[WikiEN-l] the term 'USER'

[Anthere]

--- The Cunctator <cunctator at kband.com> wrote:
> 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".

quite true
 
> 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.

Also true
but 'editor' excludes 'reader' in its meaning. I think
it wrong.

 > "contributor" is similarly a better word than
> "user", if you really
> dislike "editor".

Contributor is the best of the three, as anyone can
contribute in reading, or writing, or commenting, or
developing the soft, or raising money...

strong point of 'user' : it's short and easy to write
:-)

Une contributrice

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