I tend side with Marty on the 'wish to know' gender issue. It doesn`t make a huge difference in how I interact with people (it is so much simpler to remain oneself no matter who you talk/write to) but it does make a difference in how I interpret what I see.
Men and women do not communicate in the same manner (similar opinion brought up in previous thread). Men often communicate in more of a bulldozer fashion. If a man throws in a "oh, ya, take that!" type of comment or is aggressive in his opinion I don't take it personally. That`s what guys do.
If a woman responds in this manner I will make a point of finding out if I have upset her since this is not the way women typically communicate.
Perhaps I am generalizing, but isn`t the way we react to things based on past experience. And how many books are there out there that talk about the differences in the way men and women communicate.
I also think knowing the gender/name/hobbies adds a personal touch to an electronic medium. I am talking to people, not names on a board. If you don`t create a person behind the name you are simply writing to a machine.
