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Hi guys! (oops, I mean Hi y'all!)
I totally agree with Hasl Wrobel when he says:
"avoid the gender issue altogether by using gerunds" <snip>
I don't think it makes for dry reading. In addition, I find it so much
more preferrable than any of the other options: he/she (UGH!), s/he
(WHAT!?!??!),
he or she (what a waste of paper when it is printed!), or the use the switch
and bait method (oh, is that related to something else? oh, no, that is
"bait and switch" -- and I have no idea what that means either).
Anyway, I find the last (he sometimes, she sometimes) terribly distracting.
Although
I am reading for a purpose other than determining "the author's choice of
pronouns," it still distracts me. Maybe I am alone in that arena, but so be
it.
So I vote, avoidance whenever possible. If you have to choose, I'd vote for
"you."
my $.02 (added only because I am the only one in the office today and felt
like breaking with some friends -- I like this list!)
TTFN.
Kathi Jan Knill
Sr. Technical Writer
Template Software, Inc.
kathi -dot- knill -at- template -dot- com <mailto:kathi -dot- knill -at- template -dot- com>
"Life is a banquet, and most poor slobs are starving to death" ~ Auntie Mame
