But they are still experiencing difficulties breaking into this traditionally male-dominated field, with its associations of scientific sophistry, antisocial "geekdom" and arcane techie jargon.

The solution seems to be two-fold: on the one hand, women must wage the same battles that they fought Ü and continue to fight Ü to enter the traditional economy.

On the other hand, their perceptions of IT must be transformed, in order for them to reap the benefits of a technology peculiarly adaptable to their requirements. So while improved access and training are imperative to attract more women and girls into IT, women already within the industry are emphasizing the need to give technology a new, female-friendly shape. To borrow the title of a recent book co-authored by Wired Woman Toronto's Denise Shorrt, closing the gender gap may depend most of all on women and girls themselves developing "technology with curves".

Not only must IT bend to womenÍs needs, but women have to become aware that their particular gifts are remarkably suited to the field: among these, Carol M. Stephenson, President and CEO of Lucent Technologies Canada Inc. mentions womenÍs courage, creativity, customer understanding, natural facility for collaboration, passion for change and deep concern for the future.

Women must also understand that IT can help them further many of their greatest interests: as Leila Boujnane, CEO of Idée Inc., a cutting-edge media company, argues, "computers are not just for geeks any more. They are used to convey ideas, reach others, solve problems, and develop and market products Ü all interactions that women are interested in."

Crossing distances effortlessly and affordably, IT provides ideal conditions for networking, creative design, information-sharing and marketing, all of which can be accomplished from home as easily as from the office.

But there are still few visible role-models for females in the "brave new world" of IT, and between 1984 and 1997 the proportion of women receiving bachelor degrees in computer science actually dropped from 37 per cent to 27 per cent. (National Science Foundation)

To cope with this problem, the female minority within IT have realized that it is up to them to repackage and "sell" the industry to a wider population; and they have already taken up the challenge with gusto.

Technology with Curves: Women Reshaping the Digital Landscape was written "to showcase womenÍs accomplishments in IT and recognize the pioneers and key players in the IT industry", according to its co-author Denise Shorrt (who also co-founded the Toronto chapter of Wired Woman in 1998), in order to "inspire women to embrace the career opportunities that do exist in IT". These are the "women who are humanizing technology", and creating networks to assist others to join them in the digital landscape.

One such network, SMART Women and Technology was launched in January, 1999 as an umbrella group to bring together technology sector groups and existing organizations -- such as Women in Trades and Technology, Toronto Webgrrls (now reborn as Digital Eve) and Wired Woman Society -- in order to share information and act as a resource for girls and women looking at technology-related careers.

In addition, Shorrt mentions WomenÍspace and SheNetworks as prominent on-line communities for women, especially in the 18-34 age group.

Mentoring also provides an excellent avenue for greater female participation in IT, according to Boujnane, who considers it especially important for younger women.

Mentors can link up formally or informally, through groups such as WomenInMotion, or on an individual basis, though many females appreciate a structured network relationship that they can rely on at different stages in the development of their careers.

SMART, for example, has focused its initiative into three distinct Working Groups, according to member Rina Chenoy (who is also Program Manager for the Women in Technology Office at IBM Canada): Girls and Youth, which works in partnership with local school boards; Women in Technology Careers, focussing on networking and professional development opportunities for women currently employed in IT; and Women in Transition, designed to support women re-entering the workforce or seeking a career change. Chenoy has been active also at IBM, with Women and Technology Workshops that have reached over 9,000 girls in the past three years: female volunteer facilitators work through local school boards to deliver free workshops to groups of girls on-site at schools.

Another initiative this fall consists of IBM Scitechmatics Stars, a Web site designed by a high school student using language that young girls will understand, to introduce them to female role models in the IT industry.

Finally, an e-Mentoring program is being launched in November, teaming grade seven and eight girls individually with an IBM volunteer who will interact with them regularly through the Internet, so that "the student can develop a variety of technical skills through online 'discussions'."

With more women and girls entering IT, the field will necessarily assume a new identity: already, as Shorrt points out, "women and men use the Net very differently. Most women 'seek out' relevant, useful information and often do not have the time or the inclination to 'surf' the Web." They are interested in content more than "bells and whistles" of technology, and will also "wait to see which emerging technologies will prove most useful to them before embracing them." Women are taking to the Net, finding places "to dialogue with other like-minded women and share information, advice and resources. Women are interested in using technology as a facilitating tool for what we would do anyway: communicate, connect, build communities, forge relationships etc. Women also have been quick to realize that the Internet is a powerful tool for activism."

Shorrt is taking this message to the IT companies themselves, helping them Ü in collaboration with Natasha Kong and Nicole Blades of Shebytes! to adapt so that they can attract and retain women as employees, as well as "develop products, services and programs that meet the needs of women."

And the companies have to listen, because "the bottom line . . . is that they have a huge talent shortage that is getting worse, not better. The solution is staring them in the face."

She suggests a strong proactive campaign to recruit women: "support educational programs and fund/sponsor organizations like Wired Woman. Recognize and showcase the women who already exist in these companies . . . Promote them as role-models and encourage them (and support them) by enabling them to participate in mentoring programs. Pay them to come and speak as experts their field . . . Hire consultants who understand the issues."

Solutions must emerge out of a joint effort, she says, so that women will be encouraged "to embrace