The best name for a native Haiku Browser would be…
Browser.
I know it breaks the nice Net…/Web… naming-scheme and it has no reference to Haiku/BeOS, but:
Most of the names that have been dropped here have little to no meaning to a user that is completely
new to Haiku.
Today, the Browser is one of the most important tools on a computer. A user should not
have to thin about or event to search for it.
Furthermore, Browser - in it’s humble simplicity - stands for everything Haiku stands for: Clarity, simplicity - serenity.
The name Browser for - well, the browser - makes you (at least it makes me) feel like there is absolutely no doubt about what you can expect when you click the icon/menu entry the first time: A streamlined, efficient tool to browse the web that does not get in your way and let’s you do the job.
Indeed, “Browser” could have been a simple and descriptive name for a web browser. So in this case, why nobody else before used this as name for his web browser?
I’ll take a really explicit example: applications in OSX.
If you look the common applications, they all have a name which match their functionality. I’m thinking of Mail, Address Book, DVD Player, TextEdit, Preview… And even if some of these applications have a “i” as prefix, their names are still intuitive: iCal, iPhoto, iMovie… So, what the damn hell they called the browser Safari?
Actually, a web browser is more than a part of a system, it’s a separate application.
Also, this application is one of the most important ( not the majority can pretend using a system without a web browser, even more since the Web 2.0 is on ). And as an important application it should have a personality.
That’s why this thread began, and that’s why I’ll disagree with this name.
Then, if this name is chosen, I would have no problem.
Actually I do not want this discussion to be a ‘bikeshed’ discussion so I did not submit any suggestion recently, and would not.
However, today my wife suggested a name so I post it here. (actually, I was forced to )
How about ‘Andromeda’?
It is well known to many people over the world, and sounds pretty, and gives us feeling of exploration (of course not ‘sea’ but ‘the space’). If the name does not imply it is a web browser, than you may call it ‘Andromeda Browser’.
I didn’t read all the comment, but here’s my suggestion:
Ginko Browser
Ginko is a Haiku-related word that means “A walk outside to observe nature and write haiku” that could mean: “Going to surf the web to observe all the net and enjoy it”
Excellent suggestion! Ginko is also a species of tree with a very unique leaf (biradial veins instead of branching) so it ties into the “leaf menu” and Haiku logo leaf theme. Plus, Ginko is thought to improve memory. I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the more the web substitutes for a working memory. Multiple meanings are more fun.
Having recently watched a Taiko drum performance I’d rather think that name would be better for a drum or music app
As for this never ending thread, I do think a lot of the ideas are pretty good. I have continued to brainstorm myself and my current favorite idea actually came from my (non technical) girlfriend. It hasn’t been mentioned here yet, as far as I can see. So in other words Tranquility is pretty much out, but I’m keeping this new idea to myself for now
For those who don’t know, I’m the one writing this new browser so at the end of the day I’ll be deciding the name. But even though I may not use the ideas here, I do think this thread has become a gold mine of names for many other apps!
I sorta lean towards Spanish names; they sound so cool with cars, etc. The Spanish word “Tela” means “web” in English, “rama” (branch), “camino” (road or way), “rio” (river), “tierra” (earth), “porta” (portal),"mundo (world). Maybe “Tela-something” like TelaPorta (“web portal”),or TelaPort (combo of Spanish and English and a play on the English word “teleport” which means obviously jumping from one place to another), TelaNet, TelaMundo (“web world”), TelaRama (“web branch”).
I suggest to call it (Internet browser or Internet + other simple word). I think Internet Explorer makes much more sense than a name like Firefox. If someone doesn’t know what Firefox is, the name won’t give him any hints.
Every one will understand what Internet Browser is.
Staying away from strange names and to just use simple and easy to recognize names is the right way for usability and simplicity in my opinion.
Hmm, guess someone is in for along read;-) Congratulations on Haiku Alpha. At last something that will give MS a race for their money!
As for the browser name, in my view it would be better to stick to the Haiku direction, rather than turning back to Be/Beos/Dan0 (this without disrespect as they anyway should be given some credit/gratitude for giving the base/direction)
Therefore I think we should not knit on with Netpositive or anything like that but rather stick to somewhat mysterious yet simple names like Haiku.
I’m no expert either on the subject of Haiku or Japanese for that matter but when reading about Haiku and it’s meaning there are two names that seem to be related (in a sort of big way):
Kireji and Kigo
Thought they might do well one as a name for the webbrowser and one as a name for the computer-browser.