Do I know any pedantic geeks?

[liasbluestone]

Is it "logon to", "log onto", or indeed "log on to"?

Or, for that matter "login to", "log into", or "log in to"?

Answers on a postcard, please.

Comments

[the_hunter]

You log on to something...
You log in to something...

And...I don't have a postcard. I think Willow has nicked'em to write to Annie Dog, who she regards as a hero ever since she saw Annie's remarkably brave exit from the sea picture :)

[caerleon]

Login is a place about 20 miles up the road from here:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=login&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=13.574771,27.861328&ie=UTF8&ll=51.874583,-4.668846&spn=0.110644,0.217667&z=12

[glinda_w]

"Log on to" - according to the Micro$oft Manual of Style for Technical Publications, anyway. (Admittedly, the edition I have is 10 years old, but I don't think that particular usage has changed.)

[uitlander]

I have a PDF of the third edition (2004) which helpfully says:

Use 'log on' or 'log on to' (not 'log onto') to refer to creating a user session on a computer or network. Use 'log off' or 'log off from' to refer to ending a user session on a computer or network. Use 'sign in' and 'sign out' to refer to creating a user session on the internet.

Do not use 'log in', 'login', 'log onto', 'log off of', 'logout', 'sign off' or 'sign on' unless these terms appear in the user interface.

The verb form is two words 'log on' or 'log off'. As a noun or adjective, use one word, no hyphen: 'logon' or 'logoff'.

Correct
You must enter your password while logging on.
Some networks support this logon feature.
A single logon gives you access to all the resources of the network.
Remember to log off from the network.
When you are finished using the network, remember to log off.

Incorrect
Log in before you start Windows.
Remember to log off of the network.
Remember to log off the network.
When you logon to the network, you have access to your e-mail.

[glinda_w]

Thanks for posting the updated info; nice to know it hasn't changed.

Welcome to the joyous bliss that is Technical Writing.

*snicker*

BTDT etc.; contracted at M$ in um. 98 and 99 I think. Brainfog (CFS, now with added fibromyalgia for even more interesting problems) started a bit after that; am now on disability. Dammit. Was a tech writer and editor (and occasionally illustrator, in the mini-autocad sense) for years. Enjoyed it, actually, and miss doing it.

[uitlander]

Welcome to the joyous bliss that is Technical Writing.

That was actually intended for liasbluestone, no-one but one of us would have a copy of the M$ manual of style just lying around as a coffee table book ;-)

[silly_swordsman]

"log in on" :-)

[clanwilliam]

You log in to a website, but log on to an application, using your login or logon.