Define Managed Dedicated Server PLEASE!

Anyone who has shopped around the managed dedicated server market and the dedicated server market must have experienced the loose use of the terms on the internet. I was quite sure early on what a managed server was. Conversely there was no question what a dedicated server was. It seemed simple enough back then. Those were the good old days.

Back then my pure simplistic vision was well defined and clear. A dedicated server was one occupied by one site. It was cared for by the company that owned that site. It was hosted by a dedicated server hosting company. A managed dedicated server was occupied by one site. It was cared for by the same company that hosted it, a managed dedicated server hosting company. Oh the simple life!

Then I had the unfortunate experience recently of delving into the actual web sites offering managed hosting services and dedicated hosting services. To be sure what I found could be called nothing short of