>Each generation of CS pioneers includes a few more women with passion and intellect like Hopper or Bryon that cannot be ignored, So your message to, say, youn

>Each generation of CS pioneers includes a few more women with passion and intellect like Hopper or Bryon that cannot be ignored, So your message to, say, young women who are facing barriers to success in CS is "Be one of the most exceptional women in the field, or wait a few generations until successful women in CS are no longer exceptions?" When someone with a desire to become a programmer can say to themself "I can achieve some level of success _even if I'm not the greatest programmer of my generation_", that's a good thing. Exceptional role models are nice to have, but so are "average" role models. "Women in CS" programs might increase the latter, and I don't see how they could decrease the former, so I don't think such programs can just be written off as "not the answer".