What Is A Webkeeper

Many years ago I asked this question?

What is the name of the person that keeps the web? WebMaster, WebMan, Webkeeper? I do not know. My thing with the web is ideas. I will be waiting for yours.

Here are some of the thoughts that I heard.

Creating A Voice

The Door way,

mose says : for years I have given the name of concierge to the webmaster. The Master word is not good as it suggests a hierarchical level. Actually webmasters should be named webslaves. But it's a very personnal opinion.

Where did webmaster come from?

The notion of "Master" has long been part of the human view. The one that is well abled to compleate your task. The person that has become the best at what they do.

Do we need to be masters to make our voice?

Gender-Neutral,

colorado suggests: whatever it is should be gender-neutral so females are not overlooked :-) WebKeeper is nice alternative...


Yes I agree, it does seem to make the notion of keeping the web working a balanced space. It is power netural.

Opening the world!

I like mose' notion of the concierge! This special person opens the door to you with a knowledge of where you must go to find what you need. Many of us create webspaces because we want to share ideas or situations. We become the concierge.

It seems like this is why people wish to have a web site. To open doors to our world so we may share. Unfortunatly. often We do not take into account how much work that involves beyound the first thought.

History of names...

by gmuslera
webmaster is clearly from after web started, but that name comes from an earlier technology, postmaster, that is traditionally the e-mail admin and, well, not knowing enough of english names, not entirely sure if that name comes from the old/paper mail system.

If any other name could be used, i will start thinking in administrator, sysadmin, and the for the web only, web admin


I think that gmuslera makes it clear here about how it really does take some skills to make a web site work. It can be done by most folk but you do need some special skills. However, now with great CMS's like TIKIWIKI many people with basic computer savie can create a web site.

Web as equilizer,

As Colordo suggests the web is both gender and by thought ethnic neutral. We are here to create a voice and that voice should be created (my thought) with balance.

It does not matter if you are using an old 233 whatever, or perhaps a 3.x gig whatworks. It is the message that is convayed. the voice expressed.

If you have an idea that is important. If you have a voice to express! You should be given equal strength in your voice. The web can help you do that. I hope the web can help remove barriers to our view.

Where does that leave us?


It looks like there are many ways to view the keeper of the web site. Many skill sets required and much work to keep it active.


I guess that the end of this story involes the need for us to see our skills. If we want to create and maintain a web site we must be ready to face many challenges. They may be come from many different places. Just becuase we want to be on the web we may choose to create our own web space or be part of a cumminity.
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