Which is the correct way to write it?

[danmpem]

When users logon to the server.

When users log onto the server.

When users log on to the server.


I noticed that I write if differently each time.

 

[a mere housewife]

Well 'logon' is a variant of 'login' which means 'to identify oneself to a computer by entering username and password'. 'Log' is less precise it seems (for the purpose of identifying oneself), meaning 'to enter into a log, to keep a record of'. So I guess if the emphasis is on the record keeping of your login then you ought to use 'log onto' or 'log on to' (I would use 'onto' rather than 'on to' because it is more efficient, and why use two words when you can smush together?) but if the emphasis is on your identifying yourself to a computer you should use 'logon' or 'login'. If the emphasis is that you felled trees on a server then I would suggest moving the server.

 

[Kim G]

Well 'logon' is a variant of 'login' which means 'to identify oneself to a computer by entering username and password'. 'Log' is less precise it seems (for the purpose of identifying oneself), meaning 'to enter into a log, to keep a record of'. So I guess if the emphasis is on the record keeping of your login then you ought to use 'log onto' or 'log on to' (I would use 'onto' rather than 'on to' because it is more efficient, and why use two words when you can smush together?) but if the emphasis is on your identifying yourself to a computer you should use 'logon' or 'login'. If the emphasis is that you felled trees on a server then I would suggest moving the server.

Well said!

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

The first or third one I would say would work...

 

[Jimmy the Greek]

I think this calls for a Poll.

 

[TimV]

Logon is a noun, and the verb is log on, so it has to be When users log on to the server.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

When users logon to the server.

When users log onto the server.

When users log on to the server.


I noticed that I write if differently each time.

If you're writing for Engineers or technical folk then grammar is really quite immaterial.

 

[DMcFadden]

When users logon to the server.

When users log onto the server.

When users log on to the server.


I noticed that I write if differently each time.

If you're writing for Engineers or technical folk then grammar is really quite immaterial.

 

[Davidius]

It's the second one. If you are merely asking someone whether he has logged on, then the "to" is of course not necessary. However, when you have an object, such as "the computer," you want to change "on" into "onto." To my knowledge, "on" and "to" are never used as separate prepositions. It functions the same way as "into." When "in" or "on" involve motion and an object, they become "into" and "onto." You wouldn't write "I am going in to the house" or "I am getting on to the roof." In the same way, "I am logging onto the computer" would be the correct usage.

 

[a mere housewife]

'Logon' is indeed a noun, as apparently, is 'login'. I forgot to look at that part.

 

[Herald]

Being from New Jersey, and grammatically challenged to begin with, I can write it as I choose and have a pretty good chance of being right. I mean, after all, my first book on reading and writing had some interesting lessons to teach:

"See Dick run."

"See Vinny chase down Dick, beat him up and steal his lunch money."

"See Dick call his big brudder Tommy the Lip to have Vinny sleep with the fishes."

Anything beyond that is an improvement, for me.

Fuhgedabodit.

 

[danmpem]

Ah, thanks everyone!