> Subject: Computers - male or female?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > A language instructor was explaining to her class that French nouns,
> > unlike their English counterparts, are grammatically designated as
> > masculine or feminine. Things like 'chalk' or 'pencil,'  she  described,
> > would have a gender association although in English these  words were
> > neutral.

> > Puzzled, one student raised his hand and asked, "What gender  is a
> > computer?"

> > The teacher wasn't certain which it was, and so divided the  class into
> > two groups and asked them to decide if a computer should be masculine or
> > feminine.  One group was comprised of the women in the class, and the
> > other, of men.  Both groups were asked to give four reasons for their
> > recommendation.


> > The group of women concluded that computers should be referred to in the
> > masculine gender because:
> >
> > 1.	In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on.
> > 2.	They have a lot of data but are still clueless.
> > 3.	They are supposed to help you solve your problems, but half the time
> >     they ARE the problem.
> > 4.	As soon as you commit to one, you realize that, if you had waited  a
> >     little longer, you could have had a better model.


> > The men, on the other hand, decided that computers should definitely be
> > referred to in the feminine gender because:
> >
> > 1.	No one but their creator understands their internal logic.
> > 2.	The native language they use to communicate with other computers  is
> >     incomprehensible to everyone else.
> > 3.	Even your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later
> >     retrieval.
> > 4.	As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending
> >     half your pay check on accessories for it.
> >