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posted by martyb on Friday August 30 2019, @11:03PM   Printer-friendly
from the renaming-for-the-nanny-state dept.

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/08/28/gimp_open_source_image_editor_forked_to_fix_problematic_name/

(Emphasis in original. --Ed.)

GIMP is a longstanding project, first announced in November 1995. The name was originally an acronym for General Image Manipulation Program but this was changed to GNU Image Manipulation Program.

The new fork springs from a discussion on Gitlab, where the source code is hosted. The discussion has been hidden but is available on web archives here. A topic titled "Consider renaming GIMP to a less offensive name," opened by developer Christopher Davis, stated:

I'd like to propose renaming GIMP, due to the baggage behind the name. The most modern and often used version of the word "gimp" is an ableist insult. This is also the colloquial usage of the word. In addition to the pain of the definition, there's also the marketability issue. Acronyms are difficult to remember, and they end up pronounced instead of read as their parts. "GIMP" does not give a hint towards the function of the app, and it's hard to market something that's either used as an insult or a sex reference.

[...] The subject of the suitability of the name is not new, and is enshrined in the official FAQ:

"I don't like the name GIMP. Will you change it?"

With all due respect, no. We've been using the name GIMP for more than 20 years and it's widely known ... on top of that, we feel that in the long run, sterilization of language will do more harm than good. ... Finally, if you still have strong feelings about the name "GIMP", you should feel free to promote the use of the long form GNU Image Manipulation Program or maintain your own releases of the software under a different name.

The Glimpse project is therefore entirely within the spirit of open source. "We believe free software should be accessible to everyone, and in this case a re-brand is both a desirable and very straightforward fix that could attract a whole new generation of users and contributors," says the About page.

Is now the time to accept that, to get GIMP into the mainstream, it needs a rename?


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  • (Score: 2) by Pino P on Saturday August 31 2019, @11:37AM (1 child)

    by Pino P (4721) on Saturday August 31 2019, @11:37AM (#888185) Journal

    First, would you agree with the following premise?
    "It is desirable that people be able to support their survival without becoming a drain on the welfare system or the criminal justice system."

    Once you agree with that:
    Policies promoting diversity in the labor force create demand for the labor of people in marginalized groups so that they may support themselves. They also ensure that companies' product development incorporates the views of people in marginalized groups, as a way of ensuring that their specific needs are met. These needs can vary substantially, particularly with respect to personal care products.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 2) by Kell on Saturday August 31 2019, @12:56PM

    by Kell (292) on Saturday August 31 2019, @12:56PM (#888204)

    This is actually a really good answer - I agree with everything that was said here. I will, however, give my own as well below.

    --
    Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.