That Gnarly Kitty » Blog Archive » Windows 7 Nerds Day

September 28, 2009 | under: geek, rants
tagged: blogger day, microsoft, windows 7

(Now with explanation from a person who works for Microsoft, at the bottom of this post.)

You know how a few years back, hipster nerds and geeks like Adam Brody and Jon Heder have “supposedly” made nerds and geeks cool? Well, the trend never caught on here. Here, nerds are still nerds. The only things that excite them are computer codes and girls.

Why am I ranting? I signed up for the Windows 7 Blogger Day event on Saturday because I, according to the posted qualification of participant, own a blog and have an interest in new technology. Although I am a Mac, I was genuinely interested in Windows 7.

I signed up, went, and left half way. I did have plans to leave early but I thought if the thing was worth canceling plans, then I would. But then things didn’t go that way.

If you had followed the #win7thai Twitter feed on Saturday, among the peer-praising and Windows-wowing tweets, somewhere there’s Gnarly Kitty doing what she does best–ranting. But it was a justifiable rant. Why? Think of this scenario for a second. I was in there, with my Chanel and my itsy bitsy tiny pearly white Samsung netbook (I was clever enough to not bring a Mac) and I was lodged in the back of a room full of male computer nerds. The females I saw were either staff or girlfriends of the lucky few who managed to keep a successful romantic relationship with the opposite sex.

Basically, any female forms in that room were deemed unimportant.

Rather than a professionally composed workshop for Windows 7 enthusiasts, it was more like an offline get-together of Bangkok’s best known nerds, who by the way know each other. They should have warned me that the event was for insiders only so I wouldn’t have embarrassed myself, dragging my female ass to a place where I would not be welcomed.

After series of inside jokes exchanged at one another, even between the guys from Microsoft themselves who apparently were best friends with these attendees, the event finally started. The program promised a showcase by a group of Thai bloggers and developers, some of whom I have seen and followed online, who would come up and show off their favorite Windows 7 features.

By the end of it, if you asked me what Windows 7 can do, I wouldn’t be able to answer a thing.

Oh they showed off some features alright. Like how Windows 7 new wallpaper gallery can make you switch from one half naked girl lying on the bed wallpaper to another half naked Japanese girl in tight uniform wallpaper in a matter of a second. Oh and I also learned about the nicknames these guys give to different versions of Internet Explorer, such as gigs, mistresses, boring first wives and new younger girlfriends.

Then they showed one of the guy’s TwitPic gallery–which I still don’t know how that was relevant to anything about Windows 7–and it was full of even more thumbnails of Motor Show girls, PGs, sexy uniformed girls and more Korean/Japanese fresh meats.

And some of these guys were online individuals I have longed to meet, those I have had respect for for their coverage of technology in Thailand. The David Pogues and the Brian Lams of Thailand. Though they weren’t the ones displaying these photos, I just can’t imagine them being among those who cheered and whistled as each slide showed up.

I was there, sitting at the back, speechless and offended. And they all seemed to be enjoying all this. One even said it’s alright for him to do this because he doesn’t have a girlfriend. Oh really? Don’t you think that because of your personality and derogatory thoughts about women, that’s why you don’t have a girlfriend?

And there was this poor girl, a Microsoft trainee. She got the very look that would make nosebleeds out of these nerds. She was the subject of teases and jokes between the guys and I did not understand why she did not feel offended. She even added fuel to the fire at times by flirting with the presenter about how he did not have enough of her pictures on his presentation.

Where the hell was I? Microsoft’s secret gentlemen’s club? Did you people not see there were other attendees whom you did not know, who were female?

Just imagine this for a second. If this exact same event was held in, say, Silicon Valley, California, what would the reaction be? More cheering, clapping and encouragements? No. It would be more like lawsuits, discrimination charges and a huge PR clean-up by Microsoft.

So I left. Learned nothing. Besides not getting any useful information about Windows 7 out of it, I didn’t even at least get the documents. Thanks for the big Microsoft PR photobook, a B20 tshirt and an even cheaper notebook. But I think only those boring sheets of paper with useful information about Windows 7 would be able to make up for the time I had lost watching members of my gender being ridiculed.

iStudio and Apple conferences are boring, I must admit, but at least I learn things. And most importantly, at least I was considered valuable to their brand and service. If I wanted to see a group of men going googly eyes over half naked girls, I’d go to my neighborhood coyote club.

—————
Edit: I was also emailed by a concerned individual who works for Microsoft. We’ll see how this unfolds.

Edit 2: Just got a response from the guy.

….To give you some background, we previously held a smaller IT blogger’s day that focused more on presenting the key features of Windows 7, which was hosted exclusively by MS staff.

Some of the bloggers who attended that event were then invited to come back for the bigger IT blogger’s day on Saturday to give short presentations on their favorite new features. I believe this may be why you felt that there were a lot of ‘inside-jokes’, with less control from the MS staff over what was discussed – including the wallpapers with photos of women….

….Finally, please accept my apologies again for this and kindly pass this on to your friend too. I will also discuss more with Microsoft to get their thoughts on how we can help and at least make sure that this does not happen again….

For “their side of the story”, the comments on this page are a fun read if you understand Thai. Really gets you inside a typical Thai male psyche.
http://blognone.com/node/13285

31 comments so far
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I stayed behind when you left, and I can tell you this, that thing became the event’s official meme. It was de facto mandatory that everyone had to mention that twitpic or shoot some lame jokes at that aspect.

Feel free to spread your Tumblr campaign.I believe in you.

Sadly, to hear that you left the event before things went on with the demonstration of Windows7 feature from Microsoft team. The first half that you were, as you mentioned, that presented by other top blogger for their favorite feature. Even the second half of event shown the demonstration of Windows 7 features; it’s not cover the new feature in Windows 7 yet.
Anyway, the Windows7 wallpaper RSS scripting to feed and download new photo as wallpaper is the technology that enable user to do so. The photo itself is the context of how user will make use out of this feature, such as the blogger in this event is photographer who showed the photo he likes. On the contrary, if someone or some organization use this feature to feed the attractions in Thailand to promote Thailand’s travel industry into Windows 7 user for the rest of the world. This is an opportunity that Thailand can reach out to a huge number of foreigners and promote the country. So, I look at this as Microsoft provide technology and feature enable people to do things. When you see a glass of water with half water in it, will you see that ‘the glass has only half of water in it’ or you will see ‘the glass still have a half of water in it’.
Just my 2 cents.

If by promoting the country you mean showing the world how sexy our women are I think we already have that covered.

Got promote our country how sexy our women are, covered. By who?

You obviously don’t get my sarcasm. So I’ll take your comments as misunderstanding.

SO you went to a Windows 7 Blogger Day and got nerds, geeky jokes, Windows – isn’t that what you were expecting?

You do raise a good point about the standard of events in Thailand though. Thai events are massively different to those in the US, London, Europe there. Is it a cultural thing?

The whole point was that I went there EXPECTING TO LEARN ABOUT WINDOWS and all I got was ways guys with pubescent thinking can amuse their friends.

And I’ve been to nerdier events and got a lot more out of it than coyote girl slideshows.

I’m so glad I didn’t know about this and even more that I didn’t go because, like you, I’m not very good at holding back my opinion under such circumstances.

Half agree with you on this, that’s all you got since you did not stay till the end of event. You did not get the thing you want, does not mean the event has nothing you want.

Kitty: Hey don’t knock coyote girl slideshows completely!

You raise a good point though about such events. Is this the image that Microsoft wants to convey? If it was for certain types of computer games where younger males are the main consumers then yes, but this is Windows 7.

Seriously? That’s is absolutely unprofessional. The booth babes I get. Using hot chicks to draw people to your booths, fine. Standard practice even outside of geek world.

But actually use half-naked women in the photos for your presentation, that’s unacceptable and unprofessional in any cultures. This is not a private presentation to people you know.

You’re right, you wouldn’t see that here in the U.S. Not in a professional setting, and definitely not representing Microsoft.

I was there and felt the same way by the first half of the event too. I was just lucky to got this “privilege” and was hoping to learn more about Windows 7 which I’m excited about as you were. I can see that the first half of the event was kinda offensive to women and I would be uncomfortable with those kinds of examples they talked about too if I was that MS’s trainee.

But think of it this way, this is just one of the “spread the word” campaign by MS Thailand, along with their website, twitter, Facebook, and other viral advertisement they’re using. So if you feel bad about this, I feel for you too.

Glad my friend @thanr and I weren’t the only ones finding those examples a bit too much.

You are absolutely right that Microsoft Thailand should never have allowed such an event. Such an event would never have happened in Seattle or Silicon Valley. No reason why it should happen in Bangkok or Tokyo or Singapore.

Microsoft Thailand should be ashamed and that marketing VP should be fired.

Absolutely agree with your points on the conference. I think “some of them” are just morons and jerks who need to feel they’re on top of everything. If they are considered “the face” of Thai IT professionals, I will be very disappointed.

I think for them, it is a race, who appears to be hornier wins.

I have to tell you most of Thai IT events went this way too, sadly.

To portray anyone of any race, gender, or religion as an object of amusement is unprofessional. Heck, who in their right mind does it anymore? Sadly, it’ll continue to be a practice in Thailand and people will shrug it off as something light-hearted or “funny”, something that means no harm.

Dear Loh, I understand that Windows 7 (or any technology for that matter) can potentially enhance or “promote” the good image of Thailand. But do you really think it has to be done by showing off women? Look up male chauvinism. Clue: a form of mental illness some Thai men are afflicted with.

Hi, I see you are the lucky one who can go to this event while someone couldn’t go.
after I read you comment, I understand how you feel that some blogger depress you, but please understand that first half-session, that you take time and finally leave, is the expression from Blogger, not any professional speaker that you expect (as you see, it’s blogger day, not microsoft official event). they may not be good presenter. and how to presenting may not suite for you too.

I think you have to wait for the official event in the october. It will be official event that you are expected.

by the way, if you still are interested in Windows 7 feature, please try to search using “microsoft blogger day”. many blogs have summary of the event, including the feature that Microsoft staff show the demo that you missed.

If I had known the schedule beforehand, I would have come for the second half. I would have left much earlier but I was polite enough to wait for the break.

I was offended. But I was most offended for the trainee girl. She was the subject of teasing and poking fun since she introduced herself to the audience. I did not know how or why she would/could tolerate it.

Tao – “Look up male chauvinism. Clue: a form of mental illness some Thai men are afflicted with.” ROFLMAO! Nicely done.

Most of the nerds I’ve met are totally unattractive. They’re stinky, dirty, etc. Those coud be the reasons why they don’t have girlfriends lol.

If we wanna promote our tourism, there should be better way than showing off girls photos. I feel it’s absolutely unprofessional and embarrassed.

I’m Thai. I have realized that some Thais like to do things simply. But sometime they should respect the value of the event. I’m afraid if there was anybody from international IT guys or foreign bloggers think the same way as you do. They just ruined everything.

funny to see comments from people who weren’t there jumping on the bandwagon.

I can see your point but it seems like you’re being a bit harsh on microsoft just for the sake of it. At least they even had an event for bloggers in the first place.

so some of the IT bloggers used their computers to look at pictures of girls. And they are men? Shock! Horror! How sexist!

next…

Well, I’m a man, so I won’t have any objection about saving the girl pic because I can’t save the man pic in my PC/NB too.

my mension for gnarlykitty just only to suggest that she is suited to join the official event (like iStudio and Apple conferences, she said) because it will focus on the product presentation and not have much out-of-topic.

“use this feature to feed the attractions in Thailand to promote Thailand’s travel industry into Windows 7 user for the rest of the world”

^
^
^

one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel.

I sat next to you ( on your right ) ,after
that @thanr came between me and you

Notice you have distinctive looks from those GEEK :D

i’ve been in a similar situation, but in photography world. i can say i asked for it.

for me, nothing goes unexpected (i didn’t say it right or wrong. i’m an idiot, btw).

the event just basically reflect the general mentality of computer big-boys here.

yes, i say *boy*, like gnarlykitty did. as it’s the dominating power here, and unquestioned.
(go Digital Gateway at Siam Square, you’ll see all toys for Thai IT big-boys. almost all the things that newly graduated-until-40, male, IT-related industries, will spend money on are just there)

and for a marketing purpose (what else can it be!?), why bother fight with the dominating power? just use it! please them. as for lots of organizations here, where the executives know very little about IT, most of the time it is these big-boys that will got asked what’s the software to be used anyway. if influential bloggers say it’s good, big-boy crowd say it’s good, the exec will say so.

in countries where business deals are unsurprisingly happen in karaoke lounge, massage complex, etc etc. .. where publicity guanranteed by girls in nice outfit, like in Motor Show or ICT Expo… why not a blogger day with pretties? (no offence to those pretty professionals anyway, it’s their job).

so the event is ‘understandable’ in this cultural context — just as the coup is ‘understandable’.

yet another sarcasm, i hate myself … and i’m now feel good (of got hated more :p)

and i support gnarlykitty.

i am glad that i did not attend such event. i would spring off to find a nice meal instead of sitting through those…

For me I think it’s the mentality and the sake of fun that they were looking into… That doesn’t mean that they were doing any harm to any woman or being a sexist. If they did, this blog post will educated them somehow.

But that doesn’t mean that they could show a half naked girl in the public venue (if they are… I wasn’t their but my blogger did.)

There are always the limit of what they can do and what they can’t this is the meeting organized by Microsoft. Not the Microsoft’s official event itself. Things might get out of hand real quick before they (Microsoft) even realize that.

This may be a good case study for people who organize events to check and be prepare for people with different background and different opinions some guideline and etiquette are a must.

But to sum up all of that … I think they meant no harm to any female gender. But thing have to change after this incident.

Thank you & Goodbye

อย่างน้อยบล็อกนี้ทำให้ผมรู้ศัพท์มากขึ้นจริงๆนะ ผมเป็นคนจริงใจ

I can’t agree more on “a guy who also attended the event”. These people definitely feel that they are on top of everything since this is “their” event and it’s probably what they can finally have a chance to semi-brag/entertain their friends.

And about that pool girl I think she’s either very professional and get it all well-handled, or she’s just plainly shallow, like many other “prettie girls”

The future of the Thai IT industry will suck.

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