I think it's said best by modifying the literal definition:
web·mas·ter ( P ) Pronunciation Key (wbmstr)
n.
A person whose occupation is designing, developing, marketing, or maintaining websites. (As posted by bdjuf)
Should read as follows to be accurate:
web·mas·ter ( P ) Pronunciation Key (wbmstr)
n.
A person whose occupation is designing, developing, marketing,
AND maintaining websites.
..........
A true "Webmaster" is the sum of ALL of it's parts. Not a single part individually. Someone who solely "designs" is a "designer". Someone who "codes or develops" is a "developer", someone who "markets" is a "marketing rep or sales associate", and so on and so forth.
A "Master" by definition is someone who is a worker qualified to teach apprentices and carry on the craft independently. Now pertaining to the word "webmaster", when broken down to it's parts means:
web - Internet
master - A worker qualified to teach apprentices and carry on the craft independently.
And combined means: A worker of the internet qualified to teach apprentices and carry on the craft independently.
.......
Now, it can be argued that someone who "designs" is a "webmaster" since they "work with the web" however, the "web or internet" is not solely comprised of designer output. It also requres networks, coding, marketing, search engines, sales, and so on for it to to function in it's current state.
So to "master" the "web", one must be skilled in ALL areas of the internet to truely be considered a "webmaster".
