Re: Gender-specific language [was: Re: GNOME Documentation StyleGuide]

[Vera Horiuchi <verahoriuchi sprintmail com>]

"Rebecca J. Walter" wrote:

> Many female users would feel excluded by the use of he as the default.
> Grammatically it is correct, but I think using "you" would make all
> users feel welcome regardless of gender.

Yes -- using a gender-neutral style instructional manuals, help systems, error
messages, and so forth has been a great success. There's data somewhere about
that... but I forget where. Anyway, Linux writer wouldn't want to drop
something that's working so well. Also, returning to using "he" by default
would make your writing sound old (as in, no longer the style).

Second person is always used now for user documentation. In academic and legal
writing second person isn't used because it sounds informal, and for some
reason those folks wish to be formal (perhaps that explains the persistence of
neckties). But in technical writing for user documentation, go with second
person, present tense, and active voice. If you follow those three rules, you
can get a high paying job as a technical writer.

Best --
Vera