Comments on: Products and Projects: What’s in a Name? http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/ Also known as "Open Source Advocacy with Reverend Ted" Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:41:09 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Bob Jonkman http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-1015 Bob Jonkman Mon, 11 Sep 2006 18:27:08 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-1015 Novell is really bad at using good names for their products. "IntraNetware" was merely an embarassement, but I still have no idea what products like iChain, Nsure and Nterprise do. Hello Marketing: Descriptive names are really important! --Bob. Novell is really bad at using good names for their products.

“IntraNetware” was merely an embarassement, but I still have no idea what products like iChain, Nsure and Nterprise do.

Hello Marketing: Descriptive names are really important!

–Bob.

]]> By: Simon Waters http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-994 Simon Waters Sat, 09 Sep 2006 11:54:24 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-994 "The Gimp" is a cultural thing, it means something completely different in English speaking countries like England (as opposed to its meaning in some former colonial territories - hey I just speak like this to wind Ted up). Cultural neutrality for a name is almost impossible to guarantee, just look for the history of "Google" in China. On the upside picking a nice English name, which means "we eat babies" in Mandarin Chinese guarantees you a lot of free publicity for years, even if you have to use another name in the Chinese market. As regards the "Kill the penguin", this was done to death in /. a long while ago. When we pointed out that almost all GNU/Linux desktops already give better descriptive names than Microsoft Windows. Although I note that the default OpenOffice menu in Debian has regressed since then. “The Gimp” is a cultural thing, it means something completely different in English speaking countries like England (as opposed to its meaning in some former colonial territories – hey I just speak like this to wind Ted up).

Cultural neutrality for a name is almost impossible to guarantee, just look for the history of “Google” in China.

On the upside picking a nice English name, which means “we eat babies” in Mandarin Chinese guarantees you a lot of free publicity for years, even if you have to use another name in the Chinese market.

As regards the “Kill the penguin”, this was done to death in /. a long while ago. When we pointed out that almost all GNU/Linux desktops already give better descriptive names than Microsoft Windows.

Although I note that the default OpenOffice menu in Debian has regressed since then.

]]> By: Don’t Kill the Penguin!! « Open Source Advocacy with Reverend Ted http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-981 Don’t Kill the Penguin!! « Open Source Advocacy with Reverend Ted Fri, 08 Sep 2006 23:10:51 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-981 [...] Frank J. Ohlhorst of CRN recently published “Advice To Linux: Kill The Penguin,” which may seem in line with my recent comments about product and project naming. (Thanks for the tip off to reader Ray Epping!) [...] [...] Frank J. Ohlhorst of CRN recently published “Advice To Linux: Kill The Penguin,” which may seem in line with my recent comments about product and project naming. (Thanks for the tip off to reader Ray Epping!) [...]

]]> By: Ted Haeger http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-979 Ted Haeger Fri, 08 Sep 2006 21:28:37 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-979 TenHoopen: Oddly enough, the Bandit project's originally-proposed name was "Fido," which was an acronym for something identity-related. They changed dog names. I think the idea of a masked bandit (identity masking) may have been a factor. Nevertheless, you raise a good point. --T TenHoopen:
Oddly enough, the Bandit project’s originally-proposed name was “Fido,” which was an acronym for something identity-related. They changed dog names. I think the idea of a masked bandit (identity masking) may have been a factor. Nevertheless, you raise a good point.
–T

]]> By: Mr. Anderson http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-977 Mr. Anderson Fri, 08 Sep 2006 19:57:16 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-977 Have a look at this discussion about the penguin, and as a matter of fact the suggestion of killing it: http://www.crn.com/nl/voices/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=192501076 Have a look at this discussion about the penguin, and as a matter of fact the suggestion of killing it: http://www.crn.com/nl/voices/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=192501076

]]> By: ced120 http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-910 ced120 Sat, 02 Sep 2006 03:03:17 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-910 It was such an interesting article. It was mind- buggling and left me to think even after I have read it all . All I know is that names are very important because it is how we or anyhting is identified. It was such an interesting article. It was mind- buggling and left me to think even after I have read it all . All I know is that names are very important because it is how we or anyhting is identified.

]]> By: Patrick TenHoopen http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-901 Patrick TenHoopen Fri, 01 Sep 2006 01:07:09 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-901 Great article Ted. While reading it, I immediately thought of Novell's Bandit project. Although it's identity services software, the name implies something less trustworthy. Identity information + Bandit (theif) = identity theft :) Great article Ted. While reading it, I immediately thought of Novell’s Bandit project. Although it’s identity services software, the name implies something less trustworthy.

Identity information + Bandit (theif) = identity theft

:)

]]> By: Naming your projects and products at A Fool’s Wisdom http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-900 Naming your projects and products at A Fool’s Wisdom Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:23:37 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-900 [...] Products and Projects: What’s in a Name? « Open Source Advocacy with Reverend Ted [...] [...] Products and Projects: What’s in a Name? « Open Source Advocacy with Reverend Ted [...]

]]> By: Chuck http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-897 Chuck Thu, 31 Aug 2006 22:46:09 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-897 I agree with you Griff on the NLD name. It did have a certian ring to it. The SUSE name really deserved to be kept. Ted: Thanks for the clairification. One thing that didn't even register with me until your reply is that if you have a project that is not from Novell and you obfuscate the origins. Not only is it valuable to technical users, but the origins are important for the original developers. After all, if they're recognized through that software it could lead to other jobs and projects for them to develop on. I agree with you Griff on the NLD name. It did have a certian ring to it. The SUSE name really deserved to be kept.

Ted:
Thanks for the clairification. One thing that didn’t even register with me until your reply is that if you have a project that is not from Novell and you obfuscate the origins. Not only is it valuable to technical users, but the origins are important for the original developers. After all, if they’re recognized through that software it could lead to other jobs and projects for them to develop on.

]]> By: Griff http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-890 Griff Thu, 31 Aug 2006 17:29:07 +0000 https://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/08/30/products-and-projects-whats-in-a-name/#comment-890 Very nice article. Although, I wish Novell had retained the NLD moniker. The "Desktop Search" should have a tag line of "by Beagle" or some such. Just my two cent. Very nice article. Although, I wish Novell had retained the NLD moniker. The “Desktop Search” should have a tag line of “by Beagle” or some such. Just my two cent.

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