3 ms·

Can I say something shallow? I talked to a couple of programmers about the project, and they laughed at me because of the name, dismissing the project and not

Can I say something shallow? I talked to a couple of programmers about the project, and they laughed at me because of the name, dismissing the project and not even wanting to hear about it. Everyone keeps saying that the name is not important, citing examples like Yahoo, Google etc., but it is. I was reading about how execs didn't want to replace Android with Cyogenmod, and I bet part of the reason is the name. It's hard to pronounce, it contains "mod" in it, and it sounds like a tool for hackers instead of a reputable operating system that corporate would be ok having on all their phones. "Svelte" sounds like a name for a dish washer brand.

rich_harris 10y ago
'Svelte' means 'slender and elegant', 'urbane', 'attractively thin, graceful, and stylish', or 'lithe', depending on which dictionary you consult. It comes from the Italian svelto meaning 'quick'. Those are all excellent connotations! But yes, it seems that a lot of people, at least here in the US, aren't familiar with the word. It doesn't matter though. I build tools for my job because the existing ones don't meet my needs, and then I share them because there's no good reason not to. I couldn't care less whether or not people use them as long as the ideas get out there. So if someone decides not to use Svelte because they don't like the name, all I do is shrug.
- halfdan 10y ago
  They should probably release an americanized version called "swell" - http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=swell http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=swell
- nkkollaw 10y ago
  I'm from Italy and so were 2 of my programmer friends. We're used to English, though. The other guy is from Sweden. I wonder if it sounds better to people whose first language is English. It doesn't seem like you care (I guess rightfully), just a note.
coldtea 10y ago
>I talked to a couple of programmers about the project, and they laughed at me because of the name, dismissing the project and not even wanting to hear about it. Clearly a sign that you should avoid listening to said programmers on any important matter from now on, because they are 16-year olds inside (not to mention they haven't even bothered to open a dictionary in their lives). Reminds me of people that laughed at iPad's name (because of the maxi-pad connotations).
- nkkollaw 10y ago
  Perhaps. I wonder if other people think the same way.
jaclaz 10y ago
Coincidentally, it is also in the title here (arstechnica.com): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13349986 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13349986 http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/01/dells-latest-xps-13-de-still-delivers-linux-now-embraces-svelte-hardware/ http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/01/dells-latest-xps-13-d... So your friend programmers may take note that it is a valid word.
- nkkollaw 10y ago
  No one is saying it isn't a valid word, though.

rich_harris 10y ago

'Svelte' means 'slender and elegant', 'urbane', 'attractively thin, graceful, and stylish', or 'lithe', depending on which dictionary you consult. It comes from the Italian svelto meaning 'quick'. Those are all excellent connotations! But yes, it seems that a lot of people, at least here in the US, aren't familiar with the word. It doesn't matter though. I build tools for my job because the existing ones don't meet my needs, and then I share them because there's no good reason not to. I couldn't care less whether or not people use them as long as the ideas get out there. So if someone decides not to use Svelte because they don't like the name, all I do is shrug.

halfdan 10y ago
They should probably release an americanized version called "swell" - http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=swell http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=swell
nkkollaw 10y ago
I'm from Italy and so were 2 of my programmer friends. We're used to English, though. The other guy is from Sweden. I wonder if it sounds better to people whose first language is English. It doesn't seem like you care (I guess rightfully), just a note.

coldtea 10y ago

>I talked to a couple of programmers about the project, and they laughed at me because of the name, dismissing the project and not even wanting to hear about it. Clearly a sign that you should avoid listening to said programmers on any important matter from now on, because they are 16-year olds inside (not to mention they haven't even bothered to open a dictionary in their lives). Reminds me of people that laughed at iPad's name (because of the maxi-pad connotations).

nkkollaw 10y ago
Perhaps. I wonder if other people think the same way.

jaclaz 10y ago

Coincidentally, it is also in the title here (arstechnica.com): https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13349986 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13349986 http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/01/dells-latest-xps-13-de-still-delivers-linux-now-embraces-svelte-hardware/ http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/01/dells-latest-xps-13-d... So your friend programmers may take note that it is a valid word.

nkkollaw 10y ago
No one is saying it isn't a valid word, though.