…some fool (whom I’d never heard of before today) gave a pornographic presentation (that I had nothing to do with) at a conference (that I’d never heard of before today, and which I didn’t attend); and people took offense:

Having been a computer science major in college and a programmer for the last 9 years, I’m using to being the minority in these sort of development environments, but this was the first time I really felt like it was a boys’ club. A boys’ club where "girls" could hang out, but they are ultimately considered nothing more than objects of sexual gratification.

…by which the writer seems to be saying that, because I’m a man working in the software industry, I consider women "nothing more than objects of sexual gratification".

Now I’m offended.

A phrase like "boys’ club" is a sign of intellectual laziness. It’s easier than saying, "That person is a jerk." Or even, "Sure are a lot of jerks in this industry."

It’s also an abdication of responsibility. For the co-author of a respected, widely-read web site to imply that my possession of a Y chromosome gives me more influence within the software industry than she has, hence more responsibility for its current state (i.e., infested with jerks), is absurd.

(I can’t say why I bothered to write this. Nobody cares. I know that. At least there are some new pictures of Jake & Sam to look at, over in the sidebar.)