Re: No users!

["Comeau, Lisa" <Lisa -dot- Comeau -at- MOH -dot- GOV -dot- ON -dot- CA>]

Bev says

"The decision has already been made to no longer refer to the users of our
software as "users";
now they are "clients"."

Linda (and others)replied (summarizing here liberally)

"What's wrong with 'user'? That's the standard term..."

"(the word) "client" has a specific meaning in computing that has nothing to
do with users."

Whether or not the terms "client" and "user" are synonymous, Bev's company
has decided to go the way of many other companies in trying to take a
"customer service/satisfaction" approach to their IT department. I think
it's a step up, but I DO understand the concern about the term "client"
which used to mean (generally speaking) "a workstation in a server-based
network".

Note that the term "client" in most other places (besides computing) means a
person who receives a service. That's what the users are now doing - getting
some kind of "bang for their buck" so to speak.

It really doesn't matter what we call them as long as it is standard within
our company. Our users here are called "clients", and they refer to "client
machines" as "workstations", "desktops", "PCs", or "computer". (and, of
course, swear words when applicable!) ;-)

In suggestion to Bev, try "CIS Procedures Manual" or "CIS Instruction
Manual", like you suggested, or even get more specific, as in "How to Use
CIS", or "Installing and Configuring CIS". That way you avoid the term
"user" altogether.

Cheers!
Lisa Comeau
Ontario, Canada
"I love to dance in the light of the TECHWR-L flames...it makes me feel
free..."
-attributed to a crazy techwhirler singed to death on afternoon in May

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