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Linus is self-aware enough that I'm sure there's a kernel of truth to that joke, but both git and mercurial were clearly inspired by the BitKeeper fiasco. They
by slavik81 7y ago
Linus is self-aware enough that I'm sure there's a kernel of truth to that joke, but both git and mercurial were clearly inspired by the BitKeeper fiasco. They describe an unpleasant and ill-tempered person, respectively.
There's a lot of different ways that you could interpret the name Linus chose. That's part of what made it clever.
- chrismorgan 7y ago“Mercurial” doesn’t mean ill-tempered. It typically means fickle, changing. That can be related to moods (regularly pleasant, but inclined to fly off the handle with little provocation) but that is by no means its only application. It can also mean sprightly (connecting with the “changing” meaning), which is quite the opposite of ill-tempered.
- DoreenMichele 7y agoMercurial also means quick witted.
- slavik81 7y agoInteresting. I don't think I've heard it used in a positive way before. If I knew anything at all about Mercury in Roman mythology, perhaps the other possible interpretations would have been more obvious.