Arch name and identity

HalosGhost · 2013-08-13 13:59:10

So, I've been an Arch user for about a year now, and something has been bothering me for a while. It seems there's a discrepancy with how Arch calls itself. In text, I mostly see the full name written as "Arch Linux", though I feel like the logo and most pictures often cast it as "Archlinux."

I imagine one way might be seen as "more correct" than the other, but I'm wondering which would be "better." For instance, if "Arch Linux" really is preferable, then shouldn't the AUR be named "ALUR" (pronounced "alure" which I think is a better name anyway)?

Anyway, "Archlinux" or "Arch Linux", and why? Go.

All the best,

-HG

Last edited by HalosGhost (2013-08-13 14:02:00)

karol · 2013-08-13 14:25:27

The official, canonical etc. name is Arch Linux, not ArchLinux or AL.
I can't find the rule for that anywhere in the wiki, apart from https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php?ti … on=history

HalosGhost · 2013-08-13 14:27:38

karol wrote:

The official, canonical etc. name is Arch Linux, not ArchLinux or AL.
I can't find the rule for that anywhere in the wiki, apart from https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php?ti … on=history

I've had similar luck searching, but my question isn't really "which is correct?" but rather "which do you prefer and why?"

All the best,

-HG

Trilby · 2013-08-13 14:37:45

I don't think "Arch Linux" being the correct full name would necessitate ALUR (although I do like the alure of it!)

My full name is Trilby White (ok not really, but it's my software 'pen name'), but one might still refer to code on my github pages as "Trilby's Github Repo", right?

HalosGhost · 2013-08-13 14:41:18

Trilby wrote:

I don't think "Arch Linux" being the correct full name would necessitate ALUR (although I do like the alure of it!)

Necessitate? No, but validate? Yes

All the best,

-HG

WonderWoofy · 2013-08-13 14:49:13

@Trilby, I demand you change your github repo to "Trilby White's Github Repo"! I will not further evaluate the efficiency and usefulness of your software until you do.

So HalosGhost, are you then asking some kind of official entity what is "preferred" or are you asking us mere mortal users? In my mind, it would seem as though it *should* be Arch Linux. I wouldn't call Gentoo Gentoolinux, and if the name was Archlinux... would we then technically be Archlinux Linux? My mind can't take such things!

HalosGhost · 2013-08-13 14:51:33

WonderWoofy wrote:

So HalosGhost, are you then asking some kind of official entity what is "preferred" or are you asking us mere mortal users?

Just my fellow mortals. Perhaps this thread would be better if we added a small poll?

Arch Linux - 4
Archlinux - 0

Sound good?

All the best,

-HG

Last edited by HalosGhost (2013-08-13 14:51:55)

Unia · 2013-08-13 14:56:57

Thank you HalosGhost, now I'm also falling over ArchWiki instead of Arch Wiki!

(and shouldn't your forum name be Halos_Ghost? )

Last edited by Unia (2013-08-13 14:57:21)

HalosGhost · 2013-08-13 14:58:24

Unia wrote:

(and shouldn't your forum name be Halos_Ghost? )

Off-topic, but my handle was originally very formalized "Halo's Ghost", it's since degenerated and now I mostly use "halosghost"

All the best,

-HG

Trilby · 2013-08-13 15:00:21

I don't like spaces in names. AllWrittenLanguageShouldRelyOnCamelCase.

ANOKNUSA · 2013-08-13 15:08:29

I've always figured it was "Arch Linux" since, in the English language you're just stringing together two proper nouns to form a more distinct proper noun for the sake of branding. "Arch" is simply too generic to act as a brand name in the public consciousness, unlike Gentoo, SuSE, Ubuntu, etc; so "Linux" gets tacked on to clarify. That, and the first sentence on the homepage says so. As for the AUR thing, it's meant for Arch users, us folks on the inside who have made it through the rite of passage that is installing and configuring Arch, taken on the task of reading through PKGBUILDs and building things from source, and have earned the right to be on more familiar terms with it.

Also, Archlinux looks hideous, can be difficult to read and screws up pronunciation. Consider:

- Debiangnulinux
- Fedoralinux
- Redhatlinux
- Crunchbanglinux
- Opensuselinux
- Linuxmint
- Gentoolinux
- Funtoolinux
- Sabayonlinux

P.S.: It's my (probably unfair) assumption that all the bloggers out there who become weekend Archers for the hardcore Linux cred take one look at the logo and assume it's a single word, instead of actually reading the first sentence on the Arch homepage. The same folks who take it on themselves to write the installation guides that lead new users to the forums like lost lambs, stuck in the middle of the installation with no idea that a Beginner's Guide exists. But that's just me being a crank.

karol · 2013-08-13 15:17:48

WonderWoofy wrote:

@Trilby, I demand you change your github repo to "Trilby White's Github Repo"! I will not further evaluate the efficiency and usefulness of your software until you do.

Oh, c'mon, can't you see that it's just a parrot in a hat? Cut him some slack.

Trilby wrote:

I don't like spaces in names. AllWrittenLanguageShouldRelyOnCamelCase.

+1
Hottentottenstottertrottelmutterlattengitterkottertobeutelrattenattenteter would be more legible written with camel case.

drcouzelis · 2013-08-13 16:08:22

It's Arch Linux. Citation: the Wikipedia.

HalosGhost wrote:

For instance, if "Arch Linux" really is preferable, then shouldn't the AUR be named "ALUR" (pronounced "alure" which I think is a better name anyway)?

You just made me realize how dumb I sound when I pronounce "AUR" as "hour".

alphaniner · 2013-08-13 16:33:15

I've never spoken it, but in my head I 'pronounce' it a bit like 'are' but drawn out...

IOW, arrrr!

Feel better?

HalosGhost · 2013-08-13 16:41:43

drcouzelis wrote:

You just made me realize how dumb I sound when I pronounce "AUR" as "hour".

alphaniner wrote:

I've never spoken it, but in my head I 'pronounce' it a bit like 'are' but drawn out...

I've always spelled it out: "A. U. R.", but honestly, I prefer "alure" for ALUR

All the best,

-HG

WonderWoofy · 2013-08-13 19:02:59

I too think of the AUR as 'are' and/or 'arrrrr'.

Jristz · 2013-08-15 06:01:30

Arch Linux <- Written in a normal way like ... ... now
Archlinux <- when I enumerated or making references
aɾtʃ.ˈli.nu.ks̄ <- How I pronoun it, note: I pronounce linux in that same way and ks̄ as a different syllabe too

AUR <- So Aur is AUR unles I miss or misswritte is as AUr
ˈauɾ <- So Aparently I'm the only one that pronoun AUR in that way

donniezazen · 2013-08-19 06:59:11

More than what we would like to call it I think it is also important to consider how search engines perceive "archlinux" vs "arch linux." It seems to me "archlinux might give better search results.

fukawi2 · 2013-08-19 08:40:49

Moving to "Arch Discussion"

clfarron4 · 2013-08-19 12:04:03

I've always written ArchLinux and said A. U. R.

Arogers10 · 2013-08-20 17:37:31

I much prefer "ArchLinux": no space between Arch and Linux but you must capitalize both to represent different entities. It's like that in the official logo (besides the capital 'L" but that's ok, it's just a logo ) and seeing as the Arch prefix is defined as "primary" as in archenemy or archbishop, "ArchLinux" better portrays Arch's superiority while still allowing Arch and Linux to retain their individuality.

As a side-note I think Archlinux (without the capital 'L') looks awful in regular text and AUR should be pronounced like "ow-er" or "our"

Last edited by Arogers10 (2013-08-20 17:39:11)

ANOKNUSA · 2013-08-20 17:53:00

For those out there who, like me, like to examine mundane things way too deeply, here's an interview with Arch founder Judd Vinet from back in the day. Now the question becomes: Since Judd is Canadian, how does he pronounce his last name? Is it the English-sounding Vin-net, or the more French-sounding Veh-nay?

Arch Linux

#1 2013-08-13 13:59:10

Arch name and identity

#2 2013-08-13 14:25:27

Re: Arch name and identity

#3 2013-08-13 14:27:38

Re: Arch name and identity

#4 2013-08-13 14:37:45

Re: Arch name and identity

#5 2013-08-13 14:41:18

Re: Arch name and identity

#6 2013-08-13 14:49:13

Re: Arch name and identity

#7 2013-08-13 14:51:33

Re: Arch name and identity

#8 2013-08-13 14:56:57

Re: Arch name and identity

#9 2013-08-13 14:58:24

Re: Arch name and identity

#10 2013-08-13 15:00:21

Re: Arch name and identity

#11 2013-08-13 15:08:29

Re: Arch name and identity

#12 2013-08-13 15:17:48

Re: Arch name and identity

#13 2013-08-13 16:08:22

Re: Arch name and identity

#14 2013-08-13 16:33:15

Re: Arch name and identity

#15 2013-08-13 16:41:43

Re: Arch name and identity

#16 2013-08-13 19:02:59

Re: Arch name and identity

#17 2013-08-15 06:01:30

Re: Arch name and identity

#18 2013-08-19 06:59:11

Re: Arch name and identity

#19 2013-08-19 08:40:49

Re: Arch name and identity

#20 2013-08-19 12:04:03

Re: Arch name and identity

#21 2013-08-20 17:37:31

Re: Arch name and identity

#22 2013-08-20 17:53:00

Re: Arch name and identity

Board footer