Hi,
What are the differences between the terms "sysop" and "admin" and which one do you think is better and why?
NSK wrote:
Hi,
What are the differences between the terms "sysop" and "admin" and which one do you think is better and why?
Don't you have a dictionary ? In which way does your question relate to wikipedia project ?
Administrator: Some one who direct and manage an organisation, a community.
Sysop: Means "SYStem OPerator" an administrator of a computer service, be it a server, a forum or a wiki.
Basicly administrator is used widely, whereas sysop is almost only used in the computer field.
See also: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Administrator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sysop
Sysops are low level general purpose administrators of the wiki. They have nothing to do with administration of the hardware or software. There are higher levels of adminitration.
Fred
From: Ashar Voultoiz hashar@altern.org Reply-To: wikipedia-l@Wikimedia.org Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2004 23:53:37 +0200 To: wikipedia-l@wikipedia.org Subject: [Wikipedia-l] Re: sysop vs. admin
NSK wrote:
Hi,
What are the differences between the terms "sysop" and "admin" and which one do you think is better and why?
Don't you have a dictionary ? In which way does your question relate to wikipedia project ?
Administrator: Some one who direct and manage an organisation, a community.
Sysop: Means "SYStem OPerator" an administrator of a computer service, be it a server, a forum or a wiki.
Basicly administrator is used widely, whereas sysop is almost only used in the computer field.
See also: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Administrator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sysop
-- Ashar Voultoiz - WP++++ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Hashar
Wikipedia-l mailing list Wikipedia-l@Wikimedia.org http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikipedia-l
On Thursday 28 October 2004 00:53, Ashar Voultoiz wrote:
In which way does your question relate to wikipedia project ?
I have noticed both terms used for people mentioned at [[Wikipedia:Administrators]].
Basicly administrator is used widely, whereas sysop is almost only used in the computer field.
I know how it's used generally, but I wanted to know how Wikipedia community uses these terms.
BTW Thanks for replying.
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 03:50:19 +0300, NSK nsk2@wikinerds.org wrote:
I know how it's used generally, but I wanted to know how Wikipedia community uses these terms.
The two terms (sysop and admin) are used interchangeably in the Wikipedia user space. They both mean someone who as gone through [[Wikipedia:Requests_for_adminship]] successfully, and can delete and protect pages, and block IPs/names.
-Andrew (User:Fuzheado)
On Thursday 28 October 2004 04:10, Andrew Lih wrote:
The two terms (sysop and admin) are used interchangeably in the
Thanks. Do you think people will get confused in my community if I decide to use the two terms for different access levels? Or should I use them interchangeably like you?
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004, NSK wrote:
On Thursday 28 October 2004 04:10, Andrew Lih wrote:
The two terms (sysop and admin) are used interchangeably in the
Thanks. Do you think people will get confused in my community if I decide to use the two terms for different access levels? Or should I use them interchangeably like you?
I found that "admin" is easier to understand, since it's related to similar non-wikipedia terms. Ironically "sysop" is a more accurate description of the job, which is often limited to maintenance: the term "administrator" suggets some power over the other users, while in reality a sysop is just providing services to the others, and accepting responsability for what he/she does.
Alfio
On Thursday 28 October 2004 12:35, Alfio Puglisi wrote:
I found that "admin" is easier to understand, since it's related to similar non-wikipedia terms. Ironically "sysop" is a more accurate description of the job, which is often limited to maintenance: the term "administrator" suggets some power over the other users, while in reality a sysop is just providing services to the others, and accepting responsability for what he/she does.
A very nice reply. Thanks.
NSK wrote:
On Thursday 28 October 2004 04:10, Andrew Lih wrote:
The two terms (sysop and admin) are used interchangeably in the
Thanks. Do you think people will get confused in my community if I decide to use the two terms for different access levels? Or should I use them interchangeably like you?
In a new system it's much easier to set ground rules like that from the beginning. Most users of the net understand that each system has it's own definitions and jargon. They adjust. The sort of terminology that is bound to get you into trouble would be anything counter-intuitive where it conflicts with a usage that they commonly find in their normal life.
Ec
On Thursday 28 October 2004 17:28, Ray Saintonge wrote:
In a new system it's much easier to set ground rules like that from the beginning. Most users of the net understand that each system has it's own definitions and jargon. They adjust. The sort of terminology that is bound to get you into trouble would be anything counter-intuitive where it conflicts with a usage that they commonly find in their normal life.
Nice reply and I think you are correct. Thanks.
On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 09:10:34 +0800, Andrew Lih andrew.lih@gmail.com wrote:
The two terms (sysop and admin) are used interchangeably in the Wikipedia user space. They both mean someone who as gone through [[Wikipedia:Requests_for_adminship]] successfully, and can delete and protect pages, and block IPs/names.
I have long thought it to be a Bad Thing that these terms are both used, since it often leads to confusion. The historical reason seems to be that the software developers called the status flag in the database "sysop", but the community (simultaneously?) settled on the term "administrator" for the same status. I've actually seen people stating that "An admin is someone with sysop status." as though this in some way justified the existence of both terms.
However, a discussion a few months ago aimed at choosing a single official term (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Administrators#Remove_all_sysops) led to a straw poll which for one thing got very silly, and for another demonstrated nothing approaching consensus (even after tidying up the silliness).
As for whether the usage should be emulated elsewhere, I would suggest doing what seems sensible on your project, and leaving en.wikipedia to its own craziness. ;) [Hm, there's a thought: what term(s) do other languages use?]
Rowan Collins wrote:
its own craziness. ;) [Hm, there's a thought: what term(s) do other languages use?]
The Dutch use 'moderator' and some feel that this has led to some confusion and trouble, even though the role is generally the same as everywhere else. I don't know if they are going to try to change it or not, and of course once a word becomes habitual it's just part of language and hard to change even with conscious effort.
--Jimbo
I found Fuz and Alfio answers most helpful.
The two terms (sysop and admin) are used interchangeably in the Wikipedia user space. They both mean someone who as gone through [[Wikipedia:Requests_for_adminship]] successfully, and can delete and protect pages, and block IPs/names.
-Andrew (User:Fuzheado)
I found that "admin" is easier to understand, since it's related to similar non-wikipedia terms. Ironically "sysop" is a more accurate description of the job, which is often limited to maintenance: the term "administrator" suggets some power over the other users, while in reality a sysop is just providing services to the others, and accepting responsability for what he/she does.
Alfio
I think that whatever the name used to described the admin role (ie, admin, sysop or moderator), we should insist that wikipedia is open to anyone. I think that no editor, whatever his status, have more rights than other
* in term of editing rights (eg, right to decide whether an article is accurate, or neutral) * in term of meta participation (eg, right to decide which categories should be created, or to decide how the main page should look) * in term of community building (eg, to decide rules for banning)
I believe there should be equality between sysops and non sysops, on all projects. Sysops should only be at the service of the other editors. Not decide for others, but apply decisions taken by all editors.
It does not matter which name we use. The sysops should not have power over other users other than applying decisions made by all users.
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