My Computer

[Torsten Rahn]

On Sunday 25 November 2007 18:44:20 Germain Garand wrote:
> Le Dimanche 25 Novembre 2007 17:16, Daniel Molkentin a écrit :
> I think it sounds good too... and it conveys the same information than
> "My" (ie. the locality trait)

Well, for the "technical guy" that doesn't care about "feeling right at home" 
that might be the case. 
However I suspect that "My Computer" wasn't chosen without thought:

Most people who are using their computer as a desktop computer are indeed 
using their very own machine (often a notebook these days). 
And even e.g. if the secretary is sitting in front of her public terminal then 
she rarely will realize that the terminal that is sitting on her desk isn't 
a "full computer". To her the terminal _is_ "her computer" - even if she has 
got to share resources with others in a larger network and even if the whole 
hardware isn't her own property but belongs to the company she's working for.

The reason why they chose "MY computer" instead of a "more technically 
correct" soul-less matter-of-fact description is pretty obvious to me:

It adds the personal touch and the feeling of being right at home to the 
computer environment. This is especially important in a technical or office 
environment. People do say "this is my chair" in an office even if the chair 
isn't really their own property. That's pretty normal and that's also 
important to make them feel comfortable (even if it creates an illusion 
of "property").

-- 
 Torsten Rahn

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