<jargon> (By analogy with user-friendly and user-obsequious) User-interfaces that attempt to soothe (or, some would say, stupify) users instead of cooperating with them. Common "features" of user-unctuous systems include: icons of happy faces; mellow colors; melodic sound effects or even mood music; help tips appearing unbidden and at unhelpful moments; and a cloying tone either in system messages ("Oops! I couldn't seem to find my old preferences file! I do think I'll have to make a new one! Please press OK to continue!") or in labelling of system components (such as the main hard drive being labelled "Your Hard Drive" -- or, with infantile pronoun-reversal, "My Hard Drive"). (1999-06-27)

<operating system, security> (Or "logon") A unique name for each user of computer services which can be accessed by several persons. Users need to identify themselves for accounting, security, logging, and resource management. Usually a person must also enter a password in order to access a service. Once the user has logged on the operating system will often use a (short) user identifier, e.g. an integer, to refer to them rather than their user name. User names can usually be any short string of alphanumeric characters. Common choices are first name, initials, or some combination of first name, last name, initials and an arbitrary number. User names are often assigned by {system administrators} according to some local policy, or they may be chosen by the users themselves. User names are often also used as mailbox names in electronic mail addresses. (1997-03-16)

A power user is a user of computers, software and other electronic devices, who uses advanced features of computer hardware, operating systems, programs, or websites which are not used by the average user. A power user might not have extensive technical knowledge of the systems they use but is rather characterized by competence or desire to make the most intensive use of computer programs or systems.

In computing, a user agent is any software, acting on behalf of a user, which "retrieves, renders and facilitates end-user interaction with Web content". A user agent is therefore a special kind of software agent.

user identifier

<operating system> 1. (Or "uid", "user id") A number or name which is unique to a particular user of a computer or group of computers which share user information. The {operating system} uses the uid to represent the user in its data structures, e.g. the owner of a file or process, the person attempting to access a system resource etc. A user database, e.g. Unix's /etc/passwd file or NIS, maps the uid to other information about that user such as their user name, password, home directory and real name. 2. user name. (1997-03-01)

Unix-like operating systems identify a user by a value called a user identifier, often abbreviated to user ID or UID. The UID, along with the group identifier (GID) and other access control criteria, is used to determine which system resources a user can access.

also end-user

<job> The person who uses a computer application, as opposed to those who developed or support it. The end-user may or may not know anything about computers, how they work, or what to do if something goes wrong. End-users do not usually have administrative responsibilities or privileges. End users are certain to have a different set of assumptions than the developers who created the application. (1997-03-29)