Re: Using Postgres as an alias

On Thursday 27 September 2007 04:37, Pavel Stehule wrote:
> > So you're in the "Don't care what people call the project" camp rather
> > than the "We need to change but this is the wrong way" one?
> >
> > Just trying to understand your thinking on this.
>
> I have not any problem with pronunciation PostgreSQL or Postgre or
> Postgres. (czech language isn't any problem with this). I can
> understand, so others languages can have problem. Accepting Postgres
> as official short name can good compromise. My sorted arguments:
>
> 1. PostgreSQL is good trademark now.

Actually PostgreSQL's trademark status, in a legal sense, is pretty much
non-existent, and will never be much more than that. The same can be said
for Postgres though, so I think this is a wash.

> 2. change name will do: a) problems for packagers or b)
> inconsistencies between name and packages.

It creates more work for packagers, but I haven't heard any non-starters in
this area. I'll grant that it will probably lead to some additional confusion
in the user base initially.

> 3. All well products has DB or SQL in name.

Oracle, Informix, Progress, Ingres, Vertica.... I think there is enough
evidence on both sides that this can work or not. I'd give the nod that
people who know software development but know nothing of open source
databases are probably more likely to find us with SQL in the product name,
but I'm not really sure how valid that is (for example, we are the #3 link in
google for "open source database", I don't think that would change)

> 4. PostgreSQL is well indexed by google - change name will do worst rank
>

True in a strict sense for the term "PostgreSQL", but "Postgres" is also well
ranked, but by changing the name to Postgres, you'd likely combined most of
these references, and also pick up some other uses like Postgre that should
decline if we move to the short form.

> The change of name is possible, but I believe, it has to be related to
> change of product (add more not SQL features (streaming database
> features, etc).
>

Interesting thought.

--
Robert Treat
Build A Brighter LAMP :: Linux Apache {middleware} Postgres