The first paragraph does not have the neutral and objective tone I expect of an encyclopedia. It may be true that "the recorded history of the field has downplayed [women's] achievements", but no evidence is provided for the assertion.
"Women in computing were among the first programmers in the early 20th century, and contributed substantially to the industry. As technology and practices altered, the role of women as programmers has changed, and the recorded history of the field has downplayed their achievements."
The first paragraph does not have the neutral and objective tone I expect of an encyclopedia. It may be true that "the recorded history of the field has downplayed [women's] achievements", but no evidence is provided for the assertion.
"Women in computing were among the first programmers in the early 20th century, and contributed substantially to the industry. As technology and practices altered, the role of women as programmers has changed, and the recorded history of the field has downplayed their achievements."