I find "MakeDistinct" more confusing. My votes in decreasing preference:

1. Keep `RemoveDuplicates` name, ensure that important keywords are in the
Javadoc. This reduces churn on our users and is honestly pretty dang
 descriptive.
2. Rename to `Distinct`, which is clear if you're a SQL user and likely
less clear otherwise. This is a backwards-incompatible API change, so we
should do it before we go stable.

I am not super strong that 1 > 2, but I am very strong that "Distinct" >>>
"MakeDistinct" or and "RemoveDuplicates" >>> "AvoidDuplicate".

Dan

On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 10:12 AM, Kenneth Knowles <[email protected]>
wrote:

> The precedent that we use verbs has many exceptions. We have
> ApproximateQuantiles, Values, Keys, WithTimestamps, and I would even
> include Sum (at least when I read it).
>
> Historical note: the predilection towards verbs is from the Google Style
> Guide for Java method names
> <https://google.github.io/styleguide/javaguide.html#s5.2.3-method-names>,
> which states "Method names are typically verbs or verb phrases". But even
> in Google code there are lots of exceptions when it makes sense, like
> Guava's
> Iterables.any(), Iterables.all(), Iterables.toArray(), the entire
> Predicates module, etc. Just an aside; Beam isn't Google code. I suggest we
> use our judgment rather than a policy.
>
> I think "Distinct" is one of those exceptions. It is a standard widespread
> name and also reads better as an adjective. I prefer it, but also don't
> care strongly enough to change it or to change it back :-)
>
> If we must have a verb, I like it as-is more than MakeDistinct and
> AvoidDuplicate.
>
> On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 9:46 AM Jesse Anderson <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> > My original thought for this change was that Crunch uses the class name
> > Distinct. SQL also uses the keyword distinct.
> >
> > Maybe the rule should be changed to adjectives or verbs depending on the
> > context.
> >
> > Using a verb to describe this class really doesn't connote what the class
> > does as succinctly as the adjective.
> >
> > On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 9:40 AM Neelesh Salian <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > First of all, thank you to Daniel, Robert and Jesse for their review on
> > > this: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/BEAM-239
> > >
> > > A point that came up was using verbs explicitly for Transforms.
> > > Here is the PR: https://github.com/apache/incubator-beam/pull/1164
> > >
> > > Posting it to help understand if we have a consensus for it and if yes,
> > we
> > > could perhaps document it for future changes.
> > >
> > > Thank you.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Neelesh Srinivas Salian
> > > Engineer
> > >
> >
>

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