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Ask HN: Login or logon?

by marchustvedt on 9/14/17, 5:33 PM with 7 comments

Where are we this today? From a UI perspective, is login/logout now universally preferred over log on/log off? Is it regional? Which came first?

This terminology question has always lingered for me. Thanks!

  • by ocdtrekkie on 9/14/17, 5:43 PM

    I do not know if this is universal, by any stretch:

    On the web, you'll almost always see log "in"/"out". You sign into a website or service.

    However, I would think you log "on"/"off" a machine like a PC. You sign onto a computer or local network. But I've never seen this term on like a web service.

  • by warrenm on 9/14/17, 5:49 PM

    Doesn't matter - they're interchangeable

    Just keep it consistent in your app/service/tool/etc

  • by greglindahl on 9/15/17, 1:38 AM

    You "log on" to a mainframe. You login to a minicomputer.

  • by sova on 9/14/17, 5:33 PM

    "Sign in"

  • by Zekio on 9/14/17, 5:41 PM

    login and logout sounds better and they are shorter which makes for shorter buttons if you display the full text

  • by wheresvic1 on 9/14/17, 5:41 PM

    Login/logout

  • by iamNumber4 on 9/14/17, 5:47 PM

    Yes, both.