mike@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Mike Smithwick) (09/01/89)
[]
Ok, so I'm late on this. Last week the official "Mike Smithwick's Software
Naming Committee" sat down and scanned over 14 pages of submissions derived
from the kindness of the UseNet community. Each judge was given their own copy
of the OFFICIAL name list, and was instructed to grade each name on a scale
of 0 to 5. The scores were then submitted to Funk and Wagnells for tallying
where they've been kept in a hermetically sealed mayonnaise jar since last
Thursday. The results follow.(The fact that each judge had a completely
different set of selections complicated things a bit).
The names I liked combine a sense of elegance to reflect the general feel
of Galileo. I like something which sounds vaguely foreign. The names
must generate some curiosity on part of the potiential buyer, to make them
pick the box off of the shelf. And the names should be fun to say.
I didn't like purely descriptive names, as they were too utilitarian and
unoriginal ("Desktop Astronomer", etc). Names with "Star" or "Sky" in them
were out since most other planetarium programs use them.
So, without further adeau, May I have the envelope please?
Most usable names (with various comments from test subjects) :
Odyssey
Nova
Celestica ("sounds like the name of a Porno queen")
Astronomica (I suggested this, sounds like Wolfram's Mathematica)
Stellaria (like the "latin" sound of this and the last two)
Vista (pretty, and kind of descriptive)
Galaxy
Distant Suns (mysterious and evocative)
The above scored 4 and 4+, there were no 5s.
Next follow names which scored 3 points each. Close, but no cigar.
Starview (Actually one of my original working titles, kinda bland)
NightWonder (fun to say, sounds like strictly a kids program though)
Star Track (ha ha ha)
Copernicus (same spirit as "Galileo", but who knows who
Copernicus was?)
SkyWise (not bad, but still kinda dull)
ad Astra (pretty,fun,but requires explaining, means "to the stars")
Now ladeez and gentlemen, we have various entries deserving
honorable mention :
Most "commercial" name (read, "it'll SELL software!")
Porn Star
Most frequently suggested name(s) :
Copernicus
Star Seach
Most commonly suggested joke name :
Thousand (or Ten Thousand or 1000 Billion) Points of Light
Least commonly suggested joke name :
Star Potato
Most amusing comment given after the entry :
"If I win, tell me when my fifteen minutes of fame are coming up,
so I can shave."
Best name referring to a movie :
My God it's Full of Stars!
Worst pun :
Statle (from Star and Tell)
Most inexplicable name :
Sore Eyes late at Night
Most redundant and repetitive name :
Universal Universe Utility
Most fun name(s) :
StarGawk!
SkyFinger
Most Wishful Thinking name from the programmers standpoint :
Babe Magnet
Most Whimsical Name with a Planet in it :
Pluto on 30 cents a Day
Prettiest Name :
Sitara (the Hindi word for Star)
And finally , the Name I Would Most Like to Use That Won't Fit on the Box :
The Best Damned Star Program in the Known Universe so Buy it
Before I Come Over to Your House and Beat the Sh*t out of Your Dog!
----------------------------------------------
I received over 100 email letters, (that's why I couldn't respond to
everyone) with most people suggesting several names. I didn't receive
A SINGLE entry from Lauren Brown. :-(
----------------------------------------------
Finally, the REAL decision. Our judges were struck by the name
"Distant Suns". While originally suggested with a smiley face
around it, it keeps on coming back to me. It has a sense of wonder
and mystery about it. I'm not quite ready to go with that yet, so what
I am asking is a vote on the names in the top list. Vote for your top
two favorites. Remember, we're leaning towards "Distant Suns", so I need
your opinions on that as well, even if you don't like it as much as
others.
Also, Dr. Tom Joseph of University of Kansas will win a copy of the program
for his entry "Sitara". I have selected this as my company name. Galileo
upgrades from 2.0 to 3.0 will be handled by Sitara Software, pending
the signing of a contract with a real publisher.
----------------------------------------------
And we thank you for your support!
*** mike (still looking for a publisher) smithwick ***
"Los Angeles : Where neon goes to die"
[disclaimer : nope, I don't work for NASA, I take full blame for my ideas]unland@cbmvax.UUCP (Rick Unland - Regional Support) (09/02/89)
In article <31129@ames.arc.nasa.gov> mike@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Mike Smithwick) writes:
$[]
$
$
$Most usable names (with various comments from test subjects) :
$
$ Odyssey
$ Nova
$ Celestica ("sounds like the name of a Porno queen")
$ Astronomica (I suggested this, sounds like Wolfram's Mathematica)
$ Stellaria (like the "latin" sound of this and the last two)
$ Vista (pretty, and kind of descriptive)
$ Galaxy
$ Distant Suns (mysterious and evocative)
$
$
$The above scored 4 and 4+, there were no 5s.
have to say that my vote goes for the Distant Suns entry also. Great Name!
--
******* Rick Unland Commodore Business Machines ****************************
* Usenet: uunet!cbmvax!unland ARPA: cbmvax!unland!@uunet.UU.NET *
* These opinions are my Own! Not my employers, unless so stated! *
* "I thought they said the Commodore could stand up to anything!" *
*********************************************** Earth Girls Are Easy! **********jea@merlin.cvs.rochester.edu (Joanne Albano) (09/02/89)
Mike,
I hope there will also be a means by which your original
Galileo 1.0 customers can upgrade economically as well.
Please keep us informed.
Joanne Albano, Center for Visual Science (716) 275-3055
Room 256 Meliora Hall, Univ. of Rochester, Rochester NY 14627
UUCP: {rutgers,allegra,decvax}!rochester!ur-cvsvax!jea
INTERNET: jea@snipe.cvs.rochester.edu
Joanne Albano, Center for Visual Science (716) 275-3055
Room 256 Meliora Hall, Univ. of Rochester, Rochester NY 14627
UUCP: {rutgers,allegra,decvax}!rochester!ur-cvsvax!jea
INTERNET: jea@snipe.cvs.rochester.eduswarren@eugene.uucp (Steve Warren) (09/05/89)
Distant Suns
--Steve
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