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Shazam420: I hope not! Humanity benefits from diversity. If there are any barriers for women in this field, that is nothing more than a shame. In your question, you mention some of the bastions of the industry (big Bill, et. al.) I think the male gender has had a head-start because of the way things were back in the 70's when we (Bill, Marc,...) were first playing with computers. Sure, there was no respect granted to pencil-neck-geeks, but there was even less respect for women that were geeks. I think that has changed, now. Pocket protectors are COOL! That means that today's young ladies have just as much chance at exploring their aptitude with computers as today's young men do.

Psychadelic: No way! IMHO, it's just a coincidence that the "most successful people in the online world are men." There's no such thing as a glass ceiling, and if there is a woman is about to crash through it any day now.

Sandir: No. I am a high profile woman in the technology and internet computer world. I feel that rather than accept a glass ceiling women need to go out after what they are interseted in. I do not really know that many women who are interested in what I do for a living. Times will change and women will be well noticed for their expertise.

Kimmy: I think that there has been some great progress in this field and few barriers are left for women who want to enter technical jobs, but there is definitely a glass ceiling still in effect. There are women up to middle management and then there are none. The top execs are still almost exclusively men. This is partly due to the simple fact that few women entered technical fields in the past, so they haven't made it that far yet -- but that's not the only reason. Hopefully more women will crash through sooner, rather than waiting for the next generation.

hrprocon: I do a lot of high tech recruiting -- at most, 2 - 3 % of the resumes I screen are from women!! Whar's happening here?

xiabelle: I think there's still a certain bias for (and by!) women and the more technical fields. Certainly not nearly so many women major in technical fields. Some of it may be, really, that there simply is a shortage of women. So no. I think that people are getting more and more sensitive to perceived glass ceilings and that there really isn't one now.

Persuter: Oh lordy! This is the same kind of BULL that minorities or discriminated-against people have been pushing for years. Let me make it clear right now that I am not a male, whom I think are not really qualified to talk about this without bias, I am a female, and I believe that there are really no more "ceilings" in the business world, but people keep on saying there is. Discrimination has really turned into basically a weapon. If a black, or a woman, or an Indian, or whatever, gets turned down for a job, they point and scream "Racist!" or "Sexist!", and voila! They get the job. I think that this "glass ceiling", instead of commenting on the situation of discrimination, really highlights the overreacting to minor differences. I believe that men at the top now may have been more driven than females because of peer pressure in the 70's or 80's when they would have started.

gbknox: Touchy subject...but here goes. Do all that many women want to work in high-tech careers? I think most people believe they have a choice and do their choosing appropriately. If women wanted to be in these careers, they'd be there. Glass ceilings are a way to explain something that seems unexplainable to conventional wisdom...i.e. no logical reason so there must be a conspiracy. For those women that are there, have fun! The toys are cool.

TomSlick: No! I think the only "Glass Ceilings" are put their by your willingness for failure & to BLAME OTHERS!! Look at each of these guys...Bill Gates, Marc & Jim AND the YAHOO BOYS! LOOK AT IT!! These were guys who all made it on thier own MERITS! This is still AMERICA and you too can be a part of the dream! So what if the company you work for doesn't offer the opportunity you want/desire -- then you need to look at the market place and then CREATE IT!! If you stand around & wait for it, it's not going to come to you! Seize the Moment!! Look at Microsoft,Netscape,Yahoo & others "IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME!" Cyber Space is just one place to be a success! Pick yourself up by your own bootstraps & create your own world!

Luka: The fact that this question is even asked is enough reason to believe that there is a serious problem here!! I, as a female, help people set up their computers for the Internet -- and the majority of those people are men! So there!

lisaish: When you ask this question, there is an unspoken implication that if a glass ceiling exists it is by conscious effort on the part of powermakers. I think that in order to really address this question we have to put out of our minds the image of white males sitting around a conference table chuckling to themselves about how they are holding back all those women and minorities. Of course this is not the case. However, in order for anyone to excel and move into positions of power, there have to be reasonable opportunities for them to do so. People hire people that they are comfortable with. This is not a conscious thought, merely instinct. But if all of the people in power are men, there is not much likelihood that they will willingly hire women unless there is an incentive for them to do so; or a disincentive for them not to. I work in human resources for a high tech company. In my company, there are no women in upper echelon management. Having run the numbers, I can tell you that this is not representative.