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Another way to "skirt" the issue is to avoid using 3rd person pronouns
altogether.
I rarely refer to "the User" in instructions - the person who is reading the
material is usually the one who is going to have to do something with it, so
I just use "you."
The result is a total side step of the gender issue, as well as IMHO, a more
dynamic document, that is easier to follow.
But if I have to, I use the clunky "they" or "their" to refer to the user -
not he or she. This alternative seems to be more and more commonly used.
Laurin A. Kinville
Supervisor, Technical Documentation
Newpoint Technologies, Inc.
(formerly C-Grams, Inc.)
13 Red Roof Lane - Salem, NH 03079
Tel. + 1-603-898-1110 Ext. 1213
Fax + 1-603-898-1113
lak -at- newpointtech -dot- com http://www.newpointtech.com
