Gender and software: rhetoric and the computer culture exemplified by “Barbie Fashion Designer”

Author

Hamilton, Margaret ; Hokanson, Brad

Author_Institution

111 Marquette Ave., Minneapolis, MN, USA

fYear

1999

fDate

1999

Firstpage

71

Lastpage

77

Abstract

It´s not just coincidence that most computer games are designed for boys, and males dominate the computer programming profession. Playing with computers familiarizes users with computers and programming, and helps prepare them for work in computer science and other technical fields. Recently, the monopoly of male-dominated games has begun to change, led by the wildly successful “Barbie Fashion Designer” program. This paper examines this software and other electronic games through the lenses of rhetoric [i.e. in terms of Berkenkotter and Huckin´s (1995) conception of genre] and gender orientation

Keywords

computer games; computer science; gender issues; professional aspects; programming; social aspects of automation; Barbie Fashion Designer; boys; computer culture; computer games; computer programming profession; computer science; electronic games; gender orientation; genre; male domination; playing; rhetoric; software; Computer science; Consumer electronics; Games; Lenses; Mirrors; Modems; Monopoly; Programming profession; Rhetoric; Social implications of technology;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Professional Communication Conference, 1999. IPCC 99. Communication Jazz: Improvising the New International Communication Culture. Proceedings. 1999 IEEE International

Conference_Location

New Orleans, LA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-5709-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IPCC.1999.799103

Filename

799103