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Well, in lieu of writing credit, I use myself/husband/friends whenever
possible in screen shots. (Of course, I have their
approval beforehand.)
I am always stumped when I come to making up user names. This seems like a good way, but I can't really do it because a lot of my friends have names unpronounceable or unspellable in English. Also, our marketing department's policy doesn't necessarily encourage our making it obvious in what country the software is produced.
That's the drawback of using names of people you know (or combinations): it shows cultural bias. I write for an international audience, so I try to make up names that sound like they from another culture. Unfortunately, I only know a limited number of languages, and some of the names I make up probably mean something horrible in another language. I sometimes consider using fictional character names, but this also represents a cultural bias.
How do other people make up user names? Do you just use John and Jane Smith? Do you find yourself ending up with names that invariably show a male, North-American English-speaking bias, despite your best efforts?
Rebecca M. Phillips
Documentation Manager
Qronus Interactive Ltd.
14 Shabazi Street
Yahud 56231 Israel http://www.qronus-int.com
