Thank you for visiting "The Navigator – Live." Today's chat ended at 3 p.m. EST.

My guest today was Kristine Hanna of Girl Geeks? We talked about the past, present and future roles of women in the world of computing.

"The Navigator – Live" appears each Thursday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern time. It's a live, moderated discussion offering washingtonpost.com users the chance to talk directly to intriguing and sometimes unusual guests who are shaping the digital world. "The Navigator" appears in The Washington Post print edition every Thursday. You can read past columns by following this link.

Linton Weeks: Greetings and welcome to Navigator--Live. Let's get right to the questions.

Linton Weeks: Hello and welcome to Navigator--Live. Just what is Girl Geeks? ?

Kristine Hanna: Girl Geeks? The Female Side of Computing™ is a series of nationwide media events which will explore the central roles of women in computing through TV programs, Web sites, NPR Radio shows, Books, Lectures, Seminars, Educational Products and Games.

Specifically, we will illuminate women’s remarkable roles in computing – present, past & future and portray these women in a powerful yet personal light to celebrate the creativity, independence and power that is in their lives.

Girl Geeks? will entertain, educate, motivate and empower women to participate more in computing. We will also illustrate many ways to create, lead and promote mentoring by individuals, organizations and corporations.

Linton Weeks: Why the question mark after the name?

Kristine Hanna: By playing with audience’s perceptions of their own stereotypes around women and computing, both negative and positive, we plan to dispel images of “otherness” and instill curiosity, honor and awe. Those who overcome stereotypes will become role models and mentors for others.

The question mark at this point it's a lightning rod for conversation. When we first started Girl Geeks?™ a year ago, I ran into some very strong opinions about the word “geeK”. Some women are very opposed to being called a geek, and other women embrace the word fully and are excited to be called a geek, because they see geeks finally coming into their own and taking over the world. With younger girls, in high school and middle school, it's still not cool to be called a geek - we think this is partly why girls turn away from computing and science at this time in their lives, because these areas are considered “geeky”. Part of what Girl Geeks? is about is to explore the stereotypes that women are facing in the computer industry, and hopefully give people a different way of looking at the word. I know a lot of fun and sexy girlgeeks!

Linton Weeks: What is your story? How did you wind up at Girl Geeks? ?

Kristine Hanna: What interests me are the high-tech opportunities for women in the next century. I would like to see women delving into technology instead of taking a (stereotypical) back seat to males.

I first became interested in this subject when I worked at Lucasfilm for George Lucas. For the first time, after almost a decade in the male dominated production and post production world, I was working with a group of women. I became aware of how great this situation was, wondered why it was such a rarity, and knew that I wanted to somehow help make it more commonplace and normal. I wanted to spread the word!
Initially, I set out to produce a Girl Geeks? television project, with some guidance from a colleague Todd Walton. Then I met my Girl Geeks? co-founder and partner Peter Crosby, the Web Producer from All Together Now Multi-media who added the vision of convergence to our production and to the mission.

"Girl Geeks?" is helping to bring my dream alive! And we have a dedicated staff who works around the clock to make it happen.

Linton Weeks: Isn't there something antiquated about a special site for female computer users?

Kristine Hanna: It's only antiquated in the sense that its long overdue that we have a place for these leaders to be recognized by the mainstream.

We just want people to realize that having a stake in computing is an opportunity that women and men alike cannot afford to miss.

Men and women use the Internet and technology in different ways. Sites like ours and iVillage and Women.com know this and are simply serving that market. Larger
corporations ought to take notice of this, that there is a market waiting to be served.

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Technical fields are predominately male orientated, do you see more women becoming web designers, programmers, etc?

Kristine Hanna: the great thing about new media and the Internet is that there is emphasis on great content as well as the engineering behind the curtains. Ideas about what to communicate go hand in hand with coding and programming.

The internet and the web are the great equalizer. Women who do not have a lot of computer experience are able to learn HTML and study some the programs that are out there and find a place for themselves in high tech applying the technology.

However, what we are showing in Girl Geeks?, is that women will have much more power if they create the programs and the technology, themselves instead of just applying what others have created. Dr. Anita Borg, a Girl Geeks? Board Member and founder of Xerox PARC’s Institute for Women and Technology stresses that women need to start getting involved in the creating the technology in order to ensure that it will be useful for them in their lives.

San Francisco, CA: How do women surf differently?

Kristine Hanna: Women look for usefulness and practicality, things they can use in their daily lives. The emphasis is not on the technology itself.

Washington: George Lucas? What did you do at Lucas Films?

Kristine Hanna: I knew someone would ask me that! I was a Visual Effects Producer for George Lucas and Rick McCallumn.
Was a great mix of technology and creativity.

Bethesda, MD: Hi! I'm one of two women programmers in a thirty person department. It makes me a little crazy never working with women, and has also diminished my number of women friends, since I can no longer meet any through work.

How do other female programmers handle this void? Even though I love my job, I miss the feeling of "sisterhood" you get from having other women around.

Kristine Hanna: A great question, and what we get asked a lot. You are not alone!

Because of the need we are buidling a lot of this interactivity and functionality into our web-site.

I see women doing a lot of networking with women technical online communities - systers.org. women on the web - e-mail us at info@girlgeeks.com for more URL's or look at our links page at www.girlgeeks.com

What I hear you saying though is that you miss the offline actitvities - hanging out, going to dinner. Many of these online communities have events on a weekly/monthly basis that you can attend.

P.S.Have you checked out www.umbc.edu/cwit right in Baltimore.

Germantown, MD: How can we learn more about the things Girl Geeks? offers? Is there a Web site?

Linton Weeks: Yes there is. I'm sure Kristine would be happy to answer this question and give you the URL.

Kristine Hanna: www.girlgeeks.com
Girl Geeks? The Female Side of Computing™ is a series of nationwide media events which will explore the central roles of women in computing through TV programs, Web sites, NPR Radio shows, Books, Lectures, Seminars, Educational Products and Games.

Specifically, we will illuminate women’s remarkable roles in computing – present, past & future and portray these women in a powerful yet personal light to celebrate the creativity, independence and power that is in their lives.

Girl Geeks? will entertain, educate, motivate and empower women to participate more in computing. We will also illustrate many ways to create, lead and promote mentoring by individuals, organizations and corporations.

washington: How do you plan to expand the influence of Girl Geeks

Kristine Hanna: We are reaching out to a lot of different markets - television, seminars, NPR Radio Series, educational products, web site communities.

Girl Geeks? objective is to bring this project to mainstream America. To make geek cool and to show that computing and engineering can be fun and empowering!

Linton Weeks: What do you hope your site will look like a year from now?

Kristine Hanna: We have this growing group of amazing advisors and women in computing
working with us, so we’re adding more and more ways for our audience to
interact with them through email, chats, forums and mentoring. And we’ll
actually begin matching mentors with those who want to grow their computing
skills on-line, so that they can interact directly and feel supported in
their learning curve.

Everyone will also be able to take all sorts of computing courses on-line
with all sorts of peer networking so that people can share resources and the
experience. And, because we’re using lots of streaming video and audio to
put a human faces on our community and learning experience, we’ll be using
some cutting-edge technology to deliver classroom-like experiences and
roundtables with live Q&A and polls and chats.

Then we get to make it all interactive with an Enhanced TV broodcast next
spring. Wow, it’s going to be a busy, busy year!

Washington, DC: Isn't the term "geek" derogatory?

Kristine Hanna: That is part of what we are exploring, the stereotype of the word and what it means to women and men in computing. When we first started Girl Geeks?™ a year ago, I ran into some very strong opinions about the word “geeK”. Some women are very opposed to being called a geek, and other women embrace the word fully and are excited to be called a geek, because they see geeks finally coming into their own and taking over the world. With younger girls, in high school and middle school, it's still not cool to be called a geek - we think this is partly why girls turn away from computing and science at this time in their lives, because these areas are considered “geeky”. Part of what Girl Geeks? is about is to explore the stereotypes that women are facing in the computer industry, and hopefully give people a different way of looking at the word. I know a lot of fun and sexy girlgeeks!

Chantilly, VA: Hello - I'm a Web-Lotus Notes Developer and the only female in an office of just under 100 persons. Will GirlGeeks offer networking amongst my female peers?

Kristine Hanna: YES! That is our goal. That has got to be tough being the only female out of 100. Hang in there!

washington dc: and you don't let guys in the club?

Kristine Hanna: Guys are in the club. Guys are the ones who can help make a difference - help get the women in your life online - Mom/Sister.

We want people to realize that having a stake in computing is an opportunity that women and men alike cannot afford to miss.

BTW: The co-founder of Girl Geeks?, my partner, is a male.

Linton Weeks: Well, we're halfway through the hour and I feel like Kristine has got a lot more to tell us. I'll take a sip of Ruby Red Grapefruit Cocktail; you keep those questions zooming our way.

Washington, DC: What do you think about telecommuting? Will we have offices 10 years from now?

Kristine Hanna: I think telecommuting has its place. Half our staff telecommutes.

All the same, I don't think you can ever replace good old fashion one on one meetings and dialogues.

Burlington, Vermont: What should we be doing to encourage girls to stay interested in science and technology, particularly in adolescence? Are single-sex schools, such as the Girls Middle School in Silicon Valley, a good option?

Kristine Hanna: A way to encourage girls to stay involved is through mentoring and role models. To show girls other women that they can aspire to - leading full and high quality lives.

The Middle School and Julia Morgan School for Girls here in the Bay Area are schools that are helping to make a difference.

Linton Weeks: Kristine, do you have any sort of data about the number of women who use computers, the number who use the Internet? Aren't the numbers growing rapidly?

Kristine Hanna: Yes we do - currently women are 44% of the internet traffic today and women are projected to be 60% by 2005.

AOL says that their new memberships are now 72% female.

Women are rapidly coming online and making a difference. Because women are the primary purchasers in households, companies and e-commerce are taking notice.

washington: Do you get your news online?

Kristine Hanna: yes I do. New York times and LA Times are the two I go on a regular basis

Linton Weeks: We won't take that newspaper comment personally.

College Park,MD: A few minutes ago you said,'
We want people to realize that having a stake in computing is an
opportunity that women and men alike cannot afford to miss.'

Could you please explain to
me just what the 'opportunity'
is ?

Kristine Hanna: Technology is being created on a daily basis and is becoming so pervasive that not being involved will become a liability.

The opportunities for growth and being able to get in there and make a difference has never been better!

Linton Weeks: Have you thought of starting a Guy Geeks? ?

Kristine Hanna: Yes, that's next!

washington: who do you think are the political leaders who best understand the digital future?

Kristine Hanna: Senator Barbara Boxer is one. And of course we can't forget Al Gore- "the father of the internet"! :)

Leesburg VA: I am one of two female Oracle Dbas in my department of primarily male dominated DBAs -approx. 10 other DBAs- My problem is that during meetings both men and women tend to look to my Male counterparts to answer there questions instead of me. Forgetting that I am doing the same thing and am more familiar with there particular project or issue and have more years of experience in the IT arena then my male counterparts.

I am outspoken and do not let this affect my performance nor do I let them push me into the back seat. How do you address these issues in Girl Geek? What are your suggestions on how I can handle this and make it stop with out coming across as a Witch? It can be frustrating.

Kristine Hanna: It is very frustrating. I can remember many times in my career at Lorimar in LA when older male peers would not answer my questions or ask me to sit on their laps instead!

GG? shows, and will continue to show many strong and remarkable women in the same space that you are - with tips on how they deal with this issues (you are not alone!), and other women to talk to.

GG? is establishing a mentor program where you can come and get a mentor online that you can reach out to for advice and suggestions.

Arlington, VA: Do you have a relationship with the Webgrrls organization?

Kristine Hanna: We support each other. The San Francisco Women on the Web is pretty cool!

Linton Weeks: Your Al Gore reference reminds me to ask: Who is the Mother of the Internet?

Kristine Hanna: Good question -

Women have been involved in the creation of computing and technology since the beginning. Part of the Girl geeks? programming is to show the women role models of the past.

Ada Lovelace, a woman, was the first programmer back in 1850!

Rear Admiral Grace Hopper created the first business oriented computing languaue, COBOL.

There were women in and around the creation of the internet ie. Sandy Lerner who co-founded CISCO - but there was no mother per se.

Washington DC: Do you see any end to growth of the Internet?

Kristine Hanna: No. It can only continue to grow and become as familar as your telephone or tv. The internet technology will become invisible.

Bethesda, Maryland: What kind of computer should I buy for my family? I have about $3000 to spend.

Kristine Hanna: It depends on your use. What is your priority? For $3000 you can get a lot! high powered graphics will make the computer more expensive. For family use - for $3000 you could buy more than one.

On the Girl Geeks? site we will have computer recommendations for womenand men with questions such as this one.

Linton Weeks: How big is your staff?

Kristine Hanna:
We have ten people on board at the moment and are continually
growing. Our team includes a web producer and designer, a television production
staff, researchers, and a business development person.

Linton Weeks: What sites do you use every day?

Kristine Hanna: I look at the most of the women community sites: women.com, ivillage.com, oxygen.com, systers.org, iwt.org, Witi.org and some of the Hollywood trades.
hollywoodreporter.com, and variety.com.

I also check in with our partners – Virage MSN, intervu, netpodium, Brainpower, Talk City and Avid

Rockville, MD: Do you belong to the Well, or other online communities?

Kristine Hanna: Peter, my partner used to belong years ago. But we do belong to numerous online communities. We are lookign to work with Talk City which is a cool gathering of communities and chat sights.

Linton Weeks: Are there high-tech jobs for women who do not have extensive computer experience?

Kristine Hanna: the great thing about new media and the Internet is that there is emphasis on great content as well as the engineering behind the curtains. Ideas about what to communicate go hand in hand with coding and programming.

The internet and the web are the great equalizer. Women who do not have a lot of computer experience are able to learn HTML and study some the programs that are out there and find a place for themselves in high tech applying the technology.

However, what we are showing in Girl Geeks?, is that women will have much more power if they create the programs and the technology, themselves instead of just applying what others have created. Dr. Anita Borg, a Girl Geeks? Board Member and founder of Xerox PARC’s Institute for Women and Technology stresses that women need to start getting involved in the creating the technology in order to ensure that it will be useful for them in their lives.

Linton Weeks: And so we must bid adieu to our digital discussion...for now. Thanks so much to our guest, Kristine Hanna, to the good people at Washingtonpost.com and to all of you who sent in questions. Join me next week when my guest will be Maxwell Anderson of the Whitney Museum. We'll be talking about art in the Digital Age. Until then...

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