I think "we" look at the diversity issue from the wrong angle. The question we should be asking is: Why should a smart, hard working, and not particularly nerdy woman want to join the software industry?<p>If you are smart enough, and hard working enough, to get a good job at Google then you can do well in accounting, medicine, law, banking, sales, engineering etc.<p>Outside of a few tech hubs like Silicon Valley software development doesn't pay as well, or have as good of a career progression, as other top professions. It is also significantly riskier.<p>On risk: In a startup your job is much less secure and to adjust for this your compensation should be roughly 1.5-2.5x higher than at a more stable firm. Startups <i>don't</i> usually pay this much higher which is why, outside of a few select areas, startups struggle to find talent. In SV though most of the risk disappears because the market is so hot. In SV it is easier to change companies than it is to change teams.<p>So already you are saying: If you want to do well you have to give up your existing friendships/family/lifestyle etc and move. Other sectors/fields that require the same sacrifices typically compensate you much better e.g. Go to NYC for finance and realistically if you are good your total comp can be > $1million/year.<p>And that is not even getting into lack of time for l&d, the small half-life of knowledge, working in a heavily male environment, etc.