So people also use the term “news provider”? What about “email channel”? This argument falls apart fairly quickly with any level of scrutiny.
The English language has connotations. Certain words are more likely to be paired with others due to cultural or historical reasons. “Instance” has a medical and technical connotation; and Lemmy is a technology (software). News is not technical, so it is unlikely (but still correct) to use the word “instance” with it.
Email is more of a service than a technology, so due to connotation, it is often paired with “provider”. However, “email instance” is still a completely correct phrase.
Once again, we should not be calling fundamentals of the English language “gatekeeping”. This is how you get widespread ignorance and shitty communities.
P.S. Also, your “no one outside of Lemmy” argument is also just wrong. Invidious, Redlib, and other frontends refer to themselves as instances. Bluesky calls itself an instance. And it is very common to use the term for weather services as well.
News meant newsgroup like Usenet. And yes, provider is fine.
That you could use a different word doesn’t mean you should. You aren’t adding any nuance. The word instance isn’t more precise or specific in any way. It is simply jargon.
So people also use the term “news provider”? What about “email channel”? This argument falls apart fairly quickly with any level of scrutiny.
The English language has connotations. Certain words are more likely to be paired with others due to cultural or historical reasons. “Instance” has a medical and technical connotation; and Lemmy is a technology (software). News is not technical, so it is unlikely (but still correct) to use the word “instance” with it.
Email is more of a service than a technology, so due to connotation, it is often paired with “provider”. However, “email instance” is still a completely correct phrase.
Once again, we should not be calling fundamentals of the English language “gatekeeping”. This is how you get widespread ignorance and shitty communities.
P.S. Also, your “no one outside of Lemmy” argument is also just wrong. Invidious, Redlib, and other frontends refer to themselves as instances. Bluesky calls itself an instance. And it is very common to use the term for weather services as well.
News meant newsgroup like Usenet. And yes, provider is fine.
That you could use a different word doesn’t mean you should. You aren’t adding any nuance. The word instance isn’t more precise or specific in any way. It is simply jargon.