

Computer Engineering Barbie now available - ck2
http://shop.mattel.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4032107

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holdenc
Dear Computer Engineering Barbie,

Due to team-wide productivity concerns, we are requesting that you no longer
wear skin tight sparkly pants to work. Also, it's apparently led to an
increase in time-consuming meetings with the sales dept.

Thank you, IT Manager Guy

~~~
ck2
Really stands out in the large photo:

[http://mat.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pMAT1-7356750e...](http://mat.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pMAT1-7356750enh-z6.jpg)

Khakis would have been more realistic perhaps!

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anthonycerra
Computer engineering Barbie looks eerily similar to administrative assistant
Barbie with an iPhone.

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markbnine
She comes with a EULA...

 _Production doll may vary from the photo shown above. Mattel reserves the
right to modify the fashion/fabrics, sculpt, hair color/style, and
accessories. Doll cannot stand alone. Name subject to change._

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person_b
Doll cannot stand alone. I can't tell if I should laugh or cry...

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Dylanlacey
Why does computer engineering Barbie have glasses? I'm fairly sure myopia or
hyperopia aren't caused by your choice of career, or vice-versa.

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miloshasan
You'd be surprised how many people walk around with terrible vision, without
knowing it. My guess is that computer-related jobs require good vision, so
people in these jobs are more likely to discover and treat their vision
problems.

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ZoFreX
Also, until relatively recently glasses were uncool and unfashionable.
Computer geeks generally pay less attention to such norms and choose function
over form, so a geek with marginally poor eyesight would perhaps be more
likely to go for glasses than a non-geek, who would survive without for
appearance purposes.

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p_nathan
It's a bit girly for most of the lady engineers I see around. But, then, it's
Barbie. The definition of girly.

I'm glad it's at least _there_ tho.

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martin_k
There is a nice Ignite talk by a female Google engineer at
<http://igniteshow.com/videos/im-barbie-girl-cs-world>

She argues that Matell is actually breaking with stereotypes here for a change
(though inadvertently)- and that it's a good thing.

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ScotterC
Yay! Empower those young women and doll-loving men

~~~
ck2
I was thinking, would they ever make an "action figure" like this for boys?

Holding an ipad instead of a m-16, would it sell?

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anigbrowl
Ask and you shall receive <http://www.happyworker.com/geekman>

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orblivion
The Internet is cool like that. You can think of a joke concept, and Google
will generate it for you.

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joeld42
I hope they also make "Barbie's Dream Cubical" and an overweight "workplace
sexual harassment" Ken.

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mml
The headset made me wince a bit, bit I got one anyway.

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blahblahblah
She's not wearing the IT uniform though (khakis, polo shirt, dockers, and
lanyard with ID badge). Maybe that's sold separately in an accessory pack?

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tyrmored
[http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=1883](http://www.smbc-
comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=1883)

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earnubs
Am I the only one who wondered if the binary on her top represented a
meaningful message?

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gcr
I know an earlier version of this doll had binary on the laptop itself which
spelled out the ASCII codes for "BARBIE" but I'm not sure about this one.

Don't ask how I know this.

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Isamu
I want a pink laptop!

~~~
sn
Such things are available for purchase at many fine establishments.

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Isamu
Geez, I KNOW that, but now Barbie has legitimized them! I can be a computer
engineer AND have a pink laptop!

Better yet, I can ditch my tv-programmed dream of becoming a glamorous
doctor/lawyer/detective in favor of becoming a glamorous computer engineer!

My friends and I will drive around in our pink convertible, hacking systems,
meeting new geeks and every episode will end with our band playing a song.
Maybe techno.

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cruciform
This is really cool, I bought one for my god daughter just now.. thanks!

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iwwr
Does the doll come with an ipod nano laptop?

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axod
I can pretty much garuntee, give this to any girl, and she'll throw away the
laptop and pretend she's having babies or dating ken or doing a fashion show.

Fairly pointless.

Up next: Fashion show GI Joe to get boys interested in fashion!

~~~
jwh
I agree. It's a fact that men far outnumber women in I.T. for a variety of
reasons
([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women,_girls_and_information_te...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women,_girls_and_information_technology)).
One interesting point from the article:

"From a two year research initiative published in 2000 by AAUW, young girls in
focus groups reported that "lack of interest" was not the reason for steering
away from a computing career, but rather, their male peers were treating
computers as toys"

Is it safe to assume girls + I.T. + toys != good times?

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jamesgeck0
Speaking as a male peer, do you mean to tell me that computers _aren't_ toys?
Code is my game, and the line between "tool" and "toy" is extremely narrow
based on how much enjoyment I get out of a good hard problem.

