"But even when women felt free to experiment with soft mastery, they faced a special conflict. Tinkering required a close encounter with the computer. But this violated a cultural taboo about being involved with 'machines' that fell particularly harshly on women. When I was a young girl, I assembled the materials to build a crystal radio. My mother, usually encouraging, said, 'Don't touch it, you'll get a shock.' Her, tone, however, did not communicate fear for my safety, but distaste."
