* Original name of sam, alef, acid, acme etc?
@ 1996-10-16 1:35 Kenji
0 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Kenji @ 1996-10-16 1:35 UTC (permalink / raw)
Although it may sound silly, I would like to know what are the origin of
names such as sam, alef, acid, acme, mothra etc... I know 81/2 is from
a title of movie. ^_^
Kenji
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* Original name of sam, alef, acid, acme etc?
@ 1996-10-16 16:42 rob
0 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: rob @ 1996-10-16 16:42 UTC (permalink / raw)
The hermeneutics of naming yields few insights. Things are named
usually because the name is nice (sam), or there is some private
reference hard to decode (8½), or in honour (perhaps backhanded)
of another system (mothra), or an indication of expectation (Plan 9,
Acme), or just because (acid). None of the names tell you anything
helpful.
Despite the lack of information, those who guess at reasons for naming
generate volumes of apocrypha. The real reason is usually, "because".
When I gave regular talks about Plan 9 from Bell Labs, most times
someone would ask if the name was in reference to the movie.
Remarkably often, the question would be phrased, "Do you know
there's a movie called `Plan 9 from Outer Space'?" When I would
answer in the affirmative, the questioner would shake his head and
say, "What a coincidence."
-rob
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* Original name of sam, alef, acid, acme etc?
@ 1996-10-16 15:57 Tom
0 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Tom @ 1996-10-16 15:57 UTC (permalink / raw)
> Although it may sound silly, I would like to know what are the origin of
> names such as sam, alef, acid, acme, mothra
The original Unix editor was called ed,
so Rob called his first screen editor jim,
and the next one sam. I don't think there's
any more to it than that -- you certainly
won't get a straight answer from him. Alef
is named analagously to B and C, just choosing
from a new alphabet. Ask philw about acid.
Acme is probably named after Wile E. Coyote's
equipment supplier, by the time it appeared I'd
given up on asking Rob about names of programs.
Mothra is named after the Japanese horror-movie
monster. See the `100% mothra-compatible' logo
on <http://plan9.bell-labs.com/plan9/index.html>
for a picture. I picked the name because
Netscape's browser is called Mozilla (a portmanteau
of Mosaic (its progenitor) and Godzilla) and mothra
is its Plan 9 `competition.'
Speaking of mothra, I used to be embarassed and annoyed
that I couldn't make a product as comprehensive &
featuriferous as Netscape's. Having been stuck using
Mozilla for a couple of months (I don't have a Plan 9
machine at Pixar), I'm astounded at how poorly it
performs. The only things it beats mothra on are
features that I never got to, mainly tables, hard-copy
output & netnews. Its page formatting sucks dry air,
its navigation buttons never do what you want, it
makes it as difficult as possible to type urls, its
menu layout is, at best, bizarre. I look forward to
not having to use it any more.
--
Tom Duff
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* Original name of sam, alef, acid, acme etc?
@ 1996-10-16 11:28 pete.fenelon
0 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: pete.fenelon @ 1996-10-16 11:28 UTC (permalink / raw)
>
> mothra: you're japanese and you've never heard of Mothra? shame on you! :)
> next thing, you'll be telling us you've never heard of Godzilla
> or Rodan either!
'Cos they're Mosura and Gojira in Japanese :)
8-1/2 is called that as it was Pike's 8 and a halfth windowing system -- it
also happens to be a film by Fellini.
pete
--
Pete Fenelon, 39 Broadway, Fulford, York, YO1 4JP, UK Tel: +44 1904 670334
pete.fenelon@zetnet.co.uk "There's no room for enigmas in built-up areas."
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* Original name of sam, alef, acid, acme etc?
@ 1996-10-16 8:24 Kenji
0 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Kenji @ 1996-10-16 8:24 UTC (permalink / raw)
> mothra: you're japanese and you've never heard of Mothra? shame on you! :)
> next thing, you'll be telling us you've never heard of Godzilla
> or Rodan either!
Actually, I was very doubt of it. However, I couldn't imagine it's
really true. :-)
Kenji
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* Original name of sam, alef, acid, acme etc?
@ 1996-10-16 6:11 ralph
0 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: ralph @ 1996-10-16 6:11 UTC (permalink / raw)
>Although it may sound silly, I would like to know what are the origin of
>names such as sam, alef, acid, acme, mothra etc... I know 81/2 is from
>a title of movie. ^_^
acme is the name of the company that Wily Coyote (the Roadrunner's nemesis)
buys his equipment from...
mothra: you're japanese and you've never heard of Mothra? shame on you! :)
next thing, you'll be telling us you've never heard of Godzilla
or Rodan either!
r
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
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1996-10-16 1:35 Original name of sam, alef, acid, acme etc? Kenji
1996-10-16 6:11 ralph
1996-10-16 8:24 Kenji
1996-10-16 11:28 pete.fenelon
1996-10-16 15:57 Tom
1996-10-16 16:42 rob
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