Re: [Gimp-user] OT: Gimp name-picking (Was: Need help repairing image)

[Patrick Horgan <phorgan1 yahoo com>]

On 12/27/2011 11:44 PM, Dotan Cohen wrote:
> On Wed, Dec 28, 2011 at 04:30, Patrick Horgan <phorgan1 yahoo com> wrote:
> > ... elision by patrick ...
> Thank you for that insight!
You're welcome.
> > ... more elisions by patrick ....
> I have asked both native English speakers and ESL about the name Gimp,
> the _only_ response that I have ever gotten was the limp and the
> sexual fetish. The etymology may go back to different meanings, but
> for people who lived in the last few decades only the negative
> connotations remain.
>
> Try it, ask someone "What is a proton?", "What is a hard drive?",
> "What is a gimp?" and see what answers they give you.\
Ok.  I did.  I asked a lot of random people and about half had no idea,
and most of the rest said it was a limp.  Interestingly, younger geeks
(don't get started on possible meanings of THAT!) all knew it was an
image editor.  Apparently people who want to do things like mod skins
for minecraft prefer GIMP.  No one said the sexual fetishist, but I
probably don't run in the right circles for that.


> ... yet more elisions ...
>
>
> In any case, I have no vested interest in promoting GIMP adoption, I
> have only presented it as part of my job. I present my findings to
> those who might find them actionable, here on the list. I won't appeal
> to emotion or argue about it, I only state what I find: the name GIMP
> is tainted. You might as well name the program Swastika (which was a
> symbol of peace before the Third Reich).
That's a fairly extreme metaphor to use right after saying you wouldn't
appeal to emotion, no?

I've introduced some to GIMP and found others already using it and no
one has mentioned being put off by the name yet.  I believe that it
offends you but I think you're an outlier.

Patrick