Applications in next Ubuntu

[Eric Dunbar]

On Fri, 17 Dec 2004 10:08:51 +0000, David Marsh
<lists2005 at viewport.ukfsn.org> wrote:
> Eric Dunbar wrote in gmane.linux.ubuntu.user
>  about: Re: Applications in next Ubuntu
> 
> > Now, if only Abiword and GNUmeric had "normal" but unimaginative names
> > like Word Processor or Spread Sheet you could implement them.
> 
> Bo-ring! :)
> 
> While the corporate world may demand some formality, it doesn't need to
> be utterly dead.. ;-)

I know it'd be nice, but in practice it does demand that formality --
a few apps with some informality are ok, but _all_ of them, no. You'll
find managers and IT dep'ts throwing up barriers to such
unprofessional elements! Besides, there's the matter of practicality.
I don't use the overwhelming majority of apps on my Linux installs
because a cursory scan of the names doesn't tell me what they do.

> > But names like Abiword, GNUmeric
> 
> Ach, Abiword and GNUmeric are _perfectly_ acceptable names.
> Compare "Word", "WordPro", "Word Perfect", etc.

How about "AbiWord"or "gNumeric". The former is fine to be renamed,
the latter will result in a jihad since GNU is a religion for far too
many...

> And GNUmeric's a particularly good pun ('numeric' , geddit?) ;-)
> (I mean, what does "Excel" have to do with spreadsheets?)

It has one advantage that GNUmeric or OO.org never will -- it is the
industry standard and it is _hands down_ the best spread sheet
available.

> > and The GIMP aren't exactly what you'd expect in the corporate world.
> 
> Mmm. It has to be said that 'GIMP' is a bit of an ill-advised acronym,
> and excessively technical and boring-sounding (for what is, after all, a
> *creative* program) when fully expanded. It's doubtlessly far too late
> to change it now, though. Maybe something like 'Designu' might have been
> better, maybe not..

Photo or GNU Photo would be more useful. "Complex" names are bad for
brand recognition, besides, I don't think it's too late to rename.
GIMP is still an unknown and its name is going to keep it from being
adopted.