On Wed, 2003-03-19 at 10:48, Anthere wrote:
I like the terminology user.
Because I feel it is also possible to benefit from
having an account as a *reader* only (so... as a
user...)
(mostly for the watch list - especially in those times
of painful research through google)
A simple reader would maybe not have the compulsion of
creating an account if it is named "editor".
I have to say here that I'm in disagreement.
"user" connotes a producer-consumer relationship (I create, you use; I
sell, you buy; I produce, you consume) in its standard computer-lingo
meaning ("lusers" vs "hackers" or "coders"), compounded by
its
association with the more common usage as shorthand for "drug user".
Wherease "editor" connotes stewardship, power, collaboration (because to
edit you need to build on someone else's work)--and therefore some
responsibility, yes. But is that so bad? We want participants in
Wikipedia to feel a sense of stewardship, power, collaboration, and
responsibility.
"contributor" is similarly a better word than "user", if you really
dislike "editor".