（CNET08/23伦敦报道）Apache软件基金会（Apache Software Foundation，简称ASF）最近设立了一个新的邮件列表，希望藉此鼓励更多的女性志愿者参与开源项目的开发活动。

Jean Anderson负责Apache Derby数据库的工作，他在本周一表示，Apache新的邮件列表，“以论坛的方式，支持和鼓励女性开发人员更多地参与到ASF项目的开发中来。”

在邮件通告中，Anderson这样写道：“这个列表是面向（包括男性在内的）全体公众人员的，当然更欢迎女士们踊跃报名参与，也号召大家齐心协力，营造一个融洽的氛围。”

一般而言，开源项目中男性开发者多于女性开发人员。这也从一个侧面反映出当前软件行业女性从业人员偏少的现状。但是邮件列表及论坛中，存在性别歧视及暴力粗口的现象，也一定程度地影响到女性的参与热情。

去年，Debian（免费的Linux发行版）创立了专门的群体，鼓励更多的女性参与开源活动。Debian妇女联盟（Debian Women）的Helen Faulkner告诉ZDNet英国分部的记者，自去年以来，该组织广泛听取女性对Debian Linux的建议，所涉及的问题从Debian的安装到错误报告的撰写，议题可谓相当广泛。 Debian旗帜鲜明地反对性别歧视，也使得Debian深受女士们喜爱。

Apache hopes to encourage female coders
August 23, 2005
Ingrid Marson，Special to CNET News.com

The Apache Software Foundation is hoping to increase the participation of women in its open-source projects by setting up a new mailing list.

Jean Anderson, who works on the Apache Derby database, said Monday that the list will provide a "supportive, encouraging forum to help women become more involved in ASF projects."

"The list is open to all genders--you might be a woman who wants to become more involved or you might be someone who would just like to help create a welcoming environment," said Anderson in a mailing list posting.

Open-source projects tend to have many more male developers than female developers; this is partly a reflection of the under-representation of women in software development as a whole, but other issues, such as sexism and aggressive language on mailing lists and forums, have been thought to deter women from getting involved.

Debian, the free Linux distribution, set up a group last year to encourage the participation of women. Helen Faulkner, a member of Debian Women, told ZDNet UK last year that the group offers advice to women on a variety of topics from how to install Debian to how to write a bug report. It is also encouraging Debian to become more welcoming to women by flagging instances of sexism.