Original name of sam, alef, acid, acme etc?

[rob@plan9.bell-labs.com rob@plan9.bell-labs.com]

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