Digital Digest July 2007

/:/:/:/:/ THE DIGITAL DIGEST /:/:/:/:/:/ The Monthly Newsletter of DigitalEVE Japan. Promoting women's digital lifestyles by offering a supportive community and programs tuned to women using IT in their workplace and in their everyday lives. http://www.digitalevejapan.org

:/:/:/:/ THE DIGITAL DIGEST /:/:/:/:/:/

The Monthly Newsletter of DigitalEve Japan.

Promoting women's digital lifestyles by offering a
supportive community and programs tuned to women using
IT intheir workplace and in their everyday lives.
　
http://www.digitalevejapan.org
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1 July 2007

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This monthly newsletter is a membership benefit of
DigitalEve Japan and is sent through our mailing list,
de-japan. If you wish to cancel your membership with
DigitalEve Japan, please follow the unsubscribe
instructions at the end of this issue.

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NOTES FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE

Leader's Report

ROTA LEADER for June and July
Sommer Wagstaff

Hope everyone is enjoying the not-so-wet rainy season.
I have to admit that I quite like this weather with less rain,
however, I am a bit worried environmentally as this means
there will be a shortage of water over the summer. So
when it does rain, I am actually happy instead of feeling gray.

There seems to be an increased awareness of global warming
in Japan, and we can see this in the increased products that
are on the market. One I have taken noticed of is the new air
conditioner that is structured so that the air conditioning setting
at 28 actually feels like it is a lot lower and is dispersed in the air
more evenly.

Other products on the market are eco-friendly computers,
electric cars and lightning. It all seems to help in this digital age,
with technology playing a vital role.

On a different note, recently, have been interested in SLR cameras,
particularly the Nikon D80, D40x and the Canon EOS. I am still
trying to decide which one to purchase.

I am also interesed in purchasing the Willcom phone/PC. Is this
the best one on the market at the moment? I think having access
to files and email is becoming more important when I am away from
the desk, so have decided to look into buying and changing my carrier
from Docomo to Willcom. If anyone has any advice or comments
regarding the camera's or Wilcom phone/PC, please let me know.

Take care everyone and have a good start to the summer!

Sommer
Event Coordinator

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MEMBERSHIP TEAM NEWS

Misao Kajiro, Membership Coordinator
membership@digitalevejapan.org

Total membership is 699 as of June 30th, 2007.

This is not related to the team news:
New Yodobashi Camera opened in Kichijoji and
you can get most products with the "opening price".
I bought a digital-camera (Sanyo: Xacti DMX-CG65)
with cheaper price than http://kakaku.com/
which is the site of comparing the price. It needed some
negotiation with the staff. Also, USB Harddisk 320G
was 10800 yen.

If you are interested in visiting during the opening sale
I will plan the tour to guide around. Please send me a mail.

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WEB CONTENT TEAM NEWS

Ladawan Lhuang-on, Web Content Coordinator
web@digitalevejapan.org

While browsing the web for my new project proposal,
I came across this book, “Cinderella or Cyberella?”
which is about global possibilities for women’s
empowerment through technology.

The “Cinderella or Cyberella? Empowering Women
in the Knowledge Society”, edited by Nancy J. Hafkin and
Sophia Huyer (Kumarian Press, 2006) features essays that
“depict ways in ICTs to provide opportunities for women to
improve their incomes, gain awareness of their rights, and
improve their own and their families' well-being”. I haven’t read
the book yet…just an excerpt from online search. The book
seems to be very interesting. I hope to find it at nearby library.
If some DEvas had already read the book, I would love to
hear your thoughts!

Or if you have read another good books that you’d like to
share with other DEvas, please forward us your book review
with the title and author.

Happy reading while it is raining outside!

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Watch the mailing list for new events!

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INTERVIEW WITH A DEva

This month we interviewed Heera, who is a long term
member.

1) If you are not from Tokyo, where are you from originally
and when and why did you relocate to Tokyo?

I’m British. I came to Tokyo 21 years ago but moved to
Kansai the next year. Six years later I moved to Kamakura.
The reasons for the moves were because of my company but
although I loved my first year in Tokyo, after Kansai I didn’t
want to go back to the middle of a big city. Kamakura is
a perfect compromise! I have the woods and the sea and
I’m only an hour from central Tokyo.

2) How long have you been a member of DigitalEve Japan?

Since before it began ? when it was Webgrrls

3) How did you find out about DigitalEve Japan and why did
you decide to join?

I think I found out about Webgrrls (which metamorphosed
into DE) through an article in the Daily Yomiuri. I knew very
little about computers (although I had had one for a while
because I worked as an editor for Kansai Time Out in the 90’s.
They helped me buy my first Mac, when they introduced
desktop publishing. Of course, there was no Internet then,
so articles were submitted on floppies sent through the mail!)
I was delighted to hear about a women’s group committed
to supporting women in IT, helping them learn about IT and
improve their skills. I’d had the usual experiences of asking
men for help and they would fix the problem, but I would be
no wiser. So when the next problem arose, I had to ask again.
Women tend to explain why they’re doing something at a speed
you can follow, so you learn how to tackle the next problem
yourself.

4) If you are a volunteer, please tell us of your activities
and why you decided to help DEJ.

When we started, as I said, I knew very little about IT,
but I knew something about PR. So I volunteered to do
the PR for the group, because I really believed in our ‘mission’
to help women. It was a very exciting time. We had 2 amazing
leaders, with so much energy and ambition, who built the group
up in terms of professional activities, while the PR team helped
to build up the numbers. We also had quite a large active
committee. For the first few years we had at least one event
and one workshop a month plus regular weekend retreats
in Saitama. We ran some joint events, for example a seminar
about women in IT with AWF (Assoc. of Women in Finance),
and some really wonderful courses. We were even invited to do
a presentation to a girls' high school about careers for women
in IT (as a result of an article in the Japan Times about the seminar,
if I remember rightly). And the email list was really active ?
almost too much to read, especially for the committee members.

So, although what we achieved was fantastic, the committee
suffered volunteer burnout. We just couldn’t keep up the number
and quality of events we were organizing, with everyone working
on a voluntary basis. And the DEvas who were really good at IT
ended up with even more work supporting the workshop program
etc. That was great for the learners but tough for the trainers and
organizers, because most of them had very high-powered,
demanding jobs as well. So most of the original committee
resigned after about the first 3 or 4 years. I must pay huge
tribute to Misa here. She was a key person in transforming Webgrrls
into DE and has almost single-handedly kept DE going over the years,
even though we don’t put on as many workshops now or such
varied social events. She also has a demanding job but somehow
she’s managed to keep us going and have a regular monthly meeting.
So our members have gone up from about 400 or 500 when I was
doing PR to about 700 or more now, I think.

5) Are there any activities and resources you would like to see offered
by DigitalEve Japan?

I’d love to see us put on as many workshops and events as we
did in the beginning but I know it’s terribly hard work for the
volunteers. I’d like everyone who believes in the idea of DE, to
consider volunteering to help the committee. Since much of it’s
done by email, you don’t even have to live in Tokyo. And I’d like
to thank everyone on the present committee for their hard work ?
Chiharu, who took over PR from me, yourself, and everyone else.
I know how much energy it takes to make events, the newsletter etc.
happen. So thanks to all the volunteers who keep us going.
You are appreciated!

6) What are your interests in digital technology?

They’re pretty limited actually. I love my Mac. I’ve just ordered
a new MacBook, helped of course by advice from DEvas.
And also my digital camera. I bought a wonderful little Ricoh Caplio
R3 last year with a x 7 zoom. I like an light, unobtrusive camera
that’s easy to carry with you, so that you can shoot people
on the spur of the moment, without them knowing they’re in your shot.
I took it to Peru and Cuba last year and got some great people shots.

7) What kind of computer do you use?

I1ve always used Macs. The new one has a built in camera
and a remote control, so I1m looking forward to exploring
all the new features. Also, I always buy laptops. I love the mobility
and then, if I need help, I can always take it to the nearest expert,
rather than having them come to me.

8) Are you a member of any other technology-related groups
and if so, which ones?

I live in Kamakura so I haven’t joined another group. But I
occasionally go to Tokyo PC users group meetings, especially
if they’re on a topic I need information on. They did one last year
on digital cameras, just when I was thinking of buying my new one,
which was very helpful. They’re very friendly and helpful, not
necessarily too techy, and I got some good advice. There was
another DEva there actually! The Ringo group meet now in the
new(ish) Apple store in Ginza, which is much easier to get to than
their previous place. So I occasionally go to their meetings too.
They’ve also been really helpful, when I’ve taken my Mac along
to the meeting with a problem. It usually gets solved in the pub
afterwards!

9) Please tell me a little bit about where you work and what
your responsibilities are.

I work from home mainly. I use the computer for personal stuff,
creative writing, writing teaching materials and, of course, for editing.
Email, of course, is invaluable for receiving work, and keeping in touch
with my voice-acting agents. I don’t know how we managed back
in the old days of snail mail and faxes!

10) Do you have any favorite software programs? If so, why?

Not really. I’d like to say Photoshop but I’m still not very good
at using it, despite doing a very good Temple University course,
because I don’t have time to use it often enough. I long to have
the time to organize and work on my huge collection of photos
from various trips abroad and places in Japan.

11) What is your favorite computer-related activity? (for
example, games, email, surfing the net, etc.) Do you have
any other hobbies?

I find I’m using the Net more and more for researching information.
It’s just such an amazing resource. But I try always to search with
a focus. You can surf your life away if you don’t stay focused! I want
to start blogging to encourage myself to write every day and also,
eventually, set up my own web site, but that’s a way down the line.

12) What is your favorite website and why?

One of the things I missed most when I came to Japan was English
language media, especially BBC Radio 4 (‘intelligent radio’!). Now
I can listen to English radio whenever I like through my computer,
I’m so happy. I check the BBC schedules every day for good radio
programs. I’m also starting to check out YouTube more and more
for the hilarious video clips.

13) Name three things you will always find near your computer.

A huge pending file, which never seems to get any smaller; Mac OS X
The Missing Manual (just about to order the new one for Leopard)
and a piece of amber (someone told me it’s good to keep amber
near a computer ? I can’t remember why now!)

(interviewed by Ko Iwata)
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