hi nermander
interesting topic, here!
if i read the description adobe gives for the master pages for indesign, i would say that the name used in scribus is not that bad.
of course, the big difference is that indesign allows to put in there empty frames, that can then be filled on the "real" page. (and other edit features)
instead of renaming the scribus master pages to page backgrounds (it does not look like a better name to me...), i think that scribus should make its master pages more usable by making it clear how to define editable items attached to a master page.
(if possible, avoiding the way ID does... in my eyes, editable content on the master page is a door to hell and brings in lot complexity both in the code and in the workflows)
there are a few issues with the master pages and i believe that with a few "small" changes (most of all making it more clear that you got into master pages modus (and how to get out of it) and getting ridden of the current left / right definition and make it automatic!) it can get much better!
there are also a few additions needed to help make the master pages have all the features the user would expect (without implementing them in the same way ID does). creating a link between the master page and some of the scrapbook items might one way to go! we probably also need frame styles.
btw, it is to be noted that scribus 1.5 already has scrapbook elements that can be kept in sync with the original (and being further editable). it's a beginning.
it would be nice to see a few people sitting together and writing a specification for more dynamic master pages.
i've added it to my personal list of possible projects for scribus, so my notes do no get lost :-)
if we can improve the master pages, we would be able to say: yes, you can do that, but in a different way, rather than having to say: no, but you can hack your way around it if you do this and that :-)