Niels Peter Strandberg wrote:
> > 2) too similar to the XML:DB name. I have already heard people naming
> > one for the other. This assonance might seem stupid at first, but since
> > the goal here is to convince other big players (Software AG, Oracle,
> > IBM) to join the XML:DB effort and possibly move it to the JCP under an
> > ASF sponsoring, it would be *MUCH* harder to convince them if there is
> > too much of an assonance between the API and its proposed
> > implementation.
>
> Ok! Then why not specify the type of db. "XIndice - XML Database" as
> part of the name! Then you know what it is!
> It could be part of the logo:
>
> X I n d i c e <- large
> XML Database <- small
I have absolutely no objection about this, what is probably needed is a
tagline below the logo, something like "native database for your XML
stuff" (it's a stupid phrase, I know, just to give you an idea.
> > 3) as a recent Slashdot thread showed, a name that resembles 'XML
> > databases' seems to suggest to the wide majority of newbies a relational
> > database which data is stored on disk as XML files!!! I was shocked to
> > see that, but I was shocked when I heard the same from other (non
> > XML-related) ASF members! A more neutral name allows us to avoid those
> > preconcepts that would scare people away from it.
>
> Well dbXML is not for newbies! What about a Relational Data Base, is
> that a "dating" service?
Don't get me wrong: dbXML might not be for newbies (granted), but if a
name scares them away there is sure less markets to reach.
> > 4) I believe a native XML database will be much more useful in the
> > document-centric XML world than it the data-centric one. 'dbXML' seems
> > to suggest the opposite and will very likely create violent friction
> > with the relational-based type of people that might judge the concept
> > from their perception of the name, rather than from the actual contents.
>
> I think your wrong here! We are just in the beginning of the XML era. It
> is a little to early to make this kind of jugement. We might see that
> XML DataBases could replace RDBs. Time will tell!
Relational databases were invented *exactly* to replace hierarchical
databases that weren't considered powerful enough for structured data.
People were saying the exact same that you are saying about 'relational'
databases 30 years ago. Oracle showed the world in early 80's that an
RDBMS could be as fast as a hierarchical one, but much more powerful for
table-oriented data. This, alone, made it one of the most important
software company in the world.
Future time will not tell anything to those who can't learn from time
that already elapsed.
> Is "index" a better word than "DataBase"? It make me think of a fulltext
> search engine.
I personally don't like the XIndice name, but choose to respect the
choice of the dbXML community.
> > 5) XIndice is composed of an italian word, resonating with latin.
> > Isn't hard to find people that understand a little latin between those
> > that work in the document-centric XML communities.
>
> I had no idear that "Indice" was an italian word, and that it mend
> "index", and I don't do Latin!
> So I might be in minority. But the XML people is very well educated so
> they properly understands a little Italian and Latin.
>
> I have been involved in creating brands as an former advertising man.
> You have to understand the values of a "brand". I live in Sweden, and
> here it has been a religion for many large companies to change names
> every 2 year. What they are doing is throwing away all money and trust
> invested in the "old" name! To start over again!! I can see the board
> of directors - now why don't we change the name of our company to
> something new today? Any suggestions? .... Done!
>
> Your are a bunch of very good developers, and makes great products! But
> that do not makes you good sales persons - does it?
No, it does not, you are right. But we are not going to change the name
every two years, XIndice is here to remain. possibly forever.
At the end, a name doesn't matter.... is GTK+ a good name? is KDE? is
YACC? is HURD?
You are judging the present and the present is a transition, thus a very
unfair moment to evaluate something.
In a year, after a few releases are made, articles start to appear,
projects start to use it and books start to emerge, I'm sure the people
who remembered that XIndice was formerly known as dbXML would be very
few :)
--
Stefano Mazzocchi One must still have chaos in oneself to be
able to give birth to a dancing star.
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Friedrich Nietzsche
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