Log on (in), sign on (in) -- technical distinction?

[Odile Sullivan-Tarazi <odile -at- mindspring -dot- com>]

A terminology question.

Our group is looking at these sets of terms --

    log on / log off

    log in / log out

    vs.

    sign on / sign off

    sign in / sign out


And I'm wondering what other groups are doing with them.

The MS Manual of Style (published in 2004) makes this distinction 
between log on / log off and sign in (or sign on) / sign out: if 
creating and ending a user session on a computer or network, use log 
on / log off; if creating a user session on the Internet, use sign in 
(or on) / sign out.

 From your point of view, is this a valid distinction?  Does it matter 
whether a user is working in an application that resides on her local 
machine, a company server, or on the Internet?

What distinction, if any, do you make between these two sets of 
terms, or do you see in your work being made between these two terms? 
Then when it comes to log on or log in, which do you think is more 
correct, more standard?  Sign on, sign in?

I don't believe there is a firm standard being followed across the 
industry (certainly not across industries), but I'm trying to get a 
handle on trends.

Thanks!

Odile
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