Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!agate!bunker!rha@purdue.edu
From: bunker!rha@purdue.edu (Robert H. Averack)
Newsgroups: comp.society.women
Subject: Language in a Requirements Specification
Message-ID: <12781@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 28 Jul 88 21:26:46 GMT
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     At the present time, I am writing a Requirements Specification for a
new software product.  The spec is getting rather voluminous, and during
the course of making references to Users, I have been using the pronouns
"him" and "his" as generics.

     My simple question is:  is this acceptable?  Will the appearance of
male pronouns as generic pronouns cause any undue discomfort for a reader?

     If so, I will certainly take the time to re-edit the specs.  If not,
I'll leave them as they are.

     Thanks for any advice.

-- 
                       {yale!,decvax!,philabs!}bunker!rha                    
                                  Bob Averack                           
                        Bunker Ramo, an Olivetti Company                      
               Two Enterprise Drive - Shelton, Connecticut 06484