An internaut is an online expert with a deep understanding of the internet. Other terms include cybernaut and netizen, each with their own connotation. A netizen implies familiarity with netiquette, while cybernaut may be associated with online gaming. These terms are used to bestow respect on the online community.
In computer jargon, in internaut is a person who has ultra-high familiarity with the Internet. The word is a portmanteau of the words “internet” and “astronaut” and comes from the use of the word “cyberspace” to describe the internet; an astronaut travels in space and an internet user works in cyberspace. Other terms that are roughly analogous to internet user are cybernaut or netizen, although each has its own connotation. The common thread between them, however, is the implication that a person’s experience and knowledge of the Internet or cyberspace goes beyond that of the casual user.
Knowledge and experience
An Internet user is an online expert, usually through years of online experience, with a thorough understanding of how to use search engines, Internet resources, forums, newsgroups and chat rooms to find information. The more someone knows about the Internet, its history and politics, the more likely the term “internet user” will fit him or her. The less he knows, the more likely a different term is more appropriate.
Differences between terms
“Cybernaut” is probably the closest meaning to “internet user” in terms of in-depth knowledge of the online world, but the scope of that knowledge may be different. “Internet user” could be a more academic term, related to knowledge of the Internet itself and of information in general. “Cybernaut” may be more closely associated with being proficient within online gaming communities and virtual RPG worlds. While there are no hard and fast rules for slang, “cybernaut” seems to fit people whose familiarity comes from growing up with the Internet, and “internaut” might be more closely associated with people who have had a hand in building and/or assisting in the its growth.
A netizen, or internet citizen, also has a specific connotation that implies someone familiar with netiquette. Many fans of newsgroups and Web forums realize that these forums are based on voluntary cooperation. Before participating in a forum, a good netizen will read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and general charter for participating within the community in a way that supports it. Even an Internet user or a cybernaut would know how to do it. A netizen, however, may not have any special knowledge of the Internet.
Using Terms
Each of these terms is sometimes used generally to refer to members of the online community when the writer or speaker intends to bestow more respect on the community than the general term “web surfers” offers. A person might refer to members of an online community as netizens or Internet users – or when speaking to a younger crowd, cybernauts. This is similar to how an emcee might address a gathering of people as “ladies and gentlemen,” regardless of the nature of the gathering.
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