
    my best friends are female, and several of those are
    ex-fairly-serious-relationships.  I try to treat people equally
    regardless of sex, race, creed, etc. I'm single, so I don't even have
    the wife/daughter reason. 
    
    SET MODE=WORM (Write Occaisionally, Read Mostly)

    --Doug

    
    	NAME: Dennis J. Ahern
    	SITE: OGO for now, but moving to PKO3 next week
    	WHAT: Contract Technical Writer
    
    Having only recently discovered NOTEs, I have thus far tried to
    maintain a low profile, as I am not a for-real DECie, just a high
    tech bracero.  This is my first contract at Digital.  Before this
    I have been at Raytheon, RCA, Electric Boat, and Harris Corp., all
    on contract assignments.  
    
    Having started the topic on MISSING children, I feel I had better
    put in a bio before anyone gets misled.
    
    		Married since early '70s (I'm lousy on dates)
    
    		One son aged 6 3/4
    
    		One of 8 children in an Irish Catholic family, now UU
    
    		Sliding into middle-age 
    		(at least my body is sliding into the middle)
    		
    		Went to all-boy high school and didn't discover females
    		until quite late in life (mid-twentys)
    		
    		In my bachelorhood tended to think of my girl-friends
    		as friends 1st and girls ('80s lingo read women) 2nd.
    		In fact, I tended to remain friends with most of them
    		long after we ceased to be lovers and three of them
    		came to our wedding.
    
    		Do not consider myself to be a feminist, rather a humanist.
    	 
    

        Name:	Mike Carleton (MJC)
        Site:	MRO, Marlboro, Massachusetts
        Role:	HPS&C (High Performance Systems and Clusters)
    		Software Engineering.
    
    I have been following this file since its conception (creation?).
    Since I have now written to the file I feel I can no longer put
    off introducing my self.
    
    I come from an extended-family that includes many women and men
    that have long been active in women's issues.  I have never been
    too active myself but the exposure to other members of my extended
    family has made me aware of many of the issues.  I hope to learn
    more from this file.
    
    I have not participated in the debate so far because my experience
    in talking to women about sensitive issues has been most successful
    when I have listened very carefully and talked very little.  This
    strategy has lead a few women to comment "I have not had a conversation
    with a man like this in years!"  Being non-threatening is the key.
    I hope we do not miss-out on the comments of women who feel too
    threatened by the flames in this file to present their opinion.
    If that happens we all lose.
    
    
    						MJC O->
    
                                               

    I've been reading this conference since its beginning, and now
    I'm getting around to introducing myself. I'm Sam Levitin, and I
    work in the Semicustom CAD group in Hudson, MA. I've been with
    DEC off and on from 1983 as a coop, and started full time this
    summer. 

    Like another earlier respondent, I consider myself primarily a
    humanist, not a feminist. However, I do share some opinions with
    the feminists. I'm primarily a read-only participant, because
    others usually state my views quite well. My awareness was
    greatly expanded by association with students from Wellesley
    during my 5-year sentence ( :-{) ) at MIT. I participated on the
    March for Women's Lives, March 9, in DC, more as a tag-along to
    my SO and the rest of the Boston NOW and Wellesley delegations
    than as an active demonstrator. [I agree with the tenets argued
    for, but I guess I'm a little afraid of the concept of demon-
    stration. Perhaps I'm a bit paranoid by the specter of Big
    Brother.] 

    So long for now,
    Sam

    I work in the Canadian Region Field Service MIS group as a technical
    consultant to the other folks in our group.  It's a rewarding job
    from which I get a great deal of personal satisfaction.  Until
    recently, I've been very hesitent to check out this file, since
    it's very nature led me to believe that this file was a women's
    space, and I wanted to respect that belief.  However, more recently,
    I've been hearing that men have been made welcome here, so here
    I am!
    
    My main non-Digital concerns surround the issues of human rights,
    particularly in Canada.  Several years ago, the Canadian Government
    came up with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and a schedule
    for implementation.  One of the main concerns was that the section
    dealing directly with the issues of discrimination did not include
    a number of groups presently discriminated against.  In response
    to this, the government formed the Committee on Equal Rights --
    a group of MPs who toured the country hearing presentations from
    community groups, individuals and organizations.  They wrote a report
    called "Equality for All" which made a number of recommendations.
    
    As one of the people involved in presentations on the issue of
    discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it pleased me
    a great deal to see this dealt with positively in both the report,
    and the government's response.  We're still waiting for the
    legislation, however ...
    
    I guess, as a gay man, my roots are buried very deep in the feminist
    movement.  I have a number of very close female friends, both gay
    and non-gay, who are very important in my life.  Facing a great
    deal of discrimination myself, I can appreciate the discrimination
    that others face in their day-to-day lives.
    
    The other major activity in my life is the construction and operation
    of a 92-unit housing co-operative based on the foundations of human
    rights.  I believe this is a concept that exists in very few counties,
    Canada being one.  Briefly, we obtained roughly six million dollars
    in a guarenteed, subsidised mortgage from the Canada Housing and
    Mortgate Corporation, and we build a housing development.  Fifteen
    percent of our units are wheelchair accessable, thirty percent are
    rent geared to income, and the remainder are full-fee.  The Co-op
    is run by a board elected by the residents, so all of us living
    there have control over our housing.  One of our main tenents is
    the issues of human rights -- the right of affordable housing for
    all.  I've been booted out of one appartment because of my lifestyle
    and it's certainly nice to know it won't happen here!
    
    And if that's not enough, I also do volunteer work with the AIDS
    Committee of Ottawa.  We do public education, provide support to
    people with AIDS, the "worried well" and others concerned about
    the issues surrounding AIDS.
    
    My goodness, I'm going on, aren't I?  My thanks for the opportunity
    to share, and my best wishes to all who share themselves here.
    
    thanks,
    bob.

    
    I am a Principal Engineer/Project Manager in the Personal Computing
    System's Group. Married in 1970 to a great lady. Worked on my
    own for 15 years before joining Digital. Love all kinds of people
    and live on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston where you can find just
    about any type. Here mostly as an observer and to get to 'meet'
    new folks. Kathie and I run two free and open BBS's in Boston. They
    are the 2nd oldest running boards in the area. Both are devoted to
    free expression - not an easy ideal. Love Digital's people. It is
    so refreshing to be in a company where a person can say 'I am
    Gay' with no repercussions. Hope we can keep it this way forever.
    Remarkable.
    
    Maggie,
    
    You are doing a super job with this file! Keep up the good work.

    Marshall
    

    Hi, I'm John Sykes, from the CSC in Colorado.  I am a 10 yr. Dec
    h/w type, now a Unit Manager.  I'm interested in this conference
    for several reasons; First to Learn about the world that we share
    and second to learn about myself.
    
    About a year ago, DEC sponsered a seminar entitle "Men and Women
    as Colleagues" in which I participated.  It was a very well moderated,
    but, intense three days where all of us got a chance to look at
    ourselves closely.  While there was some risk and frankly a bit
    of pain, I healed stronger than I started.  I learned not only about
    a woman's journey in growing up, but, also about my own.  We have
    monthly lunches now where we discuss men and women's issues as they
    relate to us both in and out of DEC.  I have been priviledged to
    be a part of this group, and am currently on its steering committee.
    
    I look forward to this conference as a place for information, and
    more awareness.
    
    Thanks for asking,
    

    
    David F. Wall
    Software Engineer n, High Performance Systems CAD
    MRO1, Marlboro, MA
    
    As soon as I figure out what I'm doing here, I'll let you all know.
    I probably won't write anything here for a while, if at all.  I've
    been with DEC going on a year and a half.  The only thing I'm sure
    of is not being sure of anything.
    
    I can also be found in SOAPBOX and Human_Relations
    
    DFW

    Hello there, I'm Bruce Sloane. I'm a writer with ASD-DTS (Applications
    Systems Development - Documentation and Training Services) in
    Merrimack.
    
    I'm 51 years old, and have been married to the same woman, Joy.
    for 25 years. We have two daughters, ages 22 and 18, so you can see
    that I have over 60 years experience living with females. (And it's
    been great! With the kids gone, it's even more fantastic!)
                                                           
    When I was growing up, sex roles were still rigidly defined. Most
    people, men and women, were cast into specific roles, whether they
    liked it or not. It is an understatement to say that the dissolving 
    and blurring of these role boundaries has been one of the most 
    significant social changes of this century. 
    
    As stereotyped roles disappear, individuals paradoxically find 
    themselves with both more freedom and more uncertainty. People are
    freer to act as they want, but because the old models are cast away,
    they are not sure exactly how they want to, or should, act. The
    question, "What do women want?" expresses this feeling of uncertainty.
    You can also ask, "What do men want?", or, (better yet) "What do
    people want?"
       
    Maybe, through this file, we can begin to figure out the answer.
    
    -bs
    

    		Well, seeing as how my very first note in this file
    	is a flame, it's only appropriate for all to know where they
    	can send rebuttals.
    			
    		Phil Cloud
    		I work in Hudson, Mass. in the Thin Film Heads group
    		in Storage Systems.  We are soon to be moving to our
    		new plant (module) in Shrewsbury.
    
    		My interest in this file is NOT to flame, but to 
    		acquire a basic knowledge of issues that affect
    		women.  How to deal with them and how to better 
    		understand them.  I'm still a sprout (tender age of
    		27), but there is a lot to learn in this file.
    
    		It can only be for the better!
    
    					Phil
    

The usual intro:  name, site, job . . . and why you're interested in
		  this conference.

Robert Francis Christopher Lambert ("-rfl" to my pen pals and "max" to
Stow Facility			    very old friends)
I write computer programs

jeez, when i was 10 or so, we went to a summer camp somewhere and they had
a lake where you could swim and raft with a diving tower.  the tower was
about 10 feet, wooden and you climbed up a wooden ladder.  i must have climbed
up that ladder 5 times before i got the courage up to dive in.  i have that
feeling again in this conference.

my interest?  you've heard of xenophbia, well i have a xeno-fetish i guess, i
like strange stuff and this is strange stuff to me.

                                 Mike Morgan
    
                    Customer support engineer at the DDC,
                          Live in Colorado Springs,
                        Worked with Dec about 5 years,
                                31 years old,
                             Single and LOOKING,
                       Like outdoor and indoor sports,
                        I know both lesbians and gays,
                       I also know a few radical fems,
                      None of the above bothers me much,
          I'm interested in this conference because of many reasons,
                         Maybe I can learn something,
                 Imagine that, Mikie? learning something? B^)
                                                
                                    Mikie?
                                      

    Spence Frasher
    CXO1, Colorado Springs, CO
    Electronics Technician in Design Engineering
    I spend a lot of time pacifying engineers ;-)
    
    I am married, 14 years and going strong, and have 2 kids, both females.
    One's 4, Chocolate Lab
    One's 4 months, Sammy/Golden Ret./something very small
    
    I got here solely out of curiosity.  But, after reading some of
    the stuff so far, I'm interested in learning what to say/do and
    why women hate me. %-)  I want to know why a situation happened.
    Usually, my wife tries to explain, but sometimes she doesn't know.  
    
    Spence

    I'm Bob Early, an avid notes follower, and an occasional contributer.
    
    Currently, have been at CSS/NSG in Hudson NH for over a year now,
    and are an injuneeer by training, but am an avid "mountain person"
    by choice.
    
    I also moderate PYRITE::HIKING, which is primarily for hiking and
    camping, but notes on environmental and conservation issues are also
    welcome.
    
    For the occasional "woods wanderer" and "casual hiker" there are
    now many notes regarding personal safety for both yourself and
    for children, particularly in the western US.
    
    "Kudos" to Maggie for the splendid introduction in 1.x. 
    
    Bob
    

    
    Where?  MLO - Maynard, MA.
    
    What?   Principal (Hardware) Engineer - been with DEC a little over
    		5 yrs. now, most of which have been involved in the
    		buy-out of laser printers for DEC.
    
    Why?    There are a variety of reasons that I have been reading
    		this conference for a while now (which is why I finally
    		decided to introduce myself).  Among those reasons are
    		that I have always had at least as many female friends
    		as I did male ones (I do mean female "friends", not
    		not ones I dated).  After 15+ years of marriage, I have
    		been "single again" for over 2 years now and I am
    		interested in getting a deeper insight into today's
    		women, in addition to by personal experience.  I have always 
    		believed in equality of the sexes, but this is qualified
    		by my belief that the equality should be total, not just 
    		token.  Those of you who already know me, know that I
    		often will "push back" on issues that males and/or females 
    		have expressed as "sexist" ones when I feel they are
    		actually common to both sexes.
    
    		I don't know how much I'll WRITE or REPLY in this
    		conference, other than if a particular NOTE or REPLY
    		stirs a feeling in me that I can contribute something 
    		worthwhile (as is my practice in other NOTES files).
		This doesn't mean that I intend to <FLAME> as I rarely
		do that.  I hope to contribute to here in the same
		constructive way some of you women have contributed to
		the male equivalent of this conference.

					Joe

Name is Mike Hanauer, live in Lexington MA.
Logical age is 11, thus too young to be married.
My beard is starting to turn gray from the dye which is applied to 
	make me look more distinguished :-)

Have been a reader of Womanotes for awhile now and find it both
interesting and educational.  Maybe it helps me to make up for the
fact that I never had any sisters (but three brothers). 

Appreciate the honesty here on all subjects, especially those which 
are sensitive and/or personal.  I've gained a lot via this forum.

Personally, believe that the two sexes are generally different in
inherited personality and behavior.  Must follow that up with I also
feel that this is only a generality and therefore does not dictate
such to any given individual.  Further, any person should adapt their
behavior in whatever manner is most comfortable personally.

Love Ice Cream, Bicycling, psychology, funky broadway musicals, and
the beach.  More in Whoareyou 688 and Human-Relations 3.82 (don't read
them both since they are almost the same).  If you are interested 
enough to read them, thanks for the compliment.


				Mike

    Bob Holt
    Live out past Stevens Canyon - Cupertino CA
    WHOARU #751
    Don't mind me, I'm jes listenin' in.

    Steve MacDonald
    
    Product Manager in BCSE group in MK1.
    
    I'm just poking around listening.  I may make a comment or two from
    time to time, but mostly listening.
    
    

    
         NAME: Mark Hickox
         LOC:  OGO - Stow
         POS:  Security/Safety Specialist
    
    I have just added WOMANNOTES to my directory. I have always been
    interested and active in social issues, so this is no exception.
    It is always nice to get a perspective from someone of the opposite
    sex, it often helps clarify what is really important in life.
    
    I am glad that the moderator has encouraged men to participate in
    this forum.  Like I said you need both perspectives to arrive at
    a clear, honest conclusion.
    
    I was fortunate to attend college at UMASS-Amherst in the hey day
    of coed dormitories (yes, even bathrooms) and believe me things
    were not as one would have imagined.  It was like having 40 brothers
    and sisters who learned to live together positively.  I wish that
    everyone had the opportunity to go through what I did, perhaps men
    and women would see each other in a different light.
    
    Well, that's it from me. I'll be monitoring the discussions, if
    anyone has any direct questions, please feel free to contact me.
    
                                       - Mark
    

    	Ed Bernstein
    	ZK01 - Nashua, Spitbrook Rd
    	VMS Course Developer
    	Married to Dorian, children Coori (Girl 3) and Terrin (Boy, 4.5)
    
    	Might as well say hi, I'm browsing.
    
    	

    Name:  F. Douglas Williams (Douglas, not Doug, please)
    Loc:   AKO (Acton, MA)
    Job:   Systems Manager GIA Field Service Logistics
    
    	Learned of this file as a result of a badly worded response
    	in MENNOTES (35.) and believed it might prove interesting.
        
    	Some basic statistics:
    
    	Age 46, born and raised in Boston, four years in US Marine Corps,
    	lived in India, bummed around the world from 56 to 58, travel
    	to Western Europe on holiday yearly, travel to Far East on business
    	as often as necessary, married three times, daughter 26, 2 grand-
    	children.  Have no patience with labels (feminist, liberal,
    	conservative, etc.) when self applied.  Not easily impressed.
    	Very opinionated.

    Site:	REO-2, DEC Park II, Reading, England.
    Job:	Maintainability Engineer with CSSE.

    Married 10 years January 8th 1987, to Wendy, we share three children,
    a girl and two boys. As we grow together over the years I don't
    regard the genders as separate races, unlike some I have known,
    just people with slightly different bodies. (The differences are
    minimal, count them)
    
    Why am I here? I like to read interesting debate in notesfiles. This
    conference fits the bill. As a moderator of MENNOTES, I find the mirror
    image fascinating. 
    
    See you around the EasyNet,
    
    Andy    

      Well, I'm Rick King and I work for the SMT development here in
    Salem, N.H. I heard about this file from the Bahama Mama. I've been
    a digit for 9.72 years all here in NIO, 10 years feb 31st.
    And I also don't know why I'm here but it seems like a good idea!
    
                     REK
    

    Opps, make the mar 31st.
    
               REK

My name is Garry Stuart and I've been reading this conference for approx
3 months. I've even replied a couple of times so you all deserve the 
courtesy of knowing something about me...

I live in Auckland, New Zealand. I'm 29 years old, divorced, no kids.
I've worked in the computer industry for about 9 years, the last 2.5 with
DEC. Spent a year running our telephone support for the PC's, then became
system manager for our VAX's, now MIS Operations manager... next ?????

95% of my friends have always been women, I definitely prefer the company
of women to that of men, and sometimes feel I'm carrying the collective
guilt for *MAN*kind. Things are changing though, this conference shows that.


Anyway... If the need arises I will reply again or even start a note, but
mostly I'm sure I will just be a reader.

I would like to extend an invitation to all readers of this file, to
'pop down for a cuppa anytime', what's a few thousand miles between friends.

Thank-you all for helping to increase my understanding!

						.garry.

    
    	Name:	Peter Davis
    	Site:	MLO, Maynard, MA
    	Job:	Principal Software Engineer, Applications, SSG
    
    	I don't know yet whether I'm interested in this conference or
    	not.  I'm certainly interested in women, so it seems likely.

    Tom Stanton, Senior Technical Writer with ASD in MKO.
    Been at DEC a little over 2 years. Irene & I have been
    married 7 years & we have 2 children (Geoffrey is 6,
    Elizabeth is 1). 
    
    I'm interested in women because my three older sisters really
    shaped the way I think about politics, art, women, etc. My
    mom, who died last year, was probably well ahead of her time
    in many ways (her story could go on for 100 screens or   
    more). Irene, too, has changed the way I think. I guess
    I am keeping current here from the DEC perspective.
    

    
    	What: Hardware Support Engineer
    
    	Where: Southern Area (I travel a lot) based in Memphis
    
    	Why:  I find this a difficult question.  Where do I start.
    I grew up with only one sister, and she was nine years younger,
    so I did not get much of a chance to learn her point of view on
    life.  She was only 8 when I left home.  As a kid I was shy, tended
    to read rather that play sports, and didn't date much.  Never had
    a close friend that was a woman, so I still did not get much of
    a perspective, other than in literature.  I met the woman I eventually
    married (twice by the way) in college as a freshman, and was at
    the time struggling to learn to make friends with men.  I have always
    had a real interest in people (I graduated with a degree in psychology)
    but I have had to work at relating to them.  I entered the Army
    to receive an education in electronics, and eventually taught
    electronics for 4 years for Uncle Sam, and when I came to DEC I
    spent the first 4 years teaching Field Service courses.  In my first
    8 years as an instructor I never once had a woman in a course, so
    I still did not gain much of a female perspective, but I did finally
    learn how to make good male friends and relate to them.  I spent
    a couple of years doing management training for DME, and for once
    had plenty of women in my courses, and found the experience very
    rewarding.  Some of the women who also taught DME courses became
    my friends, and were also very sharp aware people who helped expand
    my understanding of women a great deal.  I still feel I have a lot
    to learn, so I appreciate this conference.  I believe that
    understanding can help cure some of the ills in the world.
    	I strongly believe in equality for men, but I don't believe
    that is possible until there is equality for women.  The two issues
    are intrinsically tied.  I am not shy about expressing my opinion,
    and will especially chime in if I have a question or opinion in
    which I want women's opinions.  I am afraid I cannot stop myself
    from expressing an opinion if I feel men are getting unfairly slammed,
    and I hope to enlist others in the cause of equality for both sexes.
    We really are all in this together.  I will try and insure that
    my notes are neither redundent or dull.
    	I am also an active noter in mennotes, and as I have stated
    there I will admit to being prejudice against sexist and racist
    and especially sexist racist.
    
    DRC
    

    As a reader and occasional contributer, I suppose this is overdue:
    
    Name:	Paul Beck
    Location:	Spit Brook (Nashua NH)
    Job:	Consulting S/W Engineer, DECnet-VAX architect/consultant.
		At DEC 10 years.
    Personal:	Have been married for nearly 10 years (my wife became DEC's
		first female Senior Consulting Engineer - the second was her 
    		mother.) One brother (older), two sisters (younger). I'm 38.
    Reason:	Interested in insights into people generally.

    I suppose that it is my time to catalog myself here in-so-much as
    I am contributing with increasing frequency.
    
    NAME:	Craig Anderson
    JOB:	Professional Services Product Manager
    PERSONAL:	Divorcing with a 4 year old son, Benjamin.  Ben's Mom
    		lives in Maine.  Ben splits the time between the two
    		of us.
    
    		General tendency to become unstuck in time (like Billy
    		Pilgrim) and take on more responsibility than a reasonable
    		person would want.  Additional details in SINGLES note
    		#62 which some people find distasteful because
    		they feel it reeks of arrogance.  I stand convicted.
    
    REASON:	Like most of us, sharing, insight and perspective.
    ATTENDING
    WOMANNOTES
   

  I've been reading and enjoying this file for months now.  Now that I've
  begun shooting off my mouth, I guess the time has come to introduce
  myself. 

  Since coming to work for Digital almost 8 years ago, I've had the
  opportunity to work with women in peer relationships and on both ends of
  the boss/subordinate relationship.  It's been great fun.

  My SO's name is Alison and we've been together for 13 years now (married
  for 8+ of them).  There have been good times and bad but the amazing thing
  is that there appears to be a general upward trend toward good times.
  Knowing her has given me reason enough to like women in general.

  While I think prejudice is wrong (at least the coarse granularity
  prejudice like male/female and black/white) I don't think that harping
  on the wrongness of prejudice is likely to improve today's sad
  situation. Instead, I think that change is more likely to be achieved by
  pointing out the cost of prejudice.  I don't think that we can afford to
  handicap (or waste completely) approximately half of our brains and
  talent.  We can't afford it in our company nor in our country nor in our
  world.  

  I intend to go back to being a quiet voyeur because I am more likely to
  learn things if I stay silent.  Furthermore, the last thing this file
  needs is yet another opinionated male (and that describes me pretty darn
  well).  I would like to thank the participants of this file for providing
  more in the way of wisdom, compassion, and forbearance than I have seen
  in a long time.

  JP

    Hello.
    
    Name:	=ken (ken stewart)
    Place:	Colo. Sprgs.
    Work:	yes.  Demand/Supply 
    Interests:	Music, Records (Moderator COMET::RECORDS), skiing,
    		Camping and other outdoorsie type stuff, a myriad
    		of things, really.

    
    I've had this file in my notebook for sometime but have not had much 
    time to read though it, yet.  I'm backed up some 2000 notes.  I have 
    an interest in skimming through all of those to see if there is some 
    discussion regarding some issues that are very important to me.
    
    If not, then I'll ask.  
        
    =ken

    
    I suppose it would be proper for me to introduce myself before I
    get really daring and respond to a topic.  So here it is....
    
    Name:	John Nogrady
    Site:	ZK2-3 (Nashua, NH)
    Job:	Systems developer, Run-Time-Library
    
    
    I have always considered myself to have an *open* mind when dealing
    with topics, as in this conference, relating to women.  However,
    the more notes I read & thought about...well let's just say my mind
    wasn't always as open as I thought.
    
    Thus, this conference provides me with a better understanding of
    women and how I truely interact/react to them & relating issues.
    
    - JohnN

       Rick King
       NIO salem,N.H.
       Planner II Surface Mount Line
       Some one pointed out this file as being interesting and informative.
    So far I have to agree with them. I hope people in here don't mind
    if I'm more of a reader then a writer. Oh yeah, I'm a newlywed of
    3 weeks 3 days and 13 hours.
    
                     REK

    
    Name:	Martin D. Longo
    Age:	26
    Location:	San Francisco, CA
    
    Misc:	As a "single" person, fiercely devoted to personal
    		growth I am very interested in anything that will
    		help me understand the feelings/needs/desires that
    		women have.  I have a very open mind and look for-
    		ward to learning more!

    
    WHO:	Mike McAnulty
    AGE:	25
    LOC:	NASHUA, SALEM, NH
    
    MISC:	Single, until I find a girlfriend or wife, whichever
    		comes first ;*)
    		
    WHY:	Good Question:  I grew up as a (l)onely child.  I still
    		have not figured out women, and why they act as they
    		do.  I'm hoping this file can help me a little.
    
    

    Name: Gary Robbins
    Site: ASO (Augusta, Maine)
    Job:  Augusta Information Center, Operator II (A former Production
    Control Planner in the midst of a radical career change)
    Age: 37
    Family: Married 12 yrs.(Karen, age 31), two daughters age 10 1/2 and 9 yrs.
    Reason interested in this conference: To hear, listen to and understand
    womens views and opinions about concerns and issues facing the working
    woman/mother/wife in todays world.

    Name: Simon Clinch
    Site: Munich (but I've moved around a lot)
    Job: Currently Systems Management,  have done Course Development,
         applications and systems programming in DEC.
    Age: 27
    Conference interest: Other people!

    Hi,
    
    Name : Steve Lidster
    
    Location : Acre Rd, Reading, England
    
    Job :  Project Leader (of a sort..)
    
    Age : Yes, I have one !
    
    Why : Desire to see things from another perspective generated by
          a recent marital breakdown. When I get into another relationship
          I'd like to do better/understand more. Apart from that, just a 
          general liking for different people and viewpoints.
    
          in people and exchanging ideas.

    bruce laru
    senior software writer LTN2-2
    divorced
    44
    
    seeking secret of the universe in 25 words or less

    Hello ,
    
    I have entered a note here and have been reading this notesfile
    for two or three weeks so I should make my presence known.
    
    My name is Robin Samms ,I am a sales exec in Seattle with the volume
    (sell to oem's) district.
    
    I  started noting a few weeks ago in an effort to understand DEC
    and the people who work here .    
    
    I would like to better understand the women in my life and the way
    they see/dontsee things. (I'm male ,if you can't tell by my name)
    
    Women in my life:
    Wife,boss,daughters(2),co_group_members(4)
    
    

    Well, I guess I should just put an intro in here.
    
    
    Ken Stevens
    Software Engineer Marlboro, Ma.
    
    I've been reading for a while now.... and I'm interested in peoplwe
    as well as computers. :-)
    
    Ken
    

    My name is Geoff Matthews. I work in Hudson ( presently conducting
    a job search) as a Strategic Programs Manager. Been with DEC 15
    yrs in several jobs and countries but USA is now "home".
    
    Main reason for my interest in this conference is to obtain advice
    and understanding, see my note of 3/18. My SO, yes I have read some
    of the correspondance!!, and I are getting into difficulties caused
    to a large degree by my ignorance. 
    
    So I want to get going on the learning process.
    

    Dana Charbonneau
    Springfield Mass Plant (SPO)
    Warehouser 
    
    WHOAREYOU # 741
    
    Here because ladies fascinate me

Having been here a while I have decided to re-post my intro (below) and
expand a little.

Firstly the cultural thing: I am not American, I have no idea of the stresses
and life patterns created by growing up in America in the latter half of
the 20th Century. Rather I grew up in Britain. During my formative years
I spent my time either with my maternal grandparents (who ran a Public House
in Liverpool's dockland - it was here I went to school) and my paternal
grandparents (who have a farm).

My "language of the hearth" is Irish Gaelic, and thanks to the d**ned English
school system I have lost it (you'd lose it too if you got caned for breaking
into Erse in an argument). The main heritage is an awkward style and a
difficulty in presenting my views clearly in written form unless I go over
it time and time again which destroys sponaneity.

It has also given me the pedantry over words that most people develop in
a foreign language (that one has gotten me a few flames since I found this
conference :-)

During early schooling I attended a boarding school (what in England is
called a prep school - a totally different meaning to that in America of
course).

After I reached the grand old age of 8 I went to live with my parents (I
was now considered old enough to travel, my Father being regular army seconded
to the Diplomatic Service). Over the next few years I lived in (and went
to school in) Israel, West Germany, Libya, Algeria, Italy, Greece, Japan and 
America (going to school in Washington was fun - I even got to play American 
grid-iron football). This has left me with a cosmolpolitan attitude, a hatred 
of xenophobic attitudes, and a difficulty in understanding parochial attitudes.
*and* a desire to live and work in America.

I have always loved travel and have now been in all 48 of the continental
US states.

Hobbies: I collect books, records and guns. (I also hate the idea of "trophy"
hunting - I am strictly a target shooter.) In the past I have been "into"
a number of active sports (Tae Kwon jitsu, Ninjitsu, and Karate, plus a
few more exotic ones on the physical level - motor racing and rally driving
as motor sports, and of course at school I played Rugby and Cricket)

Why did I ramble on? because I wanted to say that I am a complex mixture
of all the things my upbringing, heritage and cultural background make me.

If I offend, it may be because I didn't understand, or that I didn't express
myself correctly. Feel free to tell me why I erred (preferably by mail -
educating Ian is boring to most of the readership, I think).

ciao,

            <<< RAINBO::$2$DUA11:[NOTES$LIBRARY]WOMANNOTES.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -< Topics of Interest to Women >-
================================================================================
Note 7.48                    Introductions From Men                     48 of 80
CSSE32::PHILPOTT "CSSE/Lang. & Tools, ZK02-1/N71"    12 lines   6-DEC-1986 11:36
                  -< The Colonel reporting for duty, Ma'am! >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


   Ian  F  Philpott,  ZK02-1/N71 (thats Spit Brook Road in Nashua) I'm a 
   principal maintainability engineer in the CSSE  Langauges  and  Tools 
   group. 
   
   I've  been  a teacher, professional photographer, army officer, and a 
   database design consultant in my time...
   
   Why am I interested in this? Just a humble desire to learn so  that I 
   may relate better to those around me.
   
   /. Ian .\

	I've been reading for a WHILE (I have the feel for what goes on now)
  and decided it's time I introduced myself.


	Jim McKenzie   22
	Married to my wonderful wife Wendy

	Programmger/Analyst
	Marlboro, MA  (MRO1)
	Been w/Dec for just about 5 years (August)


	Here's to equality!

re: .82,

	Hi Jim!

	I've been in and out of this file from time to time, but have
    yet to stick around long enough for a conversation.  I suppose for
    intros I could direct you to note 655 of whoareyou, but then who
    has time to go reading whoareyou notes?
    
	In a nutshell (no pun intended), I've been at DEC for three years
    now, the first two with Sales Training, and now with the rest of the
    "Villians" (get it? VLNVAX) over here in MR01 supporting the High
    Performance Systems group (my bag is distributed printing and plotting).

	I'm married to a lady named Karin Ann McLure who is now five months
    pregnant with what should be our first humanoid (er, uh, child that is ;^).
    We've been married for two years now, and we have yet to experience any
    major technical difficulties.

	I was raised a 'damn libral', with both parents staunchly pro-women's
    rights, so while I might occasionally play devil's advocate on certain
    issues to help balance out the disscussion, I am actually for equality
    in all respects (I never did understand why the ERA didn't pass?).

	Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing what the latest women's issues
    are these days, and (who knows?) I might even enter a note now and then
    to see just how deep I can shove my foot into my mouth.  :-)

								-davo

    	Well, I guess I ought to check in so y'all will know
    	a little more about me.
    
    	R. Scott Critz
    	39+
    	Married 15+ years
    	Two daughters (whom I won't sit with) 8*)
    	Been with DEC since 1984
    	Technical Writer
    	I've served with the Marine Corps in Viet Nam, worked for
    		B.F. Goodrich, made cabinets, sold car parts,
    		installed appliances, and preached for a little
    		church in NW Ohio
    	I like to scuba dive, ride my TREK, read, watch my youngest
    		daughter play basketball, listen to both daughters
    		play the piano (not together), and read notes
    
    	Oh, and one other thing....
    
    
    	I hate snakes! UGH!!!
    
    	Scott

	Richard.

	Over 18.

	Why am I here?	I don't believe what they say about feminists, so
	I came to find out.

Richard.

    
    	Howdy!
    
    	I'm Rich Fink, and I work in the Atlanta CSC as a terminals
    	 and P.C.'s support engineer for Field Service types.  I'm
    	 23, and have been with DEC just over 3 years.  I grew up in
    	 a small village in northeast Ohio, then moved to Florida to
    	 obtain my A.S. degree, and here I am....
    
    	My girlfriend/SO/insert_favorite_term_here told me about
    	 this file.  Obviously, she's a Deccie also.  Hopefully I'll
    	 get her to introduce herself this weekend.  Anyhow, I enjoy
    	 sharing opinions and views with other people, so I've found
    	 this conference very interesting.
    
    	Since my SO, (Corinne, for those of you who know her), has
    	 moved in with me, I occasionally find myself befuddled by
    	 the female mind,{ :-) }, ergo this conference. Seriously, I'd
    	 just like to find out more about women, so I can understand
         her better, and our relationship can continue to grow.

    
    				Have fun!!
    
    				    -Rich

Good job you put that in there Rich, otherwise I'd never have known you were 
supposed to do this....

I am...		Tarik Sadat
aged...		30
and work at..	Acre Road, Reading
as a...		Development Specialist

I live over the bridge in Caversham, am 100% single and been a Deccie for 
two years. I am half Saudi and half Yorkshire, and was born in St. George's on 
Hyde Park Corner. This therefore does *not* make me a cockney. I have several
nicknames, none of which I have the slightest intention of revealing to you
lot. 

I consider myself...
...to have an enquiring mind
...to be friendly little soul, really,
...and to have a vague idea of what I'm doing most of the time.

BUT...
...I'm generally selfish
...have been shouting my mouth off in Notes for the last year or so
...am often known to be weak, devious, hypocritical, grovelling and cowardly
...and support Reading FC.

As they say, nobody's perfect.

Never mind though, I hope to gain some invaluable insight into the workings of
the female mind through this file. 

    My name is Daniel Wong.
    I am a Product Development Engineer with DEC in ZGO (Singapore)
    which probably accounts for some of my views.
    I am interested in this conference because I live on this
    planet called Earth and 50% of the people here are women;
    my mother and all her mothers mothers before are women; my wife
    (if I ever get down to that ...) will be a woman; all my
    daughters and their daughters will also be women.  Stated
    simply, I am interested in this conference because I am
    a man.

    Hi....my name is Lenny Bucuvalas, 33, and you might have
    seen me as Samurai Writer in KERRY (hi kerry!)....
    
    I am here simply put because I think that some of the most 
    compassionate and warm-hearted people I have ever met have been
    women. Some time ago, two ladies, then girls, who are VERY close
    to me were raped. They never told me then because they realized
    I would have hunted the perpetrators down and sliced them up like
    carving a turkey..then I would have considered killing them. 
    
    I am here not only because I like women, but as Daniel Wong in file
    7 said," I live on this planet Earth." And due to that reason it
    is my genetic responsibility to promote equality and defend civil
    rights however I can, so long as my activities do not intrude upon
    another's individual rights.
    
    Hats off to TUBORG::WOLBACH .... you are a very beautiful person.
    
    My sincerest emotive feelings to PRESTO::MITCHELL ...  Magdalena
    you are wonderful.....
    
    Lenny

    
         Name:  Dave Royer
         Site:  Kalamazoo, Michigan
          Job:  Senior Field Engineer covering western Michigan,
                servicing everything from lsi to lcg and all in
                between.  Looking to move into the Training department
                anywhere in the world, I am tired of the lack of
                family (personal) time that being in Field Circus
                causes.
    
                WHY AM I HERE?  I found the note file and being the
                curious sort, added the file and openned to read.
    
                I am happily married to a pleasant woman who is
                first and formost MY FRIEND!  I Love my wife and
                sincerly desire no other relationships (except 
                platonic) Lee Ann (my wife) and I reversed roles
                for a period of time while We were in Kentucky.
                I was out of work and out of sorts too, and one 
                day while I was out job hunting, the 3 children
                must have been real animals and Lee Ann was really
                climbing walls when I returned home to no Meal.
                "need I say we had a few words, she stating that
                'I should try watching the kids, cleaning, and
                cooking, laundry, shoping and all the other goodies
                that go with being a HOUSEPERSON' MY reply was
                something to the fact that she should try the old
                routine of getting up early and comming home late.
                I.E. the rat race."
    
            NEXT MORNING WE REVERSED ROLES AND I PREPARED HER BREAKFAST
            KISSED HER GOODBYE, GOT THE KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL AND THEN
            SPENT A VERY BOORING SIX (6) MONTHS DOING THE SAME WHILE
            SHE WENT TO THE PHONE COMPANY TO BE AN OPERATOR.
    
    At the end of the six months we were happy to resume the role we
    like best.  Oh yes, our youngest was about 5 months old when this
    all got started.  Granted I never gave birth and Lee Ann has never
    been granted the questionable privilege of being in the delivery
    room for a birth(she could-I could not) but we do understand each-
    other and I also am here because I like women.  I have very
    few Friends and Those that I have are mixed about 60-40 women-men.
    
    Perhaps I do understand women, I do not make any claims but I am
    a good listener.
    
    If ever anyone is offended by me please let me know,  I am as
    
    follows in order:
    
    1. A child of GOD
    
    2. A member of the human race
    
    3. A male by accident or design of birth, not my own choosing
    
    4. I enjoy myself as I am.  I do not consider myself below or
       above anyone else.  AGAIN BY ACCIDENT OR WHATEVER, I AM
       CAUCASIAN(WHATEVER THAT HELPS OR HINDERS)  
    
    5. AMERICAN OF FRENCH CANADIAN DECENT
    
    6. I can not think of anything else.
    
     
    Now I am going on to the rest of the note file.  thank you
    for allowing me and lots of activity in this file.
    
    Yours in Christ,
    
    Dave
    

    Hello,
    
    My name is Tony Purmal and I'm one of the small number of west coast
    DEC employees.  I am a software engineer for the Software Services
    Engineering/Pacific Systems Group located in Mountain View, CA.
    
    I'm married to Lesely, a unique and wonderful woman.  We have an
    almost two year old son named Colin who is also unique and wonderful.
    
    I am in this conference to listen and learn, and when I feel as
    if I have anything pertinent to add I'll do so.  I have read about
    half of the base notes in the conference and at least 25% of the
    replies so far.  I am going to get the unseen notes down to zero
    before you see any replies from me though.  I have been informed,
    saddened, appaled, amazed, encouraged, puzzled, and angered by the
    notes that I've read so far, but I feel that the notes have been
    worth my time.
    
    ASP

    
    Um...since I've been reading this conference from the start, I sorta
    guess it's time to introduce myself...so:
    
    Ed Eck
    
    Environmental Lab, LMO2
    
    Why interested? Hard to say; I've known lots of feminists (even
    if they didn't call themselves that). Generally I find them more
    interesting, articulate,intellectual than other women. Good discussions
    (not debates). I like to check out things I haven't thought about
    before, try on new points of view.
    
    What else do I do?  THEATER! A LOT of theater, mostly in the Milford,
    Ma., area.
    
    Majored in Microbiology at UMass, Amherst, um...a long time ago...
    did cancer research at Mason Research in Worcester...fixed stereos...
    did field circus on FAX machines...did QC for an optics
    company...artists model (they got tired of normal bodies)...picked
    tobacco...the usual stuff.
    
    Currently writing a play to be performed in the spring of 1988...
    
    In my spare time I work at DEC...

    Since I have been reading many of the notes in this conference,
    and lately have taken to writing in a few, I guess it's time for
    me to introduce myself, also.
    
    My name is Alan Ross. I am a Business Systems Consultant in the
    US/DIS group in PKO3. I've been with DEC for almost 9 years, live
    in Sharon. 
    
    One of the main reasons for my reading notes in this conference
    is to get more of a sense about women's feelings, both as they
    relate to men and to society in general.
    
    Because I feel women are not as afraid of opening up as are men,
    I think a more complete picture of us complicated humans -  and the
    gamut of our hopes, fears, anger and other emotions -  will be obtained
    by reading, and sometimes writing, notes in this conference.
    
    I recognize that some topics are "women only" issues. In these I'll
    try not to intrude, unless I feel I *really* have something to say,
    which can add value to the discussion. If I do seem to be an intruder
    at these times, please let me know.
    
      Alan
        

    registered per 438.
    
    richard
    male
    objectivist
    

    George Bushee
    LMO2
    
    Read-only member

    Name:	James E. Ford
    Site:	Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Job:	Sales Support Specialist
                                        
    Anything that helps me gain more insight into another part of humanity
    can only be good.  I have been a long time reader and hope the diverse
    points continue to be presented because only through the airing
    of these diverse views can humankind grow.                  
       
       
    JEF

    Name:	Charles E. Haynes
    Site:	UCO-3 (Stanford Square, Palo Alto, California)
    Job:	Ummm, I work for the Western Software Lab (WSL) a group
    		in Ultrix Engineering. I do workstation software, user
    		interface toolkits, CASE tools, debuggers...
    
    Loud, opinionated, radical, rock climber, partier, homebrewer, Kinsey
    around 2, sentimental, definitely Californian. Feminist? Decide for
    yourself. I think so. 
    
    Quote from a friend:
    
    	"Charles doesn't suffer fools gladly."
    
    It's true.
    
    	-- Charles

    
    Robert Holt
    UC0-1
    US Workstation Sales / application port team
    
    I drum up buisness for 7.98's products...
                                 
    Also I raise danders in my spare time...  
    

	Dale R. Trott
	Sr. Ops Analyst at Tewksbury, Mass
	With DEC Since January, 1977
	28 Years old
	Single (again). Divorcing after two years of marriage :-(

	A confirmed reader 95% of the time in the conferences I follow. I'm
	not a real big talker but I am a real good listener and I guess that
	comes across when I "note".

	Have been noting since NOTES were invented and I still can't find
	time to follow all the conferences that interest me!

	Anyway, I'll probably just poke my head in here from time to time
	to see what's happening. Women fascinate me (not that unusual for a
	man, I guess!) and I think most of them are neat people in general!
	I'm another one that has always found it easier to get close (as
	friends) to women. By following this conference, I hope to gain a
	little insight on how some women think and learn a little about
	their hopes, their dreams and their fears.

							- Dale -

					      (Normally at PARITY::TROTT)

	Principal Software Engineer, Technical Systems Group, LMO4, Marlboro.
Currently working on product to support needs of financial traders.

	I'm new to DEC, since March '87, after 5+ years in the CAD/CAM
software development business.

	I'm here because I think the women's movement is the most significant
social development this half of the century, and hopefully beyond; it has more
potential to change more lives for the better, from the personal to the
institutional level, than any other contemporary social force.

	Having a wife, daughter, female friends and colleagues contributes
mightily to my interest and curiousity as well.

	Finally, I just find this to be a place where human-interest topics
get discussed with thought and sensitivity (except occasionally, which brings
me to my real reason for registering here, to go vote in 4?? TRASHNOTES POLICY)

						Bob Brady

    
    
    Mark Sheffield, from SHR(ewsbury)
    
    
    
    Here to take a stand

    Thanks Bruce!!!!
    
    Name:Dennis McKinnon
    Work:DDD Nashua, N.H.
    Job:site specialist
    
    I have no memberships to womens groups or anything else like that.
    But there are many issues that need to be addressed by both genders.
    I value a womans opinion as much as I do a mans opinion. There are
    times
    when my wife say's I don't understand what she is going through.
    Maybe I can learn something from this conference.
    I probably won't write much. As you can see I'm not much of
    a writer.
    
    See ya later
    Dennis

    OK better late then never
    
    
    David Harding
    System Manager
    Cad systems engineering
    Andover, Ma
    
    Dec for 20+ years.                            
    Married 20 years, two children
                     
    Started looking in this conference mostly for curiosity, but I have
    gotten a lot of insite into man/ woman issues.
                                  
    dave

    Dave Korman
    Senior S/W Specialist (Networks) at SE UK District Office
    
    Been at DEC 19 Months, noting for 18.5!
    
    Into Amateur Theatre/Pantomime, Good food & wine, music (all sorts
    except C & W) and watersports :-)
    
    Single
    
    

    My name is Michael McGovern, I work as a Technical Writer for the
    TSG group in Marlboro, MA, USA.  I am a new hire at DEC (APR 87),
    and am interested in this Notesfile as a resource tool for personal
    edification/growth.  Also for the occasional joke...
    
    I sign myself MM.
    
    MM 

    
    Could have sworn I signed in ages ago! humm?
    
    Well,
    Charlie (Cal) Calcagni
    Manager at Parker St. Maynard
    Been here since July last year, on my birthday.
    
    For more info I'm in who are you.
    
    But I find this file informative and enjoy the different opinions
    on various subjects. I care very much for woman, especially my wife,
    and am constantly looking on ways to improve my relationships, both
    personally, and professionally.
    
    Cal.
    

    Since I'm scanning this notes-file a quick entry to let you know
    I'm doing it.
    
    Shantanu Karve
    Local Engineering Group,
    DECPARK, Reading, UK
    

I thought I had introduced myself earlier, but apparently not, so here goes:

	Philip L. Karlton
	UCO-3, Palo Alto, California
	WSL::KARLTON

	I am in the Western Software Lab (WSL) which is part of the UNIX
	Engineering Group. Mostly I work on workstation software. My principle
	interest is in building systems for supporting programmers, but it
	seems I always end up working on the underpinnings.

	My hobbies include (but are not limited to) rock climbing, volleyball,
	drinking Guiness, backpacking, relaxing in my hot tub. I am a
	certified massage therapist. I guess it is not too hard to guess that
	I was born in California and I really consider it home.

	I consider myself a feminist, but I tend to make up my mind about
	issues on a one-at-a-time basis. I have to find a person with whom I
	agree about everything. My first realizations about how differently
	men and women are treated by our society go back further than I care
	to remember.

	I am your basic old, fat, balding guy. I have been married for 19
	years and have one child, a son. Some unenlightened folks think that I
	am a curmudgeon.

	Almost invariably I will sign my notes as

PK

    Since I've finally (after reading for many months) responded to
    some note, I suppose that I'm now obligated to reply to the
    introduction note.
    
    Rich Whalen		SHR 1-3/E29
    HIT::WHALEN		237-2684
    
    I work in the Storage Systems Architecture group doing advanced
    development in Hierarchical Storage Management.
    
    I'm moderator of the HIT::SINGLES conference, and I administer the
    anonymous entries which have proven very popular.
    
    I've been a passive noter (read mostly) for the last year and a
    half, but lately have started becoming more active in employee interest
    conferences.
    
    Rich
    

    Since I've stopped reading and started writing (a little), I'll
    introduce myself.
    
    Pete Goodwin
    Software Engineer
    International Products Group
    DECpark II, Reading, England
    
    I've just started reading MENNOTES, and thought I would join WOMANNOTES
    out of curiousity. I'm in WHOAREYOU for more info.
    
    Pete (aka IPG::GOODWIN)

    Yesterday I found MENNOTES.  Today, I logged into WOMENNOTES.
    Guess that makes me a member of PEOPLENOTES.  
    
    Marty Hill
    Program Manager
    Federal Systems Area
    Landover, MD
    
    I'm interested in people of all sexes.
    
    

    
    I've been venturing into a number of new notesfiles lately and since
    I replied to one of the notes in this conference I guess I should
    introduce myself.
    
    John Rhoton
    Software Specialist
    St. Louis, MO
    
    From what I have seen so far this seems to be a very interesting
    conference and I hope to profit from taking part in it.
    

Mike Richard
Hardware design engineer
Colorado Springs

I read this file because:

1.  My wife won't let me be a chauvinist.

2.  I have recently become interested in women's issues, mainly due
    to reading and conversations with people who are familiar with them.

I am currently reading "The Chalice And The Blade" by Riane Eisler (sp?),
and will be commenting on it after I am finished.

/Mike

    Bob Hunt
    Senior Software Specialist
    Wilmington, Delaware (DWO)
    4+ years with Digital
    First 4 in Sales Support, Currently Resident at Du Pont
    ALL-IN-1, VTX, WPS-PLUS, ...
    
    Why am I writing this ???  Well, I've been quietly reading this
    conference for a few months and decided to hop on in.
    
    You know, I spent most of my early formative years wishing I could,
    of course, be surrounded by beautiful, vibrant, exciting women.
    I had all the usual problems with shyness, self-doubt, horribly
    embarassing mistakes, and zits.  But, amazingly enough, I did go
    to the prom, I did meet someone special, we did get married, we
    have two *neat* daughters (2.5 years and 3 months old), and all
    of a sudden, what do you know ??  I've never seen so many females
    in all my life.   Wife, daughters, mother, mother-in-law, aunts,
    sisters, sisters-in-law, grandmothers, co-workers, bosses, and on 
    and on ...
    
    Now, please don't get me wrong.  I've never been happier in my life.
    There are times, though, that I feel totally overwhelmed.  I feel
    like I'm on a roller coaster ride with no seat belt and no stop sign.
    Bringing flowers home one day makes for smiles all around.  The
    next time is cause for tears.  I know I sound like I'm complaining.
    I'm really not.  I'd love to learn more and this looks like a nice
    conference.
    
    Thanks ...
    
    Bob Hunt                                                    

    Dick Schoeller (though when discussing religion I use Gavriel  8^{).
    Principal Engineer
    ECAD Software Development
    MLO

    I returned to DEC this summer after having explored the world of
    "real" customers.  I much prefer developing tools for internal use.
    I specialize in Human Interface issues (I do windows   8^{).  I'm
    married for 3 years to Lisa who is a senior engineer in the ATT group
    at APO.  Too bad that she doesn't note.  She's definitely a success
    story.

    I started reading this conference after Martin Minow came looking for
    help on the "Dehumanization of Women" topic.  I intended to mostly
    keep a low profile, listen and learn.  As usual, that hasn't worked.
    So expect me to open my mouth and insert my foot once in a while  8^{).
    If I do, please let me know.  It's easier to communicate then.

    Name     : John Booth
    Job      : Contract programmer
    At       : Acre Rd., Reading, UK.

    Me       : 33 yrs old, separated, dating via Vaxmail (etc.).

    Viewpoint: I like everything to be 'fair'; chauvanism is unfair but
               chivalry can be.

               I would like to be considered a 'gentleman' in the literal
               sense of the word.
               The fact that men have mistreated, used and abused women for
               centuries isn't my fault.  However, if it's up to me, the trend
               will not continue.

         This is to inform fellow WOMANNOTErs that, as a direct result
         of my participation in this conference, my contract with DEC
         has been terminated, effective today. 
         
         When my previous contract was coming to an end last June, 
         I mentioned my impending departure in WOMANNOTES.  As a
         result, I was contacted by several people who offered to
         forward my resume to managers that might have a requirement. 
         
         One of them turned out to be a good match (Thanks, M.) and 
         in September, I returned, as a contractor, to my employer of
         choice. When the hiring freeze came down two weeks ago my
         supervisor acted quickly to offer me a position as a
         full-time employee.  I start Monday. 
         
         Here's my update of the information in Note 7.32.
    
    		NAME: Dennis J. Ahern
    		SITE: MKO1
    		WHAT: Senior Software Writer for ASD-DTS
    
    		Still married 
             
    		Son now aged 8 1/12
    
    		Still sliding 
         

    Please *DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT!*
    
    Thank you.
    
    --- jerry
    
    P.S. Congratulations!

    in re .122 would anyone else who wants to get on Dennis's case
    about deliberately raising our adrenalin...:-) please do it by
    mail or move to the responses to introductions note, (and I 2nd
    jerry's comment

    Gee, I guess if I want to vote, I should finally "register".
    I'll be looking for my green card in the Mail  ;-)
    
    		Dave Low
    		ZKO-2, Nashua, NH
    		Software Engineer
    		ASD::LOW
    
    I work for ASD - Application Systems Development, at the engineers
    haven - Spitbrook Rd.
    

SIgh, I thought I'd had an entry in this note from about a year ago, but I
can't find it! I must have put it SOMEWHERE!!!!


	Name:	Nigel A Conliffe
	Job:	I work for the Configuration Systems Development Group
		in scenic Donald Lynch Boulevard (!), working on XCON/XSEL
		and various other nifty things.

 I've been a (mostly) read-only follower of this file for a while.

    Name:	Marty Jack
    Location:	ZKO (Spit Brook Road, Nashua NH)
    Job:	Consulting Software Engineer, Core Applications, SSG
		At DEC 10.5 years.  I've done languages, operating systems,
    		graphics, utilities, a little real-time, a little hardware.
    Personal:	38, never married, only child.

    Why did I start reading?  Lunchtime discussion with JimB.  Why do
    I keep reading?  It brings a smile to my lips, a tear to my eye,
    and a thought to my brain.  I haven't written much, and I won't
    unless I can contribute a fresh insight.  I learn a lot here.

    
    Doug L Duverger (VOLGA::D_DUVERGER)
    Quality Engineer
    WMO/C20
    8-241-4942 or 8-241-3553
    
    A New Awakening,       Since I found You,      The World needs you, 

                           

Name:		David Wittenberg
Job:		Software Engineer, Secure Systems Group

    After the  wonderfu  party  last Friday, I figured that I ought to
    come  out of hiding, so I may start writing a bit more than I have
    been.

    I'm 31, single (though any offer of marriage would be considered),
    and  have  lived  between  Boston  and  New York. At DEC I work on
    mathematical   models  of  an  operating  system.  After  all  the
    mathematical  training  I've had, I often find illogical arguments
    hard  to  deal  with,  and even though I realize the importance of
    feelings, I don't always find the right balance.

    Why am  I  in  this  file?  I'm  a  humanist, and often a feminist
    (though  I  do take exception to some of the more extreme forms of
    feminism.)  I believe strongly in equal rights for all groups, but
    don't  accept  the idea of equal pay for comparable work. I try to
    be  supportive of all my friends, most of whom happen to be women.
    I'm   concerned   with  how  society  works,  and  find  the  most
    interesting discussions here.

--David

    
    Mike Brouillette
    
    Mk02-2/H15
    Industry Marketing IS
    
    32, single, #1 of 5 kids
    
    I read so that I can learn thru others and I now realize it's safe
    to come out of the closet!  I understand not every note here is
    something I should be into, but, I feel I could add to some and
    learn from others.
    
    
    Mike
    
    

    
    Tom Fields
    MLO1-1/E24
    ESO Computer Services
    Maynard,MA.
    
       I'm just a lowly computer operator but I do have several interests,
    1 of which is women and learning more about them, likes and dislikes
    and I'm definetly aroused by a woman full of humor.
    
    
    STING::FIELDS 

 

  George Ducharme
  Tech. ASO, Maine
  MTBLUE::DUCHARME_GEO

  I am curious about peoples points of view and this file does
seem to have a wide range of opinions and views. I hope to 
have fun and possibly learn something.

    
    	Hello,
    
    	I'm Alan Ackley, Software engineer, electrical engineer from
    Colorado Springs.    I am interested in all forms of communication,
    the more open the better.   I can appreciate the sharing that goes
    on here, and hope no one minds my occasional participation.
    
	I was taught as a child, that no idea can really be complete
    unless both the male and female viewpoint is included in it's
    development.   I still believe this, and I think this conference,
    from what I've seen so far, is one of the better ones on the net.

    	Alan.

    Name           :    Timo Hofstee
    Nationality    : Dutch
    Marital Status : Married
    Age            : 30    
    Function       : Project specialist Netsystem
    Location       : VAlbonne France
    
    Working 1 year for DEC now.
    
    interest : I followed the mennotes conference for a while, but they
    seem to talk more about the womannotes conference over there. So
    I just wanted to have a look what interesting topics are discussed
    over here. Is that enough ?
    
    Timo
    

    Hello everyone.
    My name is Marvin Wash, a Christian person employed in a Management
    position in Cupertino, Ca. Anyone harbouring greater curiosity about
    me may certainly contact me as you so desire.
    
    I accessed this conference from the suggestion of a female participant
    in same - I hope anything I add to it may be of some benefit; I
    certainly look forward to the dialogue presented, and how it might
    enrich my life.

    Hi!
    
    I'm a Software Engineer working at ZKO (Nashua, NH). I started reading
    the notesfile out of curiosity and a desire to be more attuned to
    women's issues. Got addicted quick!
    
    dov

    
    
    I guess it's time I did this:
    
    George Papison
    Corporate Accounts Consulting
    Stow, Mass
    
    As in the previous reply, I too am trying to lower my ignorance
    quotent.  After growing up in a family with two sisters, and believing
    I understood women, and thier issues, I have come to realize there
    is much I need to learn.

    
    This is an update since my old intro note said 'non-contributor' and,
    although I try to say as little as possible, I seem to have written
    too much over the last year to really be called a 'non-contributor'.

    So, here's the scoop: I work as a computer operator at DECwest
    in Bellevue, Washington; I'm a musician by training (I conduct 
    the Rainier Symphony and am finishing my Doctor of Musical Arts
    at the University of Washington); age 30, married, no kids.
    
    File me under: radical feminist

    As an occasional contributor, and reader, ......
    
          Michael Iwanowicz
    
            Principal Analyst
    
            CFO2
    
            Married almost 25 years; 4 grown children .. ages 19-23...
    3 in college, 1 already graduated.
    
    
            Ordained deacon in catholic church ['76]
    
    
            Dream:  Energize the chucrh into an inclusive community
    of believers........  with women and men fully equal in the 
    ministry...........
    
                            

        Name:	Andy Wood
        Site:	VBO, Valbonne, s. France
        Role:	Area support of Office products.

I've only read the first couple of intro's, so I do not know how the answers 
went assuming it was in the same vain;

I'm reading this conferance so that I can (hopefully) understand half the 
Human race better!

I like woman in high heels, and do not care what everybody else has to say about
it being bad for the feet.

I do not pretend to be the perfectly oriented male, but I would hope this 
conferance improves me as a person, do not expect me to change my opinion given
in the previuos paragraph though!

Andy

        Name:	Andy Wood
        Site:	VBO, Valbonne, s. France
        Role:	Area support of Office products.

I'm reading this conferance so that I can (hopefully) understand half the 
Human race better!

I do not pretend to be the perfectly oriented male, but I would hope this 
conferance improves my perceptions of the problems of woman.  Given reply 1 
I must add that I think woman in high heels do look very atractive as opposed
to the same woman wearing flat shoes.  Why?  I hope to find the answer to this
her or in mensnotes.

Andy

    Pat Wilson
    DVO  Denver, Colorado
    Facilities
    
    I am married, no children, age 34, and Pagan.
    
    Walk with the Goddess,
    
    Pat

Greetings from Large Systems Engineering in Marlborough.  I've been a read-
mostly noter in this file for some time now, and I've found many of the
discussions to be very thought provoking.  I've always believed that women
should be the ones who decide just what make up "topics of interest to women",
so I expect I will continue to keep a fairly low profile here.  It's a
pleasure to read a file where the noters (as a group) are more progressive
than they are in Soapbox (where I'm a more frequent contributor).

And for many years, my favorite letter has been

						--Q

    Harvey Hamrick
    SXO San Antonio, Texas
    Area Support (South Central Area Field Service)
    
    Working on 9 years with DEC. I've been reading this file for quite
    some time. Been married (same woman) for 21 years, one son (graduates
    this year, thank GOD).
    
    Thought I should introduce myself as I replied to a note today (first
    time).
    
    My only reason for reading this file is to gain more insight into
    the differences of perception between the sexes. 
    Sharon and I have been down some rough roads together and survived
    this long. Some may not have been so "rough" had not my prejudices
    and preconceived (sp?) ideas been there. I'm trying to change that
    and this file helps. Thanks for all the good information you have
    given to all of us.
    
    bye,
    
    HARVEY
    
    P.S. I will interject only on occassion when I feel strongly about
    somethig.

    
    Name:     Dunc Sargent
    Job:      Senior Software Engineer for the Personal Computer Systems
              Group (PCSG)
    Location: LJO2 in Littleton, MA.
    
        I recently started with DEC (mid March '88) and of course needed
    to explore the NOTES.  I was pleasantly surprised to find another
    heartbeat to the "Digital Culture" I've been hearing about.  Until
    DEC, the places at which I have worked have been severely male
    dominated.  Although this may be true (looking at how many female
    VP's there are...) at Digital the presence of this notesfile indicates
    at least the existence of a different attitude toward women.
        I am interested in this notesfile, and the plight (if I may
    use the term) of women because I am affected by what you all are
    affected by, women and men.  We are all simply human to start with.
    To just add an "E" to make us humane, respectful of all humans indeed
    everything is nothing more than can be expected through common sense.
        Alas, if we were all humane, respectful, and sensical there
    probably would be no need of this notesfile.  So I enter with you
    for the discussion and, I hope, some little resolution, if I may.
    
    Live long and prosper,
        Dunc
    
    
    COLORS:: or VIKING::SARGENT
    

    	Doug Olson
    	Santa Clara, CA
    	Software Specialist, finally (!) scheduled to go out to a 
    	delivery site and work with a customer (I've been with Digital 
    	about 9 weeks.)
        
    Life's too short.  I want to do, to be, to share, to live.  I'm
    joining your WOMANNOTES community to learn and to grow with you.
    I've been reading many notesfiles over the past two months, and
    ask your indulgence if I pop up in topics you folks finished with
    ages ago.  Having picked up the highlights reference in 1.*, pointing
    to 762.*, may I second the call?  Please tell me via 762 which replies
    really meant something to you.  Thanks- I'm looking forward to this.
                                                                
    Doug

	Steven Dana Thompson	J11	Senior Software Engineer

    Tewksbury, Mass.  Currently read-only in =WomanNotes= to better
    understand how women feel about working at Digital ... and the
    progress of feminism and equality in the 80's on Planet Earth.

    (^~e~^)  Eagles_Must_Register_In_Order_2_Vote_on_Policy_Issues

             ...and_We_Typically_Vote_For_"The_Lesser_Of_Two_Evils"...

    Read only.

    
    	Since my previous entry (.87) was over a year ago, I thought
    	 I'd update since there've been a few changes.
    
  	Name: Rich Fink     (no change)

       	Node: QBUS::FINK    (used to be on PEACHS, but they kicked me
    			      off of that one...)

       	City: Atlanta, Georgia  (same as before)

       	Job:  F/S engineer  (used to be at the CSC, but got tired of
    			      the phone growing on my ear)

    	SO:   Corinne	    (same as before, I'm happy to say) :-)
    
    	Marital Status:	single    (see above line)  :-)
    
    
    		This is where I'm at now, but who knows for how long.
    		 I'll be losing my QBUS account soon, then ??????
    		 Anyone got room for one more user out there? :-(
    
    
    					-Rich