I think that this so-called 'gender gap' in computer sciences has a lot to do with personality, rather than gender. Many people who code for a living or play around with computers are by nature solitary, self starting types who can care less about the social pecking order or who said what to whom. Most Western women are not raised to do that- they're taught to be malleable 'nice girls' and be sociable. (Guess I missed that 'class' as a girl!)

That said, there may be something to the growing trend of teaching girls and boys seperately. In an all-female environment, girls will play with computers a lot more- mostly because there aren't any aggressive boys pushing them out of the way or ridiculing their way of learning things.

It is tough being female in a mostly male career field- but I have been 'playing with the boys' for 20 years. Some of the more boorish ones have made my life miserable- but their spouses and girlfriends can be much worse!

I look at the whole thing this way: This is a career field that takes brains, not brawn, and women can apply themselves and succeed in it as well as the guys. My main word of advice for programmers of either gender is this: Treat your colleagues the way you would like to be treated.