Ubuntu could definetly have a more appealing name, don't you agree?

[Lordcoca]

I don't think ubuntu is a great name for an OS.

Why you ask?

Well I just think a simpler name would make the whole Linux system seem more appealing to ordinary people. I mean, what do people think of when they think of Linux? I don't know about you guys, but before I installed ubuntu I thought it was a super complex nerds only OS. Just endless editing of code and that sort of thing. And when I heard of ubuntu I thought the same thing. The name just inspires complexity if you ask me.

Windows is a pretty simple name meant to appeal to the general public, and OS X is just a cooler name meant to appeal to that artsy kid/technical crowd.

Any thoughts or comments?


PS: I had to remake this thread because it's last iteration had inappropriate language and was not constructive.

[Biscuitpie]

Watch the video with Nelson Mandela in your samples folder (if you have it, still...). It seems like a fitting name. :)

[jfinkels]

I'm impressed that you actually remade this thread with appropriate language...kudos to you! haha

Ubuntu is a wonderful name, because Ubuntu is a wonderful thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_%28ideology%29

[Lordcoca]

Watch the video with Nelson Mandela in your samples folder (if you have it, still...). It seems like a fitting name. :)

Haven't watched that yet, but I learned on wikipedia where the name comes from and it's pretty cool in that regard, and it's certainly a unique name, but I think that it's uniqueness is what dooms it in the end by just being too clever/complex and making ordinary people feel like it's out of their reach. But really, it's a nice streamlined OS that could be more widely accepted if people gave it a shot.

[kittyhawk63]

I agree. I think it needs another name.

What about War Chest?

It seems most people battle with it long before they get all the kinks worked out.

:lolflag:

kh

[crimesaucer]

I love the names Ubuntu and xubuntu.

[LaurelLynn]

Apple just uses OS followed by a roman numeral. It wasn´t till they got to OS X that they had anything remotely cool. Guess they better not put out any more versions ;)

[slayerboy]

You know, I think EVERY distro has this topic on their forums come up every month. IMHO ubuntu is a PERFECT name for this distro. It really fits the whole philosophy of the distro.

[Lordcoca]

I agree. I think it needs another name.

What about War Chest?

It seems most people battle with it long before they get all the kinks worked out.

:lolflag:

kh

No joke, I still can't get the sound to work on my laptop :(

You may have won this battle, ubuntu, but I will win the war!

[BLTicklemonster]

Yes, it should be called Ticklemonster.

[Noah0504]

Ubuntu is a great name. Its meaning perfectly reflects what Linux and FOSS is all about. :)

[Lordcoca]

Apple just uses OS followed by a roman numeral. It wasn´t till they got to OS X that they had anything remotely cool. Guess they better not put out any more versions ;)

Well, I guess they always call them OS X Leopard or OS X Tiger etc.

I personally think they've got a pretty simple, yet pretty cool name. It's far from perfect, but I don't think it's bad at all.

[matthewdhandley]

I think it works well. It's a good conversation starter. When you tell people that you use "Ubuntu," they naturally ask "What's that?" or "What does that mean?" this gives you a chance to tell them about one of the biggest selling points of ubuntu: the community.

[Lordcoca]

Yes, it should be called Ticklemonster.

I could see Ticklemonster as an OS for a line of kids PC's. Who knows, you market that well enough , ship it loaded with fun games, educational games, restricted internet access and other good kid friendly features and you might have a winning product on your hands.

[steven8]

I could see Ticklemonster as an OS for a line of kids PC's. Who knows, you market that well enough , ship it loaded with fun games, educational games, restricted internet access and other good kid friendly features and you might have a winning product on your hands.

How about IMTicklemonster? Ubuntu is a fine name, LordCoca? :guitar:

[LMP900]

iDesktop Linux Ultimate Extreme X2 Premium Home Edition 10.8?

Ubuntu is a beautiful name.

[STREETURCHINE]

Ubuntu is a fine name, LordCoca? :guitar:

yep yep aHHa tis a fine name for an os .:lolflag:

[hanzomon4]

Ubuntu just sounds neat, and you can do so much with it:

Can U OSX? no, But can U buntu??! Yes..... :lolflag:

[Arisna]

I guess having all the vowels be long u's is a bit awkward. On the other hand, I agree that the meaning of the word fits the project perfectly.

[karellen]

ubuntu it's not just a name, it is an ideology that means a lot and which I find it very humanist and ethic. so it means a lot besides being the name of a linux distro :P

[ghowells]

I don't know people, Ubuntu is kind of a wishy-washy hippyish kind of a name and I do think that it would benefit the business end of the product to be distributed as something fairly generic like CanonicalOS. In a similar way to how Red Hat's community OS is Fedora, Ubuntu could still remain Ubuntu in my opinion though.

I know that the idea of commercialization of Linux isn't that attractive to many in the community but it is the best chance at creating a more secure and stable international IT infrastructure that there has been in the last 20 years :)

[karellen]

iDesktop Linux Ultimate Extreme X2 Premium Home Edition 10.8?

Ubuntu is a beautiful name.

:lolflag:

[slayerboy]

I don't know people, Ubuntu is kind of a wishy-washy hippyish kind of a name and I do think that it would benefit the business end of the product to be distributed as something fairly generic like CanonicalOS. In a similar way to how Red Hat's community OS is Fedora, Ubuntu could still remain Ubuntu in my opinion though.

I know that the idea of commercialization of Linux isn't that attractive to many in the community but it is the best chance at creating a more secure and stable international IT infrastructure that there has been in the last 20 years :)

By your line of thinking, businesses should change their name because they don't appeal to consumers. Do you think McDonald's appealed to consumers just by their name? What about WalMart? Bausch & Lomb? Xerox? Kodak? Motorola? The name doesn't matter if the product is appealing.

[PartisanEntity]

I like the name, it is different and has cultural depth. Names like Windows, Apple sound so generic and detached. Also do all names have to be in English always? I think not. I liked the name even before installing it, and especially after I found out what it meant. This thread is a waste of space :)

[steven8]

This thread is a waste of space

a-men.


Ubuntu is kind of a wishy-washy hippyish kind of a name

Yeah man, that hippy stuff is too far out, man. We need to call it Kill-em-all-and-let-god-sort-em-outOS. Not this wishy washy caring community ideals stuff. You've got the right idea.

[dspari1]

I also thought the name "Google" was a bit strange the first time I heard it, but now it's part of today's culture. Ubuntu to me sounded mysterious the first time I heard it, but catchy at the same time. Abstract names can easily sink into people's minds, so I'm very pleased with the name Ubuntu.

What is really bothering me when it comes to naming is that the majority of apps start with the same letter ("g" for gnome apps and "k" for kde apps). I guess it shouldn't bother me since Apple does the same and puts an "i" in front of their apps too, but two wrongs don't make a right.

[use a name]

What is really bothering me when it comes to naming is that the majority of apps start with the same letter ("g" for gnome apps and "k" for kde apps). I guess it shouldn't bother me since Apple does the same and puts an "i" in front of their apps too, but two wrongs don't make a right.
Indeed, especially since most of 'm work in 'the other DE' as well, including docks and panels etc.

At first I thought 'Ubuntu? That sounds odd...', but I read the specs and decided to go for it. Now I like the name. ;) It may be a matter of taste at first, but Ubuntu is getting more and more trademark value every day. It will not matter anymore at all in a short while.

[Lordcoca]

It's an awkward word to say out loud. Go ahead say it "oohboontoo"

How many awkwardly named things are popular in todays culture? There are exceptions, I know, but in general people prefer easier, slicker things.

The ideology behind Ubuntu is great, I agree, but that doesn't make it any more appealing to the average person. That's cause the average person doesn't care where the name came from.

[Corvo78]

I think it works well. It's a good conversation starter. When you tell people that you use "Ubuntu," they naturally ask "What's that?" or "What does that mean?" this gives you a chance to tell them about one of the biggest selling points of ubuntu: the community.

I just wanted to chime in and confirm that Ubuntu is a great name for a distro.
And as Matthewdhandley wrote (see above), it IS a good conversation starter with a real good story behind it.
I'm a real 'geek' but somehow I was always scared away from Linux when trying it, I wished I tried Ubuntu a bit sooner.
Since I've got World of Warcraft running in Crossover, I never boot up my Windows partition anymore (my game partition, so to speak).

:KS Ubuntu !! :KS

[Hex_Mandos]

I love the name. It's much more interesting than, for instance, PCLinuxOS.

[xyz]

I love the name for the very reason that it is a bit strange.

[xpod]

Some folks will pick at anything eh:)
So.......just WHAT should it be called then i wonder?

For me it was the Ubuntu name itself that caught my attention that fine summers day last year.
I did`nt arrive here because i`d heard good things about Ubuntu or because i thought it about time i was trying some "Linux" OS either,and it certainly wasn`t because i`d seen a You Tube video of beryl & co and thought "i must have that".

I arrived hear purely by chance whilst using my Stumble button to Stumble "operating systems" one day.
Being very very new to the crazy world of computers i`d never really heard the terms Linux or Ubuntu so there was no conscious decision to try Ubuntu or indeed any other Linux OS but there was a curiosity to see what else people used.

Stumbling along that fine day it was simply the Ubuntu name itself that made me stop a bit longer and read a bit more.....nothing more ,nothing less.:)

[graabein]

No. Ubuntu is good enough!

[parker13]

I've had problems getting my company to consider replacing Redhat with Ubuntu and I think that the name may have something to do with it. It definitely makes it sound less professional.

Maybe that's because to many manager types Redhat IS Linux. With Ubuntu's growing popularity this should hopefully change.

[steven8]

I've had problems getting my company to consider replacing Redhat with Ubuntu and I think that the name may have something to do with it. It definitely makes it sound less professional.

Maybe that's because to many manager types Redhat IS Linux. With Ubuntu's growing popularity this should hopefully change.

I don't think the name has squat to do with it. I believe it's the 'this cost money so it must be better than the free one' way of thinking.

[3rdalbum]

Apple just uses OS followed by a roman numeral. It wasn´t till they got to OS X that they had anything remotely cool. Guess they better not put out any more versions ;)

Apple originally used "System" - as in System 5, System 6, System 7. When they got to System 7.6, they rebranded it "Mac OS" - so it was "Mac OS 7.6".

For unknown reasons (possibly just to look cool, or to emphasise that this was a completely new (not really) operating system), they used roman numerals for OS X. But versions are still known as "10.2, 10.3" etc, not "X.2, X.3".

[parker13]

I don't think the name has squat to do with it. I believe it's the 'this cost money so it must be better than the free one' way of thinking.

True, the fact that you have pay for RHEL has a lot to do with it, but I still don't think the name helps. I've seen managers screw their noses up as they wrongly pronounce it (usually Ubunto), as if they're thinking "how can anything that sounds African be any good?".

...not that I'm saying the name should change! It's the managers who should open their minds and step into 2007.

[ceil420]

I don't know people, Ubuntu is kind of a wishy-washy hippyish kind of a name and I do think that it would benefit the business end of the product to be distributed as something fairly generic like CanonicalOS. In a similar way to how Red Hat's community OS is Fedora, Ubuntu could still remain Ubuntu in my opinion though.

I know that the idea of commercialization of Linux isn't that attractive to many in the community but it is the best chance at creating a more secure and stable international IT infrastructure that there has been in the last 20 years :)
Wait, what exactly have you got against hippies? Tux_hippie_sm.gif does NOT approve!

I think it's a groovie name. But maybe that's just cos I'm a hippie. The name itself isn't exactly offensive, and it's meaning is just great. As someone else said, it's a great way to introduce the OS to people. From the name up, it's about community.

[kazuya]

Ubuntu is a more appropriate name than most other choices. It is unique and sets the distro apart from many others. The name is somewhat equivalent to its theme or goal. It is a catchy name. It is not unprofessional and not yet synonymous with corporations. The coporations are not the only target of Ubuntu.

The naming is well thought out. It sets istself apart from the rest.

Sabayon is nice as an example
Debian sounds nice,
Suse, Redhat, etc sounds good because folks are used to them. They have been around for a long time. Ubuntu is appropriate because it is very original and like some of the other great distros give regards to a philosophy..

[Ozor Mox]

Ubuntu is a great name! Sounds good, looks good, conveys what the distribution and its philosophy is all about. What more can you ask?

[Lordcoca]

Damn, this thread is still going, huh?

oof

[JerseyShoreComputer]

I like the name Ubuntu.. It captures what this is all about. Think about other OS's and their names - meaningless. At least the name Ubuntu captures what this whole idea is about.

[fuscia]

i hate the name. it doesn't sound good for either the os, or what it really means. sometimes you just have to take 'papillon' over 'schmetterling'.

[Brunellus]

Damn, this thread is still going, huh?

oof
good trolls never die. They just get bumped.

[steven8]

i hate the name. it doesn't sound good for either the os, or what it really means. sometimes you just have to take 'papillon' over 'schmetterling'.

The DEVs didn't make it up to go with a meaning they liked. That's like saying you don't like calling a tree a tree.

[Takeru27]

Apple just uses OS followed by a roman numeral. It wasn´t till they got to OS X that they had anything remotely cool. Guess they better not put out any more versions ;)

Watch out for Mac OS XI! :lolflag:
Anywho, I love the name. To me it shows that part of humanity that needs to be used more, the willingness to help the community. I definately prefer "Ubuntu" to something like.....-cough- *ista.

[aysiu]

I also thought the name "Google" was a bit strange the first time I heard it, but now it's part of today's culture. Same here.

[twistedbydesign]

So this is my fisrt post on the Forums ((they've been a great help though...thanks everyone))..
I was reading through this and was kinda compelled to answer just because I've thought a lot about the name.
I do agree that the name itself is awkward. When I first heard about it (just a few months ago) I thought it was strange and the name DID cause me to be somewhat skeptical..
But at the same time...Once you really Dive into the product...the name doesn't even matter.
How many people like the band Hoobastank? How many people were skeptical of them or expected them to be a horrible comedy band or something when they first heard that name...I know it did...how can you take that name seriously when you first hear it? (im personally indifferent about them..but you get my point)
It's almost too late into the game to change the name...especially with such emphasis on the ideology behind it. If anything it is only Slowing the momentum...not stopping it. Slowly more and more people are going to give it a chance and realize "wow...this is a really good OS" and then it will get to the point where the skeptics look around and realize that everyone is using this FREE product...so it might not be that bad.
I guess personally I can see where both sides are coming from...yea it's a weird name and yea it's not the most ideal for attracting people...but at the same time...it is a wonderful way to spread the ideology. And once it picks up enough momentum I think more people will be able to look past it.

[fuscia]

The DEVs didn't make it up to go with a meaning they liked. That's like saying you don't like calling a tree a tree.

i'm not sure what you are saying, but if i didn't like calling a tree a tree, i would still prefer it were called something else.

[koenn]

For unknown reasons (possibly just to look cool, or to emphasise that this was a completely new (not really) operating system), they used roman numerals for OS X.
It's a tradition in the Unix world to have X in the names of Unix Operating systems (unix, minix, xenix, HP-UX, AIX, ... linux) so when version 10 of the Mac OS came around, it was very convenient to call it OS X (or OSX), the X being a roman numeral for 10 and at the same time the traditional X refering to the unix legacy of the OS.
And it looks kinda cool on Tshirts and the likes.

When Microsoft came with its X-box, some hackers went 'it has the X, so it should run unix' and set about to run Linux on X-boxes.

[Snowmayne]

It was actually because of the name that I started using Ubuntu over most of the other popular Linux distros (including 2 that were geared with 'recovering windows users' in mind). I like the philosophy behind it and overall while it may not have been the easiest to use, these forums and ease of installs has made it a more interesting experience for me.

[elamericano]

I'd be happy if they just kept the working names from being so silly - I mean Gutsy Gibbon?!

Do they have to embarrass us? If somebody asks what version of Ubuntu I'm using, I change the subject. I might say 6.06, but then they might ask why I haven't upgraded to Fiesty Fawn or Gutsy Gibbon. I don't want my coworkers or boss to think I'm nuts. I'm already swimming against the tide to use Linux in a Windows environment. I'd hate to be ordered to use Windows just because somebody out there is picking goofy names. #-o

BTW, I'm OK with Ubuntu. When it's spoken, at least there's not the confusion about how to pronounce it.

[jerrylamos]

Nope, Ubuntu is fine. Look at the translation - Ubuntu is a community effort, and that's what the word means. My paraphrase, "we are who we are because of who we all are" which is to say we all depend on each other. Yep, it's not English. It's from a culture that's not English based. So what. By the way, all the other Linux's I've seen, and I run a number, aren't any better on naming themselves.

Cheers.:KS

[Brunellus]

I'd be happy if they just kept the working names from being so silly - I mean Gutsy Gibbon?!

Do they have to embarrass us? If somebody asks what version of Ubuntu I'm using, I change the subject. I might say 6.06, but then they might ask why I haven't upgraded to Fiesty Fawn or Gutsy Gibbon. I don't want my coworkers or boss to think I'm nuts. I'm already swimming against the tide to use Linux in a Windows environment. I'd hate to be ordered to use Windows just because somebody out there is picking goofy names. #-o

BTW, I'm OK with Ubuntu. When it's spoken, at least there's not the confusion about how to pronounce it.
The names are the development codenames--it's standard practice in the industry. What is now Microsoft Vista used to be Windows Longhorn. What became Windows 95 was codenamed Chicago. Apple has stuck with the big-cats naming convention--panther, tiger, etc. Debian uses Toy Story characters: Hamm, Potato, Woody, Sarge, Etch, Sid.

[Christopher Chadwick 1985]

Ubuntu is a good name but I think that some of the version names could be better Feist Fawn is ok but Gusty Gibbon is just plain stupid IMO, What I think is needed is a Nameing system that the community can decide on such as a time for about a month before the release date where people can submit name's for the release and a week before it's released a pole is posted by the dev's that contains the short list of name's they liked and the one that has the most votes is the winner and that is the name.

[Brunellus]

Ubuntu is a good name but I think that some of the version names could be better Feist Fawn is ok but Gusty Gibbon is just plain stupid IMO, What I think is needed is a Nameing system that the community can decide on such as a time for about a month before the release date where people can submit name's for the release and a week before it's released a pole is posted by the dev's that contains the short list of name's they liked and the one that has the most votes is the winner and that is the name.
really, this is quite useless. What does it accomplish for a better OS, other than create yet another bothersome consultative process over an unimaginably trivial matter?

[elamericano]

Those were great examples Brunellus, and it makes my point. All of those code names are superior to the ones selected by Ubuntu.

In Linux, and Mac OS, the code name survives after release. If someone comes to the forums, people will them, try Fiesty Fawn. OK, so people's opinions will differ, but it seems to me that they just don't care what it sounds like, or they're trying to be quirky. IMO, it should change before we get to Hyperactive Hampster. [-o<

[Brunellus]

Those were great examples Brunellus, and it makes my point. All of those code names are superior to the ones selected by Ubuntu.

In Linux, and Mac OS, the code name survives after release. If someone comes to the forums, people will them, try Fiesty Fawn. OK, so people's opinions will differ, but it seems to me that they just don't care what it sounds like, or they're trying to be quirky. IMO, it should change before we get to Hyperactive Hampster. [-o<
I really don't care, to be honest. I like the "Cheery Critter" naming convention, if only because it's different. I'm sick and tired of being marketed to at every turn.

I guess you could call my bluff and tell me to go away and use slackware, but still.

[picpak]

If you look on the Ubuntu main page, you'll notice it says 7.04...no mention of Feisty Fawn anywhere. They're really just names to use that are more fun to say than numbers. Ubuntu doesn't promote it.

[gjtoth]

No.

[steve196]

The problem i have with the ubuntu name is, that it somehow starts to hijack the term. The ubuntu philosophy ( see www.ubuntu.org ) does not deal with computers and software, but with far more important things. Ubuntu linux furthers the spirit of open source just like debian, gentoo ...do. It is not different to those in that respect (and it also has no reason to be different). It is just different in its technical goals and target audience. There is no "ubuntu" in it unless you water that term down until it means almost nothing, and that is, what happens on the webpage and, maybe, in the heads of many people. On the other hand, it might bring people to look the term up, and discover what it really means.

Overall, i think, the name can stay, but the foundation should stop advertising the software as somehow representing the philosophy. It could be just "named in honour of the ubuntu movement" and that's it.
Stop saying "The Ubuntu distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world" This is nonsense, and it would also be nonsense if any other project said that of itself.

[zubrug]

shoots out flames
..............................ubuntu , ubuntu, ubuntu, and ubuntu!

[qamelian]

It's an awkward word to say out loud. Go ahead say it "oohboontoo"

It flows pretty easily actually. And it is an attention getter. The name alone has made several of my friends curious about Ubuntu. Heck, the name alone was the reason I first checked it out. To be honest, before Ubuntu, I hated every Debian-derived distro I tried...including Debian!

It's much catchier than names like Windows (don't they break if you hit them to hard?), OS X (just boring), or *BSD (which for some reason sounds more like a brand of underwear than an operating system).

[steven8]

Endless discussion about piffle.

[qamelian]

Stop saying "The Ubuntu distribution brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the software world" This is nonsense, and it would also be nonsense if any other project said that of itself.
It isn't nonsense if you understand the the philosophy behind Free/Libre software as opposed to software that is just "open source". The concept of "ubuntu" is definitely an appropriate connection.

[qamelian]

Endless discussion about piffle.

If you aren't interested, find a discussion on some topic that does interest you. No need to belittle a topic that does obviously interest some people. Maybe some of us would consider your interests to be "piffle" as well. But I wouldn't waste my time or yours by telling you so.

[SunnyRabbiera]

Really names like winodws and OSX sound rather dull, ubuntu has a cool name it Ithink.

[BoyOfDestiny]

I don't think ubuntu is a great name for an OS.

Why you ask?

Well I just think a simpler name would make the whole Linux system seem more appealing to ordinary people. I mean, what do people think of when they think of Linux? I don't know about you guys, but before I installed ubuntu I thought it was a super complex nerds only OS. Just endless editing of code and that sort of thing. And when I heard of ubuntu I thought the same thing. The name just inspires complexity if you ask me.

Windows is a pretty simple name meant to appeal to the general public, and OS X is just a cooler name meant to appeal to that artsy kid/technical crowd.

Any thoughts or comments?


PS: I had to remake this thread because it's last iteration had inappropriate language and was not constructive.

I got over it. Ubuntu is a great distro, and the name grows on you. Many people in my experience seem to think it's "nice" or "fun". It's definitely not stuffy.

Windows in my opinion are made of glass and people can see through them. Ok, It makes sense in that applications etc run in little windows. That's all I get out of it anyway.

They just choose a word, and same goes for Ubuntu, it just happens to not be English. Would you think Windows is as simple if it were called Ventanas? I have a feeling that to a large group of people, Ubuntu was something they know and understand too.

OS X, I figured it's OS Ten, but people call it OS X. I've gotten used to that, at first I kept thinking they must really like X (X11 or X-windows) or something. ;)

:guitar:

EDIT: Just remembered something I saw on a Beatles documentary. An article criticized their band name and predicted them a flop. Beatles, like a bug with drums or something?
The Beatles were anything but a flop, and I think the name is great... :)

[jmagsho]

Indeed. It is quite trivial isn't it? The name should stay, IMHO.

[dedmonds]

no.

[fuscia]

how about 'bob'?

[steven8]

If you aren't interested, find a discussion on some topic that does interest you. No need to belittle a topic that does obviously interest some people. Maybe some of us would consider your interests to be "piffle" as well. But I wouldn't waste my time or yours by telling you so.

You are quite right and I apologize for being so thoughtless and rude. Not having a great night.

I, for one, find the Ubuntu name and philosophy to be beautiful. It is not the OS itself that embodies this. It is just software. It is the community which surrounds it. They are forever intertwined. They are one and the same.

[fuscia]

well, steven, i think a lot of people like both the os and the philosophy. it's just the name, itself, that sounds goofy to some of us.

on the point about the beatles (sorry, i've forgotten who made the point): it's not the goofy name that accounts for their success. as a music teacher, i have come in contact with many bands, with stupid names, who did not experience the same delightful results.

[steven8]

well, steven, i think a lot of people like both the os and the philosophy. it's just the name, itself, that sounds goofy to some of us.

on the point about the beatles (sorry, i've forgotten who made the point): it's not the goofy name that accounts for their success. as a music teacher, i have come in contact with many bands, with stupid names, who did not experience the same delightful results.

I do like Bob, though. The Beatles had the same advantage that the Rolling Stones had, in that they were at the beginning of something when not 'that' many other folks were trying to do the same thing. The 'cutting edge' so to speak. Now that the market is saturated, it's not so easy. Just like Microsoft. How many other graphical Interfaces were out there at the time? They could have named their OS Bob, and it would have been huge.

[fuscia]

ooh! i got it - 'babooboo'! (sort of a cross between 'bob' and 'ubuntu'.)

[steven8]

ooh! i got it - 'babooboo'! (sort of a cross between 'bob' and 'ubuntu'.)

Let's take it one more step, into Ricky Ricardo-Land: Bobaloo-Buntu. :guitar:

[Tundro Walker]

I think Ubuntu has a fine name. I especially think the animal-oriented distro names help market it to home users better (because it's not so rigid or structured, and we all like to think we're a little free-going in our real lives). I kinda like telling folks I'm using "Feisty Fawn". It makes me feel like I'm bragging, and it piques others interest enough to make them look into it (after I explain what it can do).

I can see your argument, though...maybe the name isn't "corporate" enough for corporate buy-in. But, seriously, Apple...Macintosh...Windows...OS-X...Panther... there's all kinds of funky names. If a business is basing their decision to use a product based on name alone, that business deserves to fail due to lack of of wisdom.

[calvinpriest]

I can't imagine a better name. Not only is it's meaning very inclusive, but just having a name that is not european in origin has more impact than any amount of language about inclusiveness. Also, many Linux distributions have names that only the tone deaf can appreciate. Ubuntu is musical.

[steven8]

I think Ubuntu has a fine name. I especially think the animal-oriented distro names help market it to home users better (because it's not so rigid or structured, and we all like to think we're a little free-going in our real lives). I kinda like telling folks I'm using "Feisty Fawn". It makes me feel like I'm bragging, and it piques others interest enough to make them look into it (after I explain what it can do).

I can see your argument, though...maybe the name isn't "corporate" enough for corporate buy-in. But, seriously, Apple...Macintosh...Windows...OS-X...Panther... there's all kinds of funky names. If a business is basing their decision to use a product based on name alone, that business deserves to fail due to lack of of wisdom.

Which raises the real question of: What IS corporate enough? What makes a name more acceptable in corporate circles than another name.

First, there is the obvious: First National Bank of America, versus, Joe's Bank. One sounds secure and backed by the government, while the other sounds like a guy who will keep your money in his mattress.

Second, why do loopy names such as Google and Yahoo! seem corporately acceptable when they are, actually, loopy? Google sounds like what a guy does when a girl walks by, and Yahoo! is what Yosemite Sam yells when he finds gold.

So, if treated correctly, why couldn't Ubuntu become just as much an accepted part of the fabric of our society as Google and Yahoo!?

Great day in the mornin'! I've hit 800 beans.

[BoyOfDestiny]

Which raises the real question of: What IS corporate enough? What makes a name more acceptable in corporate circles than another name.

First, there is the obvious: First National Bank of America, versus, Joe's Bank. One sounds secure and backed by the government, while the other sounds like a guy who will keep your money in his mattress.

Second, why do loopy names such as Google and Yahoo! seem corporately acceptable when they are, actually, loopy? Google sounds like what a guy does when a girl walks by, and Yahoo! is what Yosemite Sam yells when he finds gold.

So, if treated correctly, why couldn't Ubuntu become just as much an accepted part of the fabric of our society as Google and Yahoo!?

Great day in the mornin'! I've hit 800 beans.

Google is a big number. A yahoo, are those "human like" primitives from Gulliver's Travels. Go Figure.

[BoyOfDestiny]

I do like Bob, though. The Beatles had the same advantage that the Rolling Stones had, in that they were at the beginning of something when not 'that' many other folks were trying to do the same thing. The 'cutting edge' so to speak. Now that the market is saturated, it's not so easy. Just like Microsoft. How many other graphical Interfaces were out there at the time? They could have named their OS Bob, and it would have been huge.

There were other GUI's at the time. Commodore Amiga & Apple are ones I came in contact with.

I do miss competing platforms, and software with several ports. However, with Free Software and open source this is common. Many apps we use are available for more than x86 and more than Linux...

As for MS gaining traction... Meh I'd hijack the thread. I'll say this, I don't think it was the GUI alone...

[steven8]

Google is a big number.

There's our answer then. We change Ubuntu to 4,567,789,231OS. It'll sell like hotcakes!

[kevinlyfellow]

All this kinda reminds me of when the Wii came out.

[steven8]

All this kinda reminds me of when the Wii came out.

True. I just accidently threw my computer through the TV. Should have had the wrist strap on, dang it!

Oh, and the Wii has a funny name, too. :lolflag:

[kevinlyfellow]

True. I just accidently threw my computer through the TV. Should have had the wrist strap on, dang it!

Oh, and the Wii has a funny name, too. :lolflag:

:lolflag:

[steve196]

It isn't nonsense if you understand the the philosophy behind Free/Libre software as opposed to software that is just "open source". The concept of "ubuntu" is definitely an appropriate connection.

That is what i mean with watering the term down till it means almost nothing. Before it was about some of the great goals of mankind. Now it can also be about [insert whatever term] software.

[Brunellus]

That is what i mean with watering the term down till it means almost nothing. Before it was about some of the great goals of mankind. Now it can also be about [insert whatever term] software.
Take it up with anyone who has used "Freedom," or "Liberty" in a trademark.

[fuscia]

There's our answer then. We change Ubuntu to 4,567,789,231OS. It'll sell like hotcakes!

a lot of people are switching back to 4,567,789,231'98.

[steven8]

That's because of the imminent 4,567,789,232 bug. I hope they get patch out for that soon. :(

[slayerboy]

dude you should try the 56,587,354,984OS! It's got wobbly things n stuff that goes BOOM!


:popcorn:

[steven8]

dude you should try the 56,587,354,984OS! It's got wobbly things n stuff that goes BOOM!


:popcorn:

BOOM!? I'm sold!

[wulfhound]

[QUOTE=Lordcoca;2520943]I don't think ubuntu is a great name for an OS.

I think it should have something better too. Something nice. Because Ubuntu sounds so stupid when I tell people I use it. That's the only reason.

They are like, you use "what what what????"

Sigh.

[wulfhound]

Watch the video with Nelson Mandela in your samples folder (if you have it, still...). It seems like a fitting name. :)

Fitting maybe, but how productive is it in attacting people and them wanting and getting to know and recognize other ubuntu users? Not very.

[ep2011]

I have no problem with the name Ubuntu. It means something great which makes it a great name.

[stmiller]

I love ubuntu like all hear do, I have noticed that when I tell other non-geek friends of mine that I use 'Ubuntu' they say, "what?" with a giggle.

Yes- I agree the meaning of the word, the videos about the name, etc all are great. But just saying the name in passing to a total non-geek non-computer non-linux person, it does sound weird to them off hand.

[RAV TUX]

I can't believe I just read this whole thread, what a wonderful way to waste some time. ;-)

[kragen]

I think the name is fine... but for argument's sake, even if I didn't its just a name! It might not be the best name in the world, but it's definitely not the worst, and it's an established name, changing it would be far too much work for far too little gain.

[arbulus]

No, I think the name is completely appropriate. It's meaning of "i am because we all are" is very applicable due to the incredible community that surrounds Ubuntu. We lift each other up and help each other and grow because of the encouragement and support we show to each other.

That to me seems to exemplify the term Ubuntu.

[Chilli Bob]

Ubuntu is a great name! It's fun to say and with the rounded font, the logo looks non-threatening and non-geek.

However when talking about it to muggles, I refer to it as "Ubuntu Linux", and they understand what it is straight away.

[steven8]

Ubuntu is a great name! It's fun to say and with the rounded font, the logo looks non-threatening and non-geek.

However when talking about it to muggles, I refer to it as "Ubuntu Linux", and they understand what it is straight away.

Muggles!! :guitar: