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When thinking of a person, who has advanced skills in using computers and any software, what would be the right word to name such users?

Such users would be ahead of other users based on the way they interact with the machine. Using a lot of different tools and always have a little helper on their hand to solve pretty much any problem.

I was thinking of names such as superuser, but I noticed that this specific word is used to describe computer user accounts with special admin privileges.

I am looking more for a word describing the actual user as human, not as a computer account.

I checked resources like this document, but here only different skill levels are described, no names for a group of people.

Other research often ended in finding tutorials and closer information about specific computer user accounts, but not the person itself as a person.

I also come across this question: single word for extensive computer user, not geek nor nerd which I think is pretty near to what I am looking for, but in the linked question the advanced level is only based on the amount, in this case a huge amount, someone spends in front of a PC.

The group of people I am thinking of doesn't have to use PCs actively and a lot (probably they do so anyway), but they are just advanced based on the techniques they use, the tools they use and the understanding of the technology. They have the motivation to solve any problem by the very best solution, and they typically know the solution or know where to look for the right solution. They could know about a possible solution, but they want to do it in an even better way, so they keep researching, until they have found a solution, that they think is the right solution to solve their problem.

So, is there a / what is the English word, describing such an experienced, advanced and deeply connected person?

In the linked question above, Power User was suggested, is it the best matching for the word as described?

David Wolf
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    I won't use the duplicate CV reason as this would force closure, but I’m voting to close this question because I consider that answers at single word for extensive computer user ... not geek or nerd certainly do fit here. – Edwin Ashworth Mar 02 '22 at 20:04
  • Does this answer your question? single word for extensive computer user, not geek nor nerd – KillingTime Mar 02 '22 at 20:28
  • In English (in contrast to other European languages like French or German) it is “What do you call…. If you want to get your English right, start here. Further, a person is “who”. I have edited your question, but if you want to get on in an English-speaking environment you need to pay particular attention to these points. – David Mar 02 '22 at 20:47
  • If you want to avoid making implications about how much the person uses computers, or avoid association with any particular kind of technology and instead emphasis an affinity for technology in general, the closest is a word in the proposed duplicate: technophile, meaning someone who loves and is attracted to technology of all kinds. – Andy Bonner Mar 02 '22 at 21:15
  • "Here User! Come here, boy!" – Hot Licks Mar 03 '22 at 01:47
  • @David thanks for your notes. And Andy, thanks for pointing out the extended meaning for such a person. In this case, I was looking for a computer related user, but your comment really helps to get the bigger picture. So, yeah, I guess Power user is indeed the best fit here. – David Wolf Mar 03 '22 at 09:26
  • You are right that superuser could be confusing because it is already a technical term with a different meaning, but it should be noted that Super User as the name of one Stack Exchange site has exactly the meaning that this question is about. – jsw29 Mar 08 '22 at 18:47
  • Good point @jsw29, actually I think that's part of the reason I had superuser in my mind (subconsciously). Reading the page description of superuser.com “Super User is a question and answer site for computer enthusiasts and power users.” confirms the suitability of the terms power user and computer enthusiast. – David Wolf Mar 09 '22 at 17:53

2 Answers2

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Yes, “Power user” is the term employed in the area of HCI (Human Computer Interaction) to describe such a user. Power users are typically the class of users that the software developer provides with keyboard short-cuts so they do not have to waste time accessing items from menus, as a naïve or average user would.

Examples

A Google ngram search for "power user” brought up several books that use the term in the title, e.g. “MS-DOS Power User‘s Guide”, “The Mac OS X.2 Power User’s Book, and “Linux Transfer for Power Users”. Perusal of their descriptions will indicate whether the term corresponds to the poster’s (rather elaborate) description.

David
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  • I see a lot of similar resources containing more information about development than the actual software use by a user – not a developer. So, I really appreciate your example illustrating the difference and role of a Power user. – David Wolf Mar 03 '22 at 09:18
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Hacker qualifies. Note that the more common use of "hacker" actually refers to a cracker (one who meddles/accesses sensitive information).

Jargon File

"A person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and stretching their capabilities, as opposed to most users, who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary."

Hacker (Merriam Webster)

3 : an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer

Yorik
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  • Likes how hacker fits into the term as well. But I guess in general, a hacker is more a person, whose scope is beyond the scope of an advanced user. I think a hacker knows ways to get things done also by using techniques that are not designed for some use cases, and that's when somebody hacks, he/she goes over the limitations of a piece of software. While I think an advanced user is more a person, whose power it is to know a software that well, that it's possible to him/her to get things done by using advanced features in scope of the existing software possibilities. – David Wolf Mar 03 '22 at 09:05
  • Notwithstanding the definition from the Jargon File, and in accordance with the one from M-W, hacker normally implies an expertise in programming, while the question seems to be about the class of people whose proficiency in using the software is well above average, but who may not have any understanding of the code that underlies it. – jsw29 Mar 08 '22 at 18:40