I got a four-year degree in marketing, decided I didn't want to do sales, and went back to school for computer programming. I'm about halfway through with my associate's degree and have a straight-A average. I think a major reason many women don't like technology is because they perceive it as geeky and as something that keeps them from being in contact with other people. In contrast, I constantly e-mail my friends and have met many people through chat rooms, Web rings and Listservs. Also, some women I've talked to say they don't want to be chained to a desk using a computer all day.
Technology is wonderful, but it has to be perceived as wonderful.
That is one of the problems. Until we can get teenage girls and young women to look at technology as being cool instead of nerdy, they aren't going to be enthusiastic about it. I want so very much to learn about computers but have often felt intimidated by the terminology, the austere look of technological inventions and even the colors. I was excited when Apple came out with computers in different colors, and I thought their flowing shape was beautiful. At the time, I thought that Apple had a winner and was finally trying to appeal to a broader base, kind of like Saturn had done with cars.