User:ColinFine/Wikipedia doesn't have profiles

Wikipedia doesn't have profiles
Questions quite often appear on the help desk asking about creating "profiles": an example is Help_desk/Archives/2011_November_9. It is sometimes a little difficult answering such questions, because it is not clear whether the questioner means an article or a User page (though I suspect that most people who ask this don't even know that there is such a thing as a user page, but that is mere speculation).

My belief is that using the word "profile" indicates a misunderstanding of what Wikipedia is (and what it isn't).

The relevant meaning of "profile" is
 * 10. A description of a person, organization, product, etc. (OED)
 * 3. A summary or collection of information, especially about a person ((Wiktionary).

These do not say anything about where a "profile" may be used, but I believe that "profile" in this sense is a word strongly linked with promotion.