What makes a good open source project name, and what makes a good name for a product, or even a feature within a product? And, does it really matter in the world of open source software?
Products and Projects: What’s in a Name? « Open Source Advocacy with Reverend Ted
It is an interesting read with many great points though it fails to nail it. In the article it mixes products that are targeted at different audiences.
“It” is your audience. The product and project name are likely for different audiences.
Apple with its Spotlight and iEverything know their audience. Do you know your audience?
technorati tags:product, project, open source, naming, term, name, slang, jargon
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2 Comments
That was a good article and the first time I heard someone from the OS community suggest that there might be lay or not 100% techie people interested in OSS/linux. The naming and difficulty of installation (or at least the perception of) has kept me away from fully adopting oss as a solution. Naming goes a long way, as does the marketing efforts of enthusisasts and developers.
And I’d sign up for that Beavis gig anyday! Too funny.
Lloyd:
Hey, I think it would really add some value to my original post to have you delineate exactly where I mixed target audience types in my examples. I think it might cement my point even better to highlight that even someone who would write such an article can still miss the mark. My main point was more to illuminate how we in OSS should be trying to steer our thinking about our goals. So, if you can show where I confused the audience, please post it so that I can link back with some supporting comment, eh?
–T