Chris TrottierNov 20, 2022

Whenever I can, I try to avoid the term "users" when referring to people that operate software.

I find it demeaning and contemptuous.

Only two industries refer to people as "users": illicit drug dealers and the tech industry.

Nevertheless, I often catch myself using the term "user" sometimes—I really should stop it.

Show threadViolette
@atomicpoet I have tried to steer away from “User” but its quite hard from a SysAdmin perspective. I try to be cognizant of using it when talking about people in a front-facing role (opting for customer, client, student, vendor etc.) but still use it when talking about back-end processes or accounts
Nov 21, 2022 at 12:25amWeb
Show threadChris TrottierNov 21, 2022
@violetteh Yeah, it's hard!
Show threadPeterNov 21, 2022
@violetteh @atomicpoet there’s probably an opportunity to drive industry-wide change away from “user” if we can think up a suitable generic alternative. Git’s “Master” -> “Main” went well enough (though obviously had massive external drivers). The word is the challenge… how do you feel about “weilder”? i.e.,“the person empowered by actively employing the tool in an effective manner” https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wielder
wielder - Wiktionary

Show threadVioletteNov 21, 2022
@PeterBronez @atomicpoet I cant imagine it in a context of “admin vs user” like when managing a list of accounts, but you could be on to something with “wielder” in a broader context!
Show threadPeterNov 21, 2022
@violetteh @atomicpoet developer / admin / user ~= smith / steward / weilder ? That’s “makes tools”, “cares for tools”, and “applies tools effectively”. Would be lovely to get something alliterative for the last one… maybe “strider” (one who walks forward with long steps), or “sallier” (one who rushes forward)? Other Admin alternatives: “quartermaster”, “shopkeeper”, “stablemaster”, “curator”, “driver”, “director”… but I like “steward”: Trusted & empowered caretaker.