网友提供的解释基本是对的:动名词作主语通常表示一般性概念,不定式作主语通常表示特定的行为(尤其是将来的情况)。如:
Being a woman has not been a barrier to her success. 身为女人没有成为她走向成功的障碍。
To be a champion, skill is not enough—you have to have the right temperament. 要当冠军,光有技巧还不够——还必须有相应的禀赋。
但是,这种区别并不绝对,比如下面这句的动名词就表示的是特定的行为(虽然它不是表示将来情况):
Buying this house was a disastrous step:it’s going to have a main road built behind it. 买下这所房子是一大失策,因为房后就要建一条公路了。