I've also heard the compacts described as "girls bikes".

It's not really a fair comparison: the 'S-Works' compact with the traditional CrMo. I would say the materials would have more do with the differences than anything. I have 3 aluminium bikes that are so stiff that I occasionally experience rear wheel side skipping when sprinting out of the saddle, yet they are all traditionally shaped! I also have 3 Reynolds 531 bikes (traditional) that all handle very differently. One is a 56cm that rides like well-cooked spaghetti, yet the 58cm bike is much stiffer -- i would would describe the ride as "springy". So, who knows.

I'f you're really interested, read the threads I posted earlier.