Rather than gearing software to boys or girls, why not create software that overcomes stereotypes of learning styles and thinking patterns, thus finally giving both equal opportunity to succeed? To suggest that females need different software than males defines young girls' thinking patterns as inherently different. It also suggests that boy-software is the norm, and girl-software must be modified to overcome their mental deficiencies. Girls and boys aren't wired differently, we as a society are responsible for molding a child's educational processing skills.
To say we need to develop software aimed toward girls is making females targets for more society imposed stereotypes. Barbie, Spice World, as well as teen makeover and dating software are waiting in the wings to pounce on our ignorance that girls need kinder, gentler, pinker software than boys do. What we really need is more well rounded software. CD-ROM's for both girls AND boys that emphasize analytical strategy as well as aesthetic creativity. Games for boys and girls where the hero can be either male of female, and if female, the hero should not be required to wear a bikini.
The video game industry will go on as it does, but educational software should be held accountable and to a higher standard of gender awareness--or, I should say, unawareness. We have the opportunity to avoid labeling males and females according to their society-imposed roles and capabilities. We should hold the industry to a standard of gender fairness and equality. Computer technology has the potential to be a genderless tool, it is crucial to realize this early on, so young girls will not be excluded in yet another realm of society.