[fpc-other] Re: [fpc-pascal] OT: Rename for Pascal

[Vincent Snijders]

Tom Walsh schreef:
> ik wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I wonder how can we make Pascal and FPC more attractive to people, and
>> I believe in what Donal Knuth have said:
>>
>> "The most important thing in the programming language is the name. A
>> language will not succeed without a good name. I have recently
>> invented a very good name and now I am looking for a suitable
>> language."
>>
>> So I believe that  if we will change the name, it might help. What do
>> you think ? And what name will you prefer to see FPC as ?
>>
>>   
> 
> FWIW, I am in the early stages of a commercial development using Free 
> Pascal and have to submit weekly progress reports.  I cringe whenever I 
> have to put the phrase "Free Pascal Compiler" in the report!  This 
> project is with a company that just spent 4+ million US dollars on a 
> Java solution (client and server side) to replace all their old Pascal 
> code, then, their clients told them they didn't like the Java solution, 
> that they wanted to keep using the Pascal stuff!
> 
> Not that the compiler is junky, but the word "Free" does have a negative 
> connotation.  Many business people still associate "free software" with 
> that of being low-quality.  Business people are used to paying thousands 
> of dollars for any development software worthy of notice, the word 
> "free" doesn't fit into their thinking.
> 
> Using the word "free" while reporting, or talking to them, about the 
> project is an oxymoron. I am not "free", I get a substantial hourly rate.
> 
> If you renamed it to the "Open Source Pascal Compiler" it would be more 
> accurate?
> 
> Oh, and please, please change the name soon, ok?  I have a lot more of 
> these reports to write...

Maybe for comercial use FPC should stand for Florian's Pascal Compiler.

Vincent