[dkersten]

> However, as computing became more and more important and presigious a field, more men entered it

Anecdotally, almost all of the male programmers I know (and I know many) entered the field because they thought technology was cool, out of interest in the field or they enjoy the problem solving challenge. Almost all of them tinkered with computers and programming in their own time before entering the field and many still do outside of their jobs (not to improve their job prospects, but because they find it fun or interesting or intellectually stimulating). Incidentally, almost all of the (far fewer) female programmers I know entered the field for the same reason.

My conclusion, perhaps wrongly, is that more males are interested in computing than females.