[custard]

Well, technically it should be with the 'rule' that an goes before a vowel, but this 'rule' is probably best forgotten.

A English / History teacher told me this at my old school.

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

That's what I said - phonetics. It feels far more natural to read as 'an Xbox' because of how it's pronounced (how you hear yourself in your head as you read it), beyond its otherwise more technically appropriate 'a Xbox' as writ on paper.

[Curt]

X is pronounced EX, so it's an invisible E, therefore the rule still applies. Therefore a Marek, an AGA and an Evan (or a Stinger) are correct.

Or maybe I'm just talking an load of crap. Or should that be speaking. I suppose it should really be typing. Although technically speaking, or talking, we're not really typing as that would require the use of a typewriter, whereas we're using keyboards. So I suppose what I'm trying to say is maybe I'm just keyboarding a load of crap. In which case forget all this. Ebonics sounds racist btw.

Maybe Moos' random thought of tomorrow will make us all forget what we were talking/speaking/typing/keyboarding about. The sooner the better I believe.

[Royal Fool]

Originally Posted by Moosferatu

I was really mad too... then I got a XBOX.

I noticed that you said 'an XBox'. I find this interesting becuase almost ever time I write 'xbox' I want do the same thing. Shouldn't it be 'a xbox'? Why does 'an' feel so natural?

Yes, I got myself all three of the current consoles so I wouldn't have to worry about exclusive games.

It personally irritates me when people type "x-box"... there's no hyphen, so why are people including it? Bleh...

EDIT: I don't know about you but I certainly don't see a hyphen in this picture!
http://membres.lycos.fr/xboxgazette/...cklogo1280.jpg

[Kingzjester]

It is a matter of glottal stops and English is not a glottal stop kinda language. 'A X-Box' requires you to halt the natural passage of air and it sounds and feels awkward to pronounce. Ergo: 'an'.