Does ‘The GIMP’ Need A New Name?

By , Published August 24, 2011

This week saw the release of GIMP 2.7.3, complete with a working single window mode.

With GIMP back in the spotlight, I came across a blog post by blogger Nick Ali in which he suggests that it’s time ‘The GIMP’ was given a ‘better name’.

I have personally never been that bothered by the name and its inferences but I do know of people who have refused to install it based solely on that very reason.

Does it need a new name?

In Nick’s post he quotes from a nutritional newsletter item discussing reasons that lead to over eating. (?!)

The quote: -

[Names influence people.]

A while back, someone who operated a healthy cafeteria called to say, “No one is eating in our cafeteria. What should we do?” So we simply changed the names of the foods they served.

Instead of Italian Pasta, we called it Succulent Tuscany Pasta. Or instead of Chocolate Cake, we called it Belgian Black Forest Cake, even though the Black Forest isn’t in Belgium. Once we added a descriptive name, sales jumped by 27 percent. And it’s not just that food. People rated the restaurant better and the chef more competent.

If you believe that something’s going to taste good, you look for the qualities that confirm that. If you believe the milk is spoiled, you drink the milk looking for confirmation of that, too.

I’m not sure food was the best analogy to draw here; I certainly wouldn’t want apps rebranded with lusciously worded prose for a name. Give me plain ol’ ‘Turpial’ over  ’Easy to use free twitter application Turpial‘ ;P

But names are important, particularly in App Stores/Software Centres where they, along with their icons, are pretty much all potential users will judge on. And a name like ‘GIMP’ – which in western countries relates relates to something NSFW – is not the most descriptive of application titles out there…

But

The GIMP is an established ‘brand’ with a significant user base within the OpenSource community and beyond.

I regularly come across forum threads or user comments where people are asked what they used to create their avatar or wallpaper and the response is “the free gimp programme“.

And ‘The GIMP” is not a random name either, but an acronym for ‘The GNU Image Manipulation Programme’.

Poll

So, the question I ask to you folks is: Do you think the GIMP needs to be renamed? Would you feel more comfortable recommending it to others if it was titled differently?

Do you think The GIMP needs a ‘better name’? Vote in the poll below, and leave your suggestions for a new name in the comments.

Related posts:

  1. GIMP 2.7.3 Released With Working Single Window Mode, Layer Groups, More
  2. ‘Single window’ GIMP release delayed – but why?
  3. Fix ‘blank’ photo prints problem in GIMP
Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
  • Myles Tonnies

    Yes. Yes. Yes.

  • akula77 akula77

    Yes they should take “the away” and call it GIMP. The makes it confusing and annoying example: The photoshop, the open office, the whatever.

    • http://www.facebook.com/DustWin Dustin MacDonald

      OpenOffice.org

      • The Negative Shape

        libreoffice.org

    • http://www.facebook.com/DustWin Dustin MacDonald

      OpenOffice.org

    • http://twitter.com/cyrildz cyrildz

      was there a “the” ??  I never said “The Gimp”, always have said “Gimp”, but to people , “GIMP” still strange !

      • House Of Pleasure

        Right, the ‘the’ part is news to me too. Who in his right mind would call it The Gimp? On my panel it says Gnu Image Manipulation Program… Which sound like something dreamed up by an autistic engineer. But where is the ‘the’ in all that? I don’t mind saying GIMP all that much still it should be called that in my panel also.

        I dislike the dog mascot more than the name really. Is that a bad thing to say?

        • http://twitter.com/cyrildz cyrildz

          Maybe Gimp need a new mascot too. Something more related to Photo editing

          • Anonymous

            Totally agree.  Maybe not a mascot, just a meaningful logo. (AND a new name).

        • http://twitter.com/cyrildz cyrildz

          Maybe Gimp need a new mascot too. Something more related to Photo editing

    • http://twitter.com/cyrildz cyrildz

      was there a “the” ??  I never said “The Gimp”, always have said “Gimp”, but to people , “GIMP” still strange !

    • Thomas Wilcox

      Are you Sean Parker in disguise?

    • Anonymous

      GIMP lost its “the” years ago. Officially.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1590248567 Àlex Wifi

    DEFINITELY

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1590248567 Àlex Wifi

    DEFINITELY

  • http://twitter.com/donssword Don McCants

    GIMP has no brand recognition outside of the LINUX community, and I truly believe its name hurts more than helps. Sure, there are ports to Windows and Mac, but Photoshop rules the roost there. When you try and explain GIMP to someone who has never heard of it before, their first reactions is always “WTF?” because of its name. It’s like naming your car the NOVA and trying to sell it in South America, it doesn’t work, and Chevy can testify to that.

    • Peter Moorhead

      Actually it was the NOVA and Spain, since “no va” is spanish for “doesn’t go”, but I absolutely agree with you, lol.

      • http://twitter.com/vanysha95 Ivan

        NOVA is a game.

        • Anonymous

          Nova is a radio station in Finland.

          • Eduardo K

            Nova / Novo is a portuguese word that means “new”

          • Anonymous

            It’s also a TV station in Spain. “Nova” and “no va” are pronounced differently. There would be little confusion between the two.

          • Eduardo K

            Nova / Novo is a portuguese word that means “new”

        • Anonymous

          I thought it was a science program on public television.

      • http://profiles.google.com/nelson.butterworth Nelson Butterworth

        Actually, it was completely bogus, regardless of which Spanish-speaking country it was supposed to be. “Nova” and “no va” are totally different. And the epilogue, that the Nova was renamed to the Caribe, is also bogus; the Caribe was VW’s name for the Golf/Rabbit in Mexico.

      • http://profiles.google.com/nelson.butterworth Nelson Butterworth

        Actually, it was completely bogus, regardless of which Spanish-speaking country it was supposed to be. “Nova” and “no va” are totally different. And the epilogue, that the Nova was renamed to the Caribe, is also bogus; the Caribe was VW’s name for the Golf/Rabbit in Mexico.

    • Peter Moorhead

      Actually it was the NOVA and Spain, since “no va” is spanish for “doesn’t go”, but I absolutely agree with you, lol.

    • Anonymous

      “GIMP has no brand recognition outside of the LINUX community.”
      Your crazy. Gimp is hugely popular on windows and has tons of brand recognition.
      See: http://download.cnet.com/GIMP/3000-2192_4-10073935.html

      • Anonymous

        popularity by downloads seems to be:

        1- paint.net (open)
        2-gimp (open)
        3-PS (proprietary)

        seems logical since paint.net is for less advanced users.

        But the single window could also be a factor, so i believe mono window gimp will boost downloads quite a bit.

        will a name change boost dls? am not really sure.

      • Anonymous

        popularity by downloads seems to be:

        1- paint.net (open)
        2-gimp (open)
        3-PS (proprietary)

        seems logical since paint.net is for less advanced users.

        But the single window could also be a factor, so i believe mono window gimp will boost downloads quite a bit.

        will a name change boost dls? am not really sure.

        • Alexia Death

          Actually, Im totally absolutely 100% sure it would reduce the number of downloads dramatically. GIMP is what the tutorials are written for, what people google for etc. Re-branding in a commercial world is always an expensive endeavor and there is no way it would be worth it for a well established project like GIMP. If you dont like the acronym, use the full name. If you are one of the crowd that cries about disabled children, take a long hard look at what you are teaching them. You are teaching them to be offended at an acronym in a context that in no way pertains to them. That’s just plain silly. Should we all be offended at GIT?

          • http://www.facebook.com/gingerboy92 Syukri Lajin

            maybe they should just make the full name shorter.. using the full name is a pain..

        • Alexia Death

          Actually, Im totally absolutely 100% sure it would reduce the number of downloads dramatically. GIMP is what the tutorials are written for, what people google for etc. Re-branding in a commercial world is always an expensive endeavor and there is no way it would be worth it for a well established project like GIMP. If you dont like the acronym, use the full name. If you are one of the crowd that cries about disabled children, take a long hard look at what you are teaching them. You are teaching them to be offended at an acronym in a context that in no way pertains to them. That’s just plain silly. Should we all be offended at GIT?

        • Alexia Death

          Actually, Im totally absolutely 100% sure it would reduce the number of downloads dramatically. GIMP is what the tutorials are written for, what people google for etc. Re-branding in a commercial world is always an expensive endeavor and there is no way it would be worth it for a well established project like GIMP. If you dont like the acronym, use the full name. If you are one of the crowd that cries about disabled children, take a long hard look at what you are teaching them. You are teaching them to be offended at an acronym in a context that in no way pertains to them. That’s just plain silly. Should we all be offended at GIT?

        • https://launchpad.net/~oppifjellet OpenNingia

          Paint.Net is gratis ( cost you 0$ ) but is not free software and is not open source. The author closed its source years ago.

          • Anonymous

            And last I checked it didn’t have antialiasing. :|

          • Anonymous

            Replyng your other comment which is too deep in hierarchy and isn’t repliable…

            If you want detailed info about brush system in GIMP, Alexia Death in this thread is the primary person to ask.

          • Anonymous

            I don’t care if its open source or not.
            Better software wins.

          • http://twitter.com/Teemperor encunry

            Dislike

          • http://twitter.com/Teemperor encunry

            Dislike

          • http://twitter.com/Teemperor encunry

            Dislike

        • https://launchpad.net/~oppifjellet OpenNingia

          Paint.Net is gratis ( cost you 0$ ) but is not free software and is not open source. The author closed its source years ago.

        • http://elonoir.hyves.nl Jan Hopmans

          Let’s compare:
          The most popular download on download.com:  1,101,821 downloads last week.The #10 most popular:361,180 downloads last week.

          Gimp:
          8,203 downloads last week.

          Yes granted, I would download the Gimp from somewhere else. Something like their homepage, but it’s a major difference non the less

      • Michael Vasquez

        I think he meant the “open source community.”

        And any recognition is not due to the name itself.  THat was earned without any clever marketing whatsoever.  Changing the name is just a way to better market it to non-users.

    • Anonymous

      You got that from Albert from Tiger Direct’s “Tech Update” show. Didn’t you?

      Or you could just speak Spanish. lol

    • Anonymous

      You got that from Albert from Tiger Direct’s “Tech Update” show. Didn’t you?

      Or you could just speak Spanish. lol

    • http://rockiger.com/blog Marco

      GIMP has a much better name than Photoshop. It is easy to pronounce and is not descriptive – do you use Photoshop for photos only?
      The only thing, remove the “the”.

      • http://twitter.com/marcusklaas MarcusKlaasDeVries

        Are you making a ‘the social network’ reference here?

      • http://www.facebook.com/sntila Solly Phangani Shabangu

        Social network reference won’t work here, be creative

      • http://www.facebook.com/sntila Solly Phangani Shabangu

        Social network reference won’t work here, be creative

      • https://launchpad.net/~huygens-25 Huygens_25

        Some countries have a hard time pronouncing Gimp correctly. And it doesn’t sound always nice…

      • Anonymous

        well people know photoshop because is what magazines use to hide the models cellulite and stuff like that.

        so it became popular because of photo retouch.

        also you are right is vague descriptive, at first i thought it was a place to purchase photos.

      • Michael Vasquez

        I think Photoshop is actually a good name.  It sounds nice and is generally descriptive.  I mean you know at first glance that it has something to do with “working on photos.”  Is it all encompassing?  No, but neither is the GIMP.  As an acronym, it tells you absolutely nothing. (But not that it needs to)

    • http://cybolic.wordpress.com/ Cybolic

      Actually, practically every photograper, web-designer, and art school teacher I’ve ever talked to knew of The Gimp, so it definitely has some branch recognition – oh, and barely any of them knew Linux (at least not the ones that weren’t also programmers).

      I think The Gimp is a decent name (but then again, I knew it before I knew what it also meant), but it might benefit from using its longer form a bit more, on the splash screen or similar.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

        *Brand not branch.

        And yes, many people know of the GIMP, but they don’t want to use it or know how.

        It could use a GUI and name refresh.

        • Anonymous

          You mean GIMP has no UI? :D

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

            “[..]It could use a GUI and name refresh.[..."]

    • http://cybolic.wordpress.com/ Cybolic

      Actually, practically every photograper, web-designer, and art school teacher I’ve ever talked to knew of The Gimp, so it definitely has some branch recognition – oh, and barely any of them knew Linux (at least not the ones that weren’t also programmers).

      I think The Gimp is a decent name (but then again, I knew it before I knew what it also meant), but it might benefit from using its longer form a bit more, on the splash screen or similar.

    • http://twitter.com/josian_220 José Antonio

      what about Paint.NET? oh wait…

      • Anonymous

        or krita… oh wait…

        • Anonymous

          Krita is offensive to my pets.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZXBQ7B33I3Z426XSY4UXNYKSLQ Christian

      GIMP has a lot more Windows users than Linux users. And a lot more than e.g. Ubuntu.

      GIMP is a well established brand with lots of books, tutorials, etc. out there in the wild. Everything would be gone with a name change. Nobody would know it anymore from one day to the next.

      This naming discussion has been held before, not only once. Why does it have to be repeated again?

      • http://matthewmorek.com Matthew Morek

        I have to disagree with you. Considering today’s media and social interactions, when GIMP was to be renamed to something else, this would go viral in an instant, probably getting the app more press and generating more interest than anything else.

        Don’t underestimate the power of social networks and online portals like OMGU.

      • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

        I thought it went rather well with the whole OpenOffice thing…

      • Anonymous

        Weird, I know what LibreOffice is.

        • Anonymous

          But you read this blog.

    • Anonymous

      No, the reason people say “WTF?” is because they try to use it for 3 minutes and can’t figure out how to perform basic operations like drawing a circle.

      • http://www.facebook.com/marksmc Mark McClure

        Sounds like those people should be using Pinta.

        • Anonymous

          That’s like saying “Oh you don’t want Photoshop, you want MS Paint.”

          Being condescending doesn’t help solve the problem.

          • Anonymous

            they should learn ms paint first ;)

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1482494270 Anthony Passonno

            Really?  How is that suggestion even remotely appropriate?    

          • http://mark-y-a.myopenid.com/ Marky

            No install WINE first to run MS Paint on, then learn to draw circles and whatever… . ;) That’s teaching them (new user) 2 things – they can still run some of Windows programs on Ubuntu, then the circle thingy. Actually 3 things if you count how to install with USC or through a scary terminal.

          • http://anaershadowynomaly.deviantart.com Farran Lee

            Yep. I do think that Gimp (or whatever it ends up as) should have a few ‘basic’ features such as drawing circles, lines, squares etc. Even though they would hardly ever be used, they would make for a good first experience, as that kind of functionality is what a new user looks for first. Not being able to find that kind of thing scares most people away.

          • Anonymous

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk2sPl_Z7ZU

            A bad artist blames the tools :)

          • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ON6CS3UJOSXBQ7RM3LUWAERN2A d4rk_l1gh7

            I use even simpler tools: paper, pencil, and eraser. I have gotten quite decent at it too :)

          • Anonymous

            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk2sPl_Z7ZU

            A bad artist blames the tools :)

          • Anonymous

            Backend for vector layers and drawing primitives is in place. Care to code the rest? We accept patches for that. It’s even in the FAQ.

          • Anonymous

            Is there a way to write brush plugins? That would be great to have – animated brushes, and ability to write plugins for brushes simulating real ones.

        • Anonymous

          You can’t import a file, and then change it’s size in Pinta.

          So, Pinta can’t even combine images at all. 

          There has to be a middle ground somewhere.

        • Anonymous

          You can’t import a file, and then change it’s size in Pinta.

          So, Pinta can’t even combine images at all. 

          There has to be a middle ground somewhere.

      • http://www.facebook.com/marksmc Mark McClure

        Sounds like those people should be using Pinta.

      • http://www.facebook.com/marksmc Mark McClure

        Sounds like those people should be using Pinta.

      • http://profiles.google.com/gbirdboy Przemysław Gołąb

        Someone have to be moron to don’t know how use software with, full, free, documentation!

        • Anonymous

          Nobody in the history of software has ever read an entire manual.

    • http://profiles.google.com/nelson.butterworth Nelson Butterworth

      Um, that Chevy Nova story is bogus… http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp

      Even in Spanish, “nova” and “no va” are completely different.

      • http://twitter.com/theradioboy theradioboy

        As a side note, Mitsubishi did fail in not researching the name of its “Pajero” model, which in many Spanish-speaking countries, means “wanker”, “lazy” or “liar”, being the former the most common meaning…

        • Anonymous

          They called it “Montero” here (Spain), but indeed the first time I saw a “Pajero” abroad I LOLd for a while (yes, “wanker” is what “pajero” means in Spain).

          The GIMP has no meaning in Spanish. But still it isn’t a very great sounding name. Naming it after a painter, as suggested above, makes it easy for the whole world to get the idea (as long as the painter’s name is famous enough).

    • Anonymous

      anything that’s NSFW, becomes popular for some reason i cant understand :P

      but if they go ahead and change the name i dont mind.

      but it has to be something similar to its avatar i like that lil gimpy guy :)

    • Anonymous

      anything that’s NSFW, becomes popular for some reason i cant understand :P

      but if they go ahead and change the name i dont mind.

      but it has to be something similar to its avatar i like that lil gimpy guy :)

    • Michael Vasquez

      I agree.  Also calling something the GIMP is like calling Photoshop AIMP, where IMP is simply the catagory of software.  So all that makes this title unique is that it has a G for GNU and even that isn’t unique on its own.

      Why not name it after something or someone either directly or not.  Like “da Vinci”.  Or like Picasa which is an indirect take on Picasso.  I like the idea of a renessance artist like da Vinci as a pioneer which the GIMP is, or just a well respected artist.

      Or we can go with pioneers of digital art like Warhol.  Not that I really care for him, but he is well known and respected in the artistic world digital or otherwise.

      At any rate, I have no problem with “GIMP” but there is no reason to hold onto it other than nostalgia from what I can tell.  Then there will be less discussion about what we should call it and we can get down to the brass tax of improving the thing.

      • Anonymous

        Da Vinci is already used by a hind end color correcting system, but I agree that renaming the GIMP after a painter is a good idea.

        However, what the GIMP needs more is some money injection from some professional studio. It’s just amazing that so few developers have made this great piece of software, but it’s always lacking here and there. Some full-time well paid developers might do wonders in a short time.

        • Anonymous

          I think it should be named after a photographer, not a painter, since I equate vector graphics more with creating non-photographic images from scratch, and things like posterizing and dodge and burn are historically associated with darkrooms.

          Hence my suggestion of Ansel elsewhere on this thread, as Ansel Adams has a lot of name recognition.

    • Anonymous

      I was using gimp on windows quite some time before I even heard of linux.

    • http://luckyazazer.blogspot.com Josue Tavarez

      Most people I know, When I try to tell them about Gimp, they laugh and stop me, to make sure I pronounced the name right. 

      • Anonymous

        See, they have a laugh. GIMP is good for your health.

        • Anonymous

          Keep rationalizing the stubbornness ….

          • Anonymous

            Oh right, everyone should just do what you tell them to do, otherwise they are stubborn. That’s some real logic.

          • Anonymous

            No it’s not that extreme, but I do get the feeling that the people involved in the GIMP project don’t wish to change the name at least in part BECAUSE a lot of people hate it, and they get a kick out of that, even if subconsciously. I get the impression that kind of motivation is just inherent to some degree in geek DNA.

    • http://luckyazazer.blogspot.com Josue Tavarez

      Most people I know, When I try to tell them about Gimp, they laugh and stop me, to make sure I pronounced the name right. 

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DWSOTHNJWUCFFCL5XJPX6CNABQ Renan

      What NOVA has to do with South America? I live in Brazil but couldn’t understand that one.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=616384 Matt Brendzel

        In spanish, NOVA sounds a lot like ‘no va’ – it doesn’t go.

    • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

      People’s first impressions of items are often the most shallow ones; the term GIMP does not help…

    • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

      People’s first impressions of items are often the most shallow ones; the term GIMP does not help…

    • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

      People’s first impressions of items are often the most shallow ones; the term GIMP does not help…

    • http://profiles.google.com/aloctavodia Osvaldo Martin

      off topic, what the problem with NOVA? I am from Argentina, and NOVA sounds fine to me…

    • Gabriel Rousseau

      In Brazil, NOVA means NEW, but in the “female” version… NOVO for male words and NOVA for female words.

    • Gabriel Rousseau

      In Brazil, NOVA means NEW, but in the “female” version… NOVO for male words and NOVA for female words.

    • Gabriel Rousseau

      In Brazil, NOVA means NEW, but in the “female” version… NOVO for male words and NOVA for female words.

  • http://twitter.com/donssword Don McCants

    GIMP has no brand recognition outside of the LINUX community, and I truly believe its name hurts more than helps. Sure, there are ports to Windows and Mac, but Photoshop rules the roost there. When you try and explain GIMP to someone who has never heard of it before, their first reactions is always “WTF?” because of its name. It’s like naming your car the NOVA and trying to sell it in South America, it doesn’t work, and Chevy can testify to that.

  • Anonymous

    Yes.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=708486174 Benjamin Magno

    I personally don’t have a problem with the name. The average person would ask what GIMP stood for, upon answer, would be even more confused. The name, GIMP would imply(again, to those not familiar) that it is not full-featured. “Image Manipulation” sounds like it’s very basic indeed. For the longest time before trying it out, I thought it was an open source version of ACDsee. That manipulates images.

    • http://twitter.com/mickstep Michael Stephenson

      Gimp is synonymous with cripple in parts of the US and Canada.
      So those people would likely presume the name is related to that, or the BDSM definition before they assume it’s an acronym.

  • Rendi Nusa Pribadi

    gimp is a great name.. shouldn’t change :)

  • Rendi Nusa Pribadi

    gimp is a great name.. shouldn’t change :)

    • Anonymous

      Technically, GIMP is the acronym; and the name and the acronym both suck! What program needs the word “program” in its name? or even GNU? what other program has any of these words in their name?

      Just the fact that people confuse the acronym with the actual name is a testament to the problem.

      So many people hate the name so much that they rather use the acronym than the name itself. The name sucks so bad that they had to invent an acronym just to make it easier on people.

      And the name is more a description than a name. GNU Image Manipulation Program, okay I kind of have a poor idea of what it does but what is it called?

      So what does that mean? Maybe GIMP never really had a “real” name to begin with. Isn’t it time to finally give it one?

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001514298377 Josh Seltzer

        gnu-arch, gnu-c-manual, gnu-crypto, gnu-queue, gnuae, gnubatch, gnubg, gnubiff, gnubik, gnucap, gnucash, gnucomm, gnue, gnufm, gnugo, gnuit, gnujdoc, gnujump, gnukart, gnulib, gnumach, gnumed, gnumeric, gnump3d, gnun, gnunet, gnupg, gnupod, gnuprologjava,  gnuradio,  gnurobots, gnuschool,  gnushogi,  gnuskies,  gnusound,  gnuspeech,  gnuspool,  gnustandards,  gnustep,  gnutls,  gnutrition,  gnuzilla

        • Anonymous

          The same letters in GNU are found in the names of all those programs, but the would itself is not.

          What usually separates words from other words are spaces, none of which are found in the items above. So this means that each item from the list above is a single word and there for cannot contain GNU in their title. Therefore, none could have the word GNU in them if they are only one word. They have the same lets as GNU, but not the word GNU.

          The problem is that naming a program is so difficult that they venture so far as to name it after a license even.

          Now, the issue with compound words. The proper use would be to capitalize GNU, as it is a reference to a name, none of which any of those programs imply. Furthermore, program names usually do not have spaces because they tend to be one word, not a series of words like GIMP.Yeah, the problem is worse than it initially might sound. Even the Ubuntu entry for GIMP in the menu got it wrong. GIMP Image Editor, what? Why not just the name “GNU Image Manipulation Program”?The problem is not GIMP, its the lack of guidelines when it comes to naming programs.So all those programs have the same letters that are found in GNU, but not the word itself.

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001514298377 Josh Seltzer

            I didn’t want to have to comment again, especially to this extent, however it irks me when there are just so many things wrong with a comment.

            Firstly, learn to take a joke. Secondly, I got all of those programs from the GNU website itself. That’s kind of like saying that the word photo (or shop) isn’t actually in Photoshop, because there’s no space.

            1. LOL. Thanks for the introduction to English, it appears I had forgotten what purpose spaces serve. But really, those are the package names. You know, those things that don’t have spaces or capitals. Assuming you’re using a Debian-based distro, try typing ‘dpkg –get-selections’ into a terminal. Do you see any spaces or capitals? (I also guarantee you’ll find some packages starting with ‘gnu’, probably some I didn’t even list like gnuplot) If you have ‘GNU Image Manipulation Program’ installed. scroll down to where it says those exact words and – oh wait… you can’t, because the package name is gimp (notice the lack of capitals). Crazy, right?

            Thank you for the clarification, I was under the impression that the operating system I use runs on a wildebeest. Really, though, I don’t even know what you’re trying to prove with this paragraph, if anything you just seem to be agreeing with me, that those programs do indeed have the ‘word’ GNU in it…

            2. HAHAHAHA. Oh man. Good read. Oh…. you’re serious… You wanna know some other things that aren’t actually words? Firefox, Gwenview, Thunar, Pcmanfm, PHP, iChat, Photoshop, and as for something including an acronym in its name, how about OmgUbuntu? Do you know how language evolves? Like how Google wasn’t a word until long after the search engine was created. Not that it matters, and not as if these qualify as dictionaries, but here’s a list of .edu sites that talk about GNU, even though it’s not a word…  http://www.google.ca/search?&q=inurl%3A.edu+GNU

            3. Yes, welcome to GNU/Linux. Actually, nevermind, welcome to the world of computing. No, screw it, welcome to Earth. Down here on Earth we (spoilers!) use acronyms a lot. You know the thing you’re on now, the WWW. Or as I already mentioned, the specific site, that has the word OMG. I can see you seem to oppose the use of the acronym GNU, apparently the only reason being that its an acronym, and that’s a damn shame, because Ubuntu is built on it, and Richard Stallman isn’t going to change it to make you more comfortable. Everyone knows the AA stands for Alcoholics Anonymous, but we use AA out of familiarity. I don’t have a clue what Ubuntu has to do with GIMP, seeing as they don’t use Gnome, and as far as I know GIMP isn’t a default app, so if you’re concerned with how GIMP appears on the menu, write an e-mail (don’t worry, that is a word, despite the fact that is has a dash in it) to Mark Shuttleworth, or fix it yourself.

            Judging from your comment, I’m beginning to doubt you even use GNU/Linux, but here’s a cool thing about it – no one forces you to name your program according to some guideline they created – that kind of defeats the whole concept of freedom, does it not?

          • Anonymous

            Listen, no other program has the name gnu in it because GNU is not a name, its an acronym. I said that no other program has the name gun in it and that continues to be true. Unfortunately, there are people like you who cannot ready correctly and go on ranting  after they cannot tell the difference between names and acronyms. Proof that GIMP has a stupid name.

            And just for clarification, there are guidelines in open source software, so why not ceate guidelines for naming of programs and end the stupidity when it comes to naming software? Guidelines are allowed!

            I have nothing against GNU. Actually, I am a big fan. You can keep looking for the name gnu in programs names, but you will only find the acronym, not the name! Read the original post carefully before you decide to write non-sense remarks.

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001514298377 Josh Seltzer

            I can’t reply to your comment for some reason, but you continue to make absolutely no sense. and contradict yourself at the same time. You yourself state that GNU is not a name, but an acronym, and then imply (no OTHER program) that GIMP has the name in it… You do realize that GNU is a name, as well as an acronym, right? Then you go on to say that GIMP has a stupid name, once again contradicting yourself, since GIMP is an acronym. 

            What would those guidelines entail? That you are no longer allowed to use acronyms? That you may not use ‘stupid’ names ( whatever that means)? Or are you suggesting we disallow the letters gnu from ever 

            Would it please you if it was called GINA? Gimp Is Not an Acronym

          • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001514298377 Josh Seltzer

            I can’t reply to your comment for some reason, but you continue to make absolutely no sense. and contradict yourself at the same time. You yourself state that GNU is not a name, but an acronym, and then imply (no OTHER program) that GIMP has the name in it… You do realize that GNU is a name, as well as an acronym, right? Then you go on to say that GIMP has a stupid name, once again contradicting yourself, since GIMP is an acronym. 

            What would those guidelines entail? That you are no longer allowed to use acronyms? That you may not use ‘stupid’ names ( whatever that means)? Or are you suggesting we disallow the letters gnu from ever 

            Would it please you if it was called GINA? Gimp Is Not an Acronym

  • http://twitter.com/ryanmacnish Ryan Macnish

    *sigh* While were at it, why dont we just rename Ubuntu to a word we all understand as well? seriously, this guys point is moot, i looked up its definitions, only one is NSFW and in that case its a nickname for that NSFW thing anyway. Can people stop being so picky over little things like this so we can all just get back to writing good software?

    • Anonymous

      It is two words already. It’s a derogative term for the physically handicapped. It’s also a term for a sex slave as noted in Pulp Fiction. I’ve heard it used as both far more in life than I have to refer to the software. 

      I have never told my teachers what I use I just say some other software because I would be too ashamed to suggest that I’m using a paraplegic to make my photos pretty.

      • Anonymous

        It is at least several words; I knew it as meaning as something akin to comely or pleasing to the eye, long before seeing Pulp Fiction. I’ve also heard it used to do with fishing and it has also has some origins in lace making. 

        It seems that these days, as soon as a word achieves some negative connotation, that is all it is known for. Take spunk for example, you seldom see that word used anymore.  

        Besides it isn’t used as a word, but as an acronym, which is entirely different. 

      • Anonymous

        You mean you are ashamed to say you use GNU Image Manupulation Program? Very interesting.

        • Polly

          I agree, but no one that I know wants to say that every time – too long. Maybe, they could just say GNU Graphic Editor.

        • Anonymous

          Look just note that in Ireland Gimp is used to refer to handicapped people derogatively first and foremost.

          Also however bad saying gimp is saying GNU Image Manupulation Program is bloody worse. I really don’t think you have to be so on the defensive here.I can’t code now but I will a year or two into the course I’m starting so I’ll contribute then. But until then all I can help is by suggesting that a less NSFW name would definitely help its placement. Look at the stroy on the name change for the Polly twitter app for a better way to deal with people on this matter and as a way to get a great name from the hundreds of really inventive minds who will help you with this. Brandind reall really matters.

          Also, thanks a million for your work on the ‘GNU Image Manupulation Program’. :)

          • Anonymous

            I’m not really familiar with Polly twitter app story :) What I do know is that there are many ways to help GIMP team, and not all of them involve programming.

            You are welcome :)

    • Anonymous

      “Can people stop being so picky over little things like this so we can all just get back to writing good software?”

      You see, writing good software means having skills. Having skills means investing time into self-improvement.  That means you actually do something useful. At the same time you don’t need any skills to have an argument. See why this thread is so popular? :)

  • http://twitter.com/ryanmacnish Ryan Macnish

    *sigh* While were at it, why dont we just rename Ubuntu to a word we all understand as well? seriously, this guys point is moot, i looked up its definitions, only one is NSFW and in that case its a nickname for that NSFW thing anyway. Can people stop being so picky over little things like this so we can all just get back to writing good software?

  • http://twitter.com/ryanmacnish Ryan Macnish

    *sigh* While were at it, why dont we just rename Ubuntu to a word we all understand as well? seriously, this guys point is moot, i looked up its definitions, only one is NSFW and in that case its a nickname for that NSFW thing anyway. Can people stop being so picky over little things like this so we can all just get back to writing good software?

  • Bryan Cuneo

    I say no. A few reasons:
    1) It’s a descriptive name (If you know what the acronym stands for)
    2) It’s short. Idk about other people, but I prefer typing short names. And if it gets renamed, it will probably be shortened anyway, which means when we say “I made it with xxxx.” People will ask “What is xxxx?”  Then we’ll have to explain that it stands for whatever and thy’ll be like “Oh, I’ve heard of that.” Adds too much explaining/
    3) GIMP is a cool name (<-subjective)
    4) GIMP has been around for a while, people know it by that name, it has a following. If you change that, I think it will have a negative effect (because we all know how much the general public dislikes change *cough* Unity *cough*). I say keep it!

    • http://twitter.com/ryanmacnish Ryan Macnish

      +1 to this.

    • https://launchpad.net/~rafalcieslak256 rc

      Also, renaming GIMP might left GTK acronym confusing :)

    • http://twitter.com/takluyver Thomas Kluyver

      A cool name, really? Even before I knew about the NSFW aspect, I thought GIMP was a fairly poor name. It sounds like limp or wimp. Like something sad and pathetic.

      • Anonymous

        It is a word. It’s a derogative term for the physically handicapped. It’s also a term for a sex slave as noted in Pulp Fiction.

        • Cliff Wells

          No, G.I.M.P. is an acronym.  It is neither of those things.

          Unless you also think I.B.M. means someone defecated.

          • http://twitter.com/mickstep Michael Stephenson

            Really don’t get that defecated thing…

          • Cliff Wells

            B.M. is short for “bowel movement”.

            Sorry, I knew it was a rather obscure reference.

          • Cliff Wells

            B.M. is short for “bowel movement”.

            Sorry, I knew it was a rather obscure reference.

          • http://anaershadowynomaly.deviantart.com Farran Lee

            No, we know the acronym thing. That’s why we’re here. The other reason we’re here is that it is both of those things.

          • http://anaershadowynomaly.deviantart.com Farran Lee

            No, we know the acronym thing. That’s why we’re here. The other reason we’re here is that it is both of those things.

          • Anonymous

            It looks like you are here to have an argument. Surely there are ways to be more useful for the project?

          • Anonymous

            It looks like you are here to have an argument. Surely there are ways to be more useful for the project?

          • Anonymous

            It looks like you are here to have an argument. Surely there are ways to be more useful for the project?

          • Anonymous

            So you actually say G I M P when talking about it. Look I’m not offended by it. I’m Irish we do bad taste as a national pastime. But it’s just so unprofessional and silly for a leading open source project.

          • Anonymous

            So you actually say G I M P when talking about it. Look I’m not offended by it. I’m Irish we do bad taste as a national pastime. But it’s just so unprofessional and silly for a leading open source project.

          • Anonymous

            So you actually say G I M P when talking about it. Look I’m not offended by it. I’m Irish we do bad taste as a national pastime. But it’s just so unprofessional and silly for a leading open source project.

          • Jono Mingard

            The point is that most people say IBM “I B M”. GIMP gets said “gimp”, not “G I M P”. Therefore IBM does not come across as a word, GIMP does.

        • David Treagus

          BRING OUT THE GIMP!!

        • David Treagus

          BRING OUT THE GIMP!!

        • David Treagus

          BRING OUT THE GIMP!!

      • http://www.BaloneyGeek.com Boudhayan Gupta

        It also sounds like pimp, which is awesome, as in pimp my images. Seriously.

    • Anonymous

      I completely agree. The GIMP is too awesome a name to toss. That and it’s got brand recognition. Sure, photoshop might be a verb already, but you can’t expect ANY open source program to simply jump to the head of the pack in fifteen years.

      As for the name being cool, sure, it might rhyme with limp…as well as probably half a dozen other rather unsavory words, but when I hear GIMP, I think first of the GIMP mascot, not of the time when my leg was broken.

      It’s a great name. It’s an acronym. Hey, who doesn’t like them? It’s worked so far. I think some people don’t realize how good GIMP has it.

      I say keep it.

  • http://twitter.com/tardegrade tardegrade

    Being pedantic it’s called GNU Image Manipulation Program. But anyway, some silly company / product names that are very successful and no one bats an eyelid. Google, Yahoo!, Zune, Bing, X-Box (sounds like somewhere you keep NSFW magazines), BeBo etc.

    Meh.

    • Anonymous

      But not one of those names makes you think of a man dressed in a rubber suit, kept in a cage, chewing a tennis ball, waiting to be used as a sex object.

      • Alexia Death

        To people who haven’t religiously watched something as dirty as Pulp Fiction, it doesn’t. It’s your own dirty mind doing it. Familiarity with Pulp Fiction is not a universal trait.

        • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LGOFCYOUSI5DDSJM2YRC7TQQ3E Joe

          Our dirty mind and the program splash screen…

        • http://twitter.com/DinoT1985 Dino Tassigiannis

          In the UK, Gimp is slang for a retard. So no, either way GIMP is a terrible name.

        • http://twitter.com/DinoT1985 Dino Tassigiannis

          In the UK, Gimp is slang for a retard. So no, either way GIMP is a terrible name.

      • http://twitter.com/tardegrade tardegrade

        @scaine Dirty boy. Wash your mouth out with soap and water immediately!

    • Diego Ferreira

      Well, I think that they are poor names as well. 

      • http://twitter.com/n_pigeon n-pigeon

        So let’s call those Kira or L they are good names… those are only names %()(@#*Y%) few characters for distinction one from another… There are no good or bad names there are only names that are easy to remember or not and Gimp is alike.

    • Jono Mingard

      Silly, yes. Negative connotations, no. X-Box? Sounds to me more like it’s trying to be cool by having an X in …

  • Anonymous

    doesn’t matter as long as the one window gimp becomes available. :D

  • Anonymous

    doesn’t matter as long as the one window gimp becomes available. :D

  • Anonymous

    doesn’t matter as long as the one window gimp becomes available. :D

  • http://www.twm-kd.com/ BigWhale

    I wish there was the third option: I like fluffy things or perhaps: I don’t care/have an opinion on that.

    I never thought of the name being wrong or inappropriate. However, I do agree that the name must be carefully chosen.

    Perhaps the best option would be to give it a second name that would, in time, replace the old one. Then we could keep ‘the gimp’ as a nickname. :)

  • http://twitter.com/TheSofox Sofox

    I toyed with the idea of making a fork of GIMP with the only difference being that it went under a different name (and mascot obviously).

    I don’t see a problem with name changes, LibreOffice comes across better than OpenOffice.org (I know it’s a fork rather than a rename), and Pidgin is so nice that barely anyone remembers it being called Gaim.

    • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

      “I toyed with the idea of making a fork of GIMP with the only difference being that it went under a different name (and mascot obviously).”

      I’m not alone! :O

      I keep thinking what would be nice names. I mean, c’mon, Krita, MyPaint, Inkscape… those are all nice, meaningful names.

      I know there is quite a bit of brand recognition but… Mind you, I accept it for what it is but I also want open source solutions to be taken seriously.

      Gnu Assistant to Image Manipulation – GAIM. Oh wait xD

      Even if one changed “Program” to “Software” or “Application” that would not be an issue anymore. Gims and Gima do not sound nice but solve the issue.
      Or flat out removing the Program. I mean, we all know it is a program, no need to add it to the name. Gim.

      Or have fun with it – avoiding any potentially harmful names.
      Pimo – Pixel Monster.
      Pim – Picture Manipulator (could use an actually identifiable file extension .pim instead of .xcf)
      GNIM – Gnu Image Manipulator

      PS: As far as GTK goes, it means Gnu Toolkit so… it is not dependable on Gimp’s name.

      • http://cassidyjames.com Cassidy James

        http://www.gtk.org/
        “GTK+, or the GIMP Toolkit, is a multi-platform toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces.”

      • http://cassidyjames.com Cassidy James

        http://www.gtk.org/
        “GTK+, or the GIMP Toolkit, is a multi-platform toolkit for creating graphical user interfaces.”

      • Anonymous

        If you want GIMP to be taken seriously, go and write some useful feature. There’s plenty of work to do for people who have skills beyond recursive text replacement.

        • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

          Because the only way to help improve a software is by being a programmer and adding features, right?

          I’ve got enough on my plate with design and illustration as is, so I’m not going to learn how to code just to implement something in Gimp.

          Ways that I can (and intend to) help:
          1- Promoting the tool.
          2- Using it and sharing my worlflow/issues with the developers.
          3- Bug reporting.

          I fully intend to use open source only solutions when I start teaching, so before you come knocking down people, think twice – they might actually be on your side.

          I was merely suggesting something that would greatly help the promotion of an important open source tool and, trust me, no amount of features can make up for a stupid name. You know why?
          Because by the moment you tell people the name, they might not be interested in hearing out about the features. Call them fickle, call them human but that is how it goes.

          Names do not change what something is but go a long way in how people perceive it.

          So tell me, what good is a feature when it goes unheard, unused?

        • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

          Because the only way to help improve a software is by being a programmer and adding features, right?

          I’ve got enough on my plate with design and illustration as is, so I’m not going to learn how to code just to implement something in Gimp.

          Ways that I can (and intend to) help:
          1- Promoting the tool.
          2- Using it and sharing my worlflow/issues with the developers.
          3- Bug reporting.

          I fully intend to use open source only solutions when I start teaching, so before you come knocking down people, think twice – they might actually be on your side.

          I was merely suggesting something that would greatly help the promotion of an important open source tool and, trust me, no amount of features can make up for a stupid name. You know why?
          Because by the moment you tell people the name, they might not be interested in hearing out about the features. Call them fickle, call them human but that is how it goes.

          Names do not change what something is but go a long way in how people perceive it.

          So tell me, what good is a feature when it goes unheard, unused?

      • Jono Mingard

        And if GIMP was changed to Glide, GTK could stay the same anyway …
        Not sure about Krita, sounds like something small, crabby and insignificant to me, but I love Inkscape – so much better a name than Illustrator!
        Seriously, if GIMP doesn’t change its name you guys should consider forking it and seeing what happens

    • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

      “I toyed with the idea of making a fork of GIMP with the only difference being that it went under a different name (and mascot obviously).”

      I’m not alone! :O

      I keep thinking what would be nice names. I mean, c’mon, Krita, MyPaint, Inkscape… those are all nice, meaningful names.

      I know there is quite a bit of brand recognition but… Mind you, I accept it for what it is but I also want open source solutions to be taken seriously.

      Gnu Assistant to Image Manipulation – GAIM. Oh wait xD

      Even if one changed “Program” to “Software” or “Application” that would not be an issue anymore. Gims and Gima do not sound nice but solve the issue.
      Or flat out removing the Program. I mean, we all know it is a program, no need to add it to the name. Gim.

      Or have fun with it – avoiding any potentially harmful names.
      Pimo – Pixel Monster.
      Pim – Picture Manipulator (could use an actually identifiable file extension .pim instead of .xcf)
      GNIM – Gnu Image Manipulator

      PS: As far as GTK goes, it means Gnu Toolkit so… it is not dependable on Gimp’s name.

  • http://profiles.google.com/lilianftp Moraru Lilian

    I call it only GIMP, and it’s a brand in Linux world now and I don’t think it should change the name.

  • http://twitter.com/gazornonplat Peter Moorhead

    Needed, any time I name the piece of software when asked by anyone at all, said person(s) laugh at the software and/or me. It needs changed if people are to recognise it as a professional design tool, which it most certainly is.

  • Bryan Cuneo

    Not true. I  know people who know exactly what GIMP is (and a lot of them use it) who have never even heard of Linux. Saying that it has no brand recognition outside of the FLOSS comunity is just plain wrong. It may not be a strong, but it’s still there.

  • https://launchpad.net/~davidnielsen David Nielsen

    How about Picture Boutique, nice inoffensive and it doesn’t at all credit those FSF types who bring shame upon us all.

    • http://twitter.com/ryanmacnish Ryan Macnish

      Oh god no, not only is it way too long, it also sounds like the name of a photography studio.

    • http://twitter.com/mickstep Michael Stephenson

      Calling it a boutique implies it’s a store, like an Art Gallery where you can buy the peices. It makes no sense.
      Gimp is a studio not a Boutique.

      • http://cassidyjames.com Cassidy James

        I believe David took the two words making up Photoshop and replaced them with synonyms. Photo = Picture, Shop = Boutique. But I agree, not a good name, nor a good way for coming up with a name.

      • http://cassidyjames.com Cassidy James

        I believe David took the two words making up Photoshop and replaced them with synonyms. Photo = Picture, Shop = Boutique. But I agree, not a good name, nor a good way for coming up with a name.

    • Anonymous

      Wow, you worked your hate of the FSF into this thread. Bravo.

    • Polly

      Although sometimes extreme, they bring a needed perspective and balance to the community. Personally, I’m glad for much of the work they do. By the way, GNOME has GNU in it as well, as do many applications and tools. It is part of the GNU/Linux heritage of which Ubuntu is a part.

  • http://twitter.com/porcepic2 porcepic2

    I tend to rename the desktop icon to GNUIMP to avoid people asking me why I have a shortcut to “GIMP” :P

    • Anonymous

      and they don’t ask you “why do you have a shortcut with a fake name on your desktop?” ?

      hm…

      • Jono Mingard

        So apparently GIMP doesn’t have huge brand recognition after all ;)

  • http://www.followtheboat.com Jamie Demon

    Since it is in competition with the more sensibly named Photoshop, and since it’s getting a small face-lift with the single window, and because it might have little brand-recognition outside the Linux community, this is probably the best time to change its name. Other brands have successfully rebranded themselves without harm to their reputation or sales.

    The flip-side of this argument is that The Gimp probably (I’m merely guessing here) has one of the best brand recalls amongst the Linux communuity. That is, everyone knows what The Gimp is.

    Me? I find ‘The Gimp’ a childish name. It comes as no surprise that people who don’t know what The Gimp is avoid installing it in the first place.  Change it.

  • Anonymous

    I’ve thought a lot of the FSF software needs better names.  I’ve used Ubuntu every day on every computer I own and I still can’t keep track of which is Empathy or Epiphany, or Shotwell, or Thunderbird.  I like names that make sense, not just random words.  Granted I’ve never had the issue with GIMP, though that’s just because it’s distinct and has been around forever.

    If someone comes to this world new, it’s a mess to try to figure out what apps they need to use.

    • Tory Gaurnier

      This is the ONLY good argument I’ve seen for renaming ANYTHING. There is nothing offensive about an acronym but I fully understand your sentiment here, when I first used Linux I couldn’t distinguish the picture viewer from the text editor from the file browser, etc., however with the current version of Ubuntu it’s much easier, for instance in the menu Gedit simply is displayed as Text Edit, you can just type Email in the menu, and Thunderbird comes up.

  • http://twitter.com/ben__schaefer Benjamin Schäfer

    I wasn’t even aware of the other meaning of gimp. Maybe that’s due to the fact that I’m German so all your nasty English idioms are unknown to my innocent existence :-)
    But I guess calling it Gimp (I never used the article) is alright. People – even outside the FLOSS world – know it, it’s short, it’s kinda cute (at least it was, until I clicked on that NSFW link ^^) and it has some tradition in the FLOSS world to give programs uncommon names (like Ubuntu, Pidgin, Tomboy, Firefox, etc.) which is kind of a brand on its own.
    Long story short: Keep it :-)

    • http://www.aaronhastings.ie Aaron Hastings

      That’s something us English-speakers tend not to think about; those who speak German, French, Japanese, etc. who have no idea (nor care) what “Gimp” means.

      • Jason Willson

        LibreOffice was an example brought up in an early comment that I believe sufficiently demonstrates that changing a name (or forking) does not confuse users into oblivion and non-use. The Document Foundation (which is based in Germany, a country where English is not the native tongue) houses the project, has enjoyed a broad scope of adoption and usage, even with OpenOffice.org still existing. I think changing the name of the GIMP would have a similar impact on a non-English speaking audience, (i.e. minimal impact).

        • http://www.aaronhastings.ie Aaron Hastings

          I was referring to the fact that non-English speakers wouldn’t necessarily get the sexual connotations of the word “gimp”. Not the adoption of the software among non-English speakers.

        • http://twitter.com/ben__schaefer Benjamin Schäfer

          Sorry, I disagree. The LibreOffice fork caused confusion. Especially for people who are either casual users, new to FLOSS or both. It was some fuss when I explained to my dad (a casual Ubuntu user for about 3 years) why they did that.
          And people outside the FLOSS world don’t even know OpenOffice.org and if they do, they omit the .org. Not to speak of LibreOffice. For those people it’s just a gratis replacement for MS Office with funny file extensions that has sometimes problems reading the stuff their colleagues sent them.

        • http://twitter.com/ben__schaefer Benjamin Schäfer

          Sorry, I disagree. The LibreOffice fork caused confusion. Especially for people who are either casual users, new to FLOSS or both. It was some fuss when I explained to my dad (a casual Ubuntu user for about 3 years) why they did that.
          And people outside the FLOSS world don’t even know OpenOffice.org and if they do, they omit the .org. Not to speak of LibreOffice. For those people it’s just a gratis replacement for MS Office with funny file extensions that has sometimes problems reading the stuff their colleagues sent them.

    • Jason Willson

      One thing to note: Of the example applications you mentioned with uncommon names, Pidgin and Firefox aren’t the original names for their respective products, and yet they haven’t suffered a loss of awareness or publicity. Proper website redirects, word of mouth, tech news coverage, and other forms of advertisement and marketing would quickly remedy this risk.

      • http://twitter.com/ben__schaefer Benjamin Schäfer

        But that is because Gaim and Phoenix/Firebird had their names changed early (enough). Most of their popularity came after the namechange. This is especially true for Pidgin which only came to fame on Windows after the proprietary ICQ client became so bloated (At least that’s the case in Germany).

  • http://twitter.com/ben__schaefer Benjamin Schäfer

    I wasn’t even aware of the other meaning of gimp. Maybe that’s due to the fact that I’m German so all your nasty English idioms are unknown to my innocent existence :-)
    But I guess calling it Gimp (I never used the article) is alright. People – even outside the FLOSS world – know it, it’s short, it’s kinda cute (at least it was, until I clicked on that NSFW link ^^) and it has some tradition in the FLOSS world to give programs uncommon names (like Ubuntu, Pidgin, Tomboy, Firefox, etc.) which is kind of a brand on its own.
    Long story short: Keep it :-)

  • http://www.aaronhastings.ie Aaron Hastings

    I don’t think as many people take offense to the name as some analysts believe. I know a lot of academic-types who happily use GIMP and refer to it in a positive light. One great advantage of GIMP is its monosyllabism. Also, Joey – are we really still referring to it as “The GIMP”? I thought the developers and community dropped the “The” a long time ago. It was a crap name. “GIMP” – short, snappy and, screw it, it’s a humorous and cheeky name. Keep it.

    • Anonymous

      Yes, “the” has been dropped years ago. But, you know, there’s always a human lag :)

  • http://www.aaronhastings.ie Aaron Hastings

    I don’t think as many people take offense to the name as some analysts believe. I know a lot of academic-types who happily use GIMP and refer to it in a positive light. One great advantage of GIMP is its monosyllabism. Also, Joey – are we really still referring to it as “The GIMP”? I thought the developers and community dropped the “The” a long time ago. It was a crap name. “GIMP” – short, snappy and, screw it, it’s a humorous and cheeky name. Keep it.

  • Andrea Zotti

    What about world-wide? I don’t even know what “Gimp” means! (@twitter-29732611:disqus I used to say “Gimp” as well) However, I voted “no”, but I think a more technical name could help.

  • http://alanpritt.com/ Alan Pritt

    From the dictionary:

    gimp 2 informal often offensive

    noun

    a physically handicapped or lame person.

    • a limp.

    • a feeble or contemptible person.

    It also has the bondage-sex-slave association, but the above definition is bad enough.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1667986213 Muhammad Moeen

      o_0 !?

  • Joern Konopka

    I figured we could just call it the Linux Image Manipulation Program, but that didn’t quite work out either…

    • http://twitter.com/Knef Knef

      How about Linux Art Manipulation Engine?

      • http://twitter.com/marcusklaas MarcusKlaasDeVries

        Guys, GIMP is not just a linux program.

        • Gabriel Rousseau

          Maybe GimpShop??

          • http://cybolic.wordpress.com/ Cybolic

            No, no need to copy Photoshop.
            GNUIMP maybe? Nah…

          • http://cybolic.wordpress.com/ Cybolic

            No, no need to copy Photoshop.
            GNUIMP maybe? Nah…

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

            How would you pronounce that?. O:O

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

            How would you pronounce that?. O:O

          • http://cybolic.wordpress.com/ Cybolic

            Uri: Something like “Gn’wimp”.
            Also, apparently I wasn’t the first that got that idea: http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/web-design-and-free-software-10004587/save-me-the-embarrassment-10015226/

          • http://cybolic.wordpress.com/ Cybolic

            Uri: Something like “Gn’wimp”.
            Also, apparently I wasn’t the first that got that idea: http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/web-design-and-free-software-10004587/save-me-the-embarrassment-10015226/

          • Callum Saunders

            gimpshop already exist

        • Gabriel Rousseau

          Maybe GimpShop??

        • Gabriel Rousseau

          Linux Image Manipulation Program, OSX and Windows…. LIMP,OW

        • Gabriel Rousseau

          Linux Image Manipulation Program, OSX and Windows…. LIMP,OW

        • https://launchpad.net/~huygens-25 Huygens_25

          I guess you did not understand the joke inside the proposed name by Knef. Read it again ;-)

      • Danni Coy

        LAME is already a popular MP3 encoder this would be confusing.

        • riboshom

          For the last time, LAME Ain’t an MP3 Encoder!

          • Gabriel Rousseau

            LAME is already a popular MP3 encoder this would be confusing. [2]

      • Gabriel Rousseau

        Gnu Image Navigator Screen Editor EXtreme. Or just GNUINSEEX. I think that sounds fine. =]

  • http://twitter.com/thangola Phạm Duy Thăng

    I say yes. There’s no problem with the name GIMP, but I prefer a sexier name. Smoothy, Tequila or something likes them <3.

  • http://twitter.com/Knef Knef

    How about dropping the g and just naming it The Imp?

    • juzzlin

      Or The G.

      • Wyatt Kirby

        PIMP: Photographic Image Manipulation Program.

        • http://anaershadowynomaly.deviantart.com Farran Lee

          I like this one very much. I think it solves the word meaning issue very nicely.
          ;)

        • http://anaershadowynomaly.deviantart.com Farran Lee

          I like this one very much. I think it solves the word meaning issue very nicely.
          ;)

          • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

            *head-desk*

          • Anonymous

            PIMP is derogatory to woman. Prove me wrong.

            Not.

            Everyone here is children.

        • riboshom

          +1 for PIMP
          I mean, with all the other open-source drawing softwares arround, GIMP is mostly used for photo-editing these days. “Pimp my pictures” sound sound like an awesome slogan too.And don’t get me started about the advantages of using the verb to pimp instead of to gimp.

          And so many peopoles arround me still beleive you have to pronounce it JIMP, this would remove any ambiguities.

          PIMP all the way!

        • http://www.facebook.com/RikardJo Rikard Dan Johansson

          +1 for Pimp.

      • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

        Imp is mischievous without being offensive. +1

        • http://ghettocottage.com Endle Winters

          Imp works for me as well.  Lots of potential for an interesting mascot.  Good acronym. Very simple and short. The word itself has inoffensive defintions.:
          1. A mischievous child.
          2. A small, mischievous devil or sprite
          3. An Image Manipulation Program
          (I added that last one)

          There used to be an application named “Pixel” , which is a very catchy name..whatever happened with that? Seemed to fade out of existance.

  • http://twitter.com/Knef Knef

    How about dropping the g and just naming it The Imp?

  • Anonymous

    No new name without having new features. That bring it closer to photoshop’s power. I am a professional animator so I’m not just blowing smoke about gimps lack of power. I’d love to use it for everything but I can’t.

  • Luigi Pezzotta

    I have no issues with the name GIMP, maybe because I’m not an english speaker. I agree about the article (“The” GIMP) sounding stupid, but it’s rarely used as well (at least in conversation). If they change the name “Gimp”, how can they be sure the new name is well-appreciated by everyone (including non-english speakers)?

    I think a new name may bring either benefits or drawbacks; anyway, the benefits wouldn’t be THAT great. I would stick to “Gimp”, keeping the old name has at least the benefit of making the program recognisable. Also, by changing the name, new users would find difficult to look for older tutorials and/or technical support online.

  • Theron Brayman

    Yes, but only if it is another recursive acronym. And by the way, FLOSS is fairly disgusting – used for oral hygiene.

  • http://twitter.com/vanysha95 Ivan

    Openshop ))

    • Tory Gaurnier

      to similar to Photo Shop, there’s already enough people that think GIMP is a clone of Photo Shop, on GIMPs home page they make it clear the GIMP is NOT Photo Shop, so there can not be a name that would make this problem even worse.

      • http://twitter.com/bbgameruk BBgamer

        … and Adobe would probably sue the developers.

  • http://twitter.com/Hexual Ian ‘IZO’ Hex

    I’ve always offered “The GIMP” as an example to people of how a lot of open-source apps have really terrible names. 

    Definitely time for a rebrand. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/tlejeune3 Tom LeJeune

    Gimp is a fine name. It’s short and once you learn the acronym, it makes perfect sense.  

    • Anonymous

      a name shouldn’t need a “once you learn the acronym” part to make sense

  • zekopeko

    Yes, they should change it.

    GIMP is an acronym which most people don’t know what it means. 

    It is also non-descriptive. If you heard it for the first time you would have no idea what it does.

    It is also offensive to handicapped people. IIRC a father contacted GIMP developers to point this out because his handicapped son used it and thought it offensive. 

  • Anonymous

    Yes. In many non-Linux users’ reviews of Linux software, they point out that they’d rather use an image manipulation program like Photoshop than something weird like “The GIMP”.  Who cares if the acronym makes sense?

    • http://twitter.com/msx728 Martín Cigorraga

      “Who cares if the acronym makes sense?”

      EVERYBODY SHOULD

      Do you know by chance what GNU means? Do you know that you are actually
      using an operating sysmte which is %50 percent made thanks to and
      acronym that nobody (like you) cares??

      Gosh! Where did came all these… braindead users?

      • Anonymous

        No need to get so defensive.  Of course I know what these acronyms all mean, and I’m not certainly not braindead, but I think the application should be named so that you can get a good idea of its function without looking up what the acronym within the acronym means :-/.

    • http://twitter.com/msx728 Martín Cigorraga

      “Who cares if the acronym makes sense?”

      EVERYBODY SHOULD

      Do you know by chance what GNU means? Do you know that you are actually
      using an operating sysmte which is %50 percent made thanks to and
      acronym that nobody (like you) cares??

      Gosh! Where did came all these… braindead users?

    • Anonymous

      I don’t have anything good to say about people who choose names over functionality when it comes to production software. Everyone pretends they know what GIMP’s main issue is. Except they can’t come to agreement even among each other, but does it really matter when it’s so much more fun having an argument? :)

      • Anonymous

        About the name over functionality part: I don’t think users are at fault when it comes to them choosing a product called “Photoshop” for image editing rather than “The GIMP”.  Names are a huge part of the first impression an application leaves on its users, and you can’t blame them for steering clear of one that is often used as a derogatory term for a physically handicapped person.

        • Anonymous

          If people can’t think contextually, I wish them all luck in the world, because, boy, they’re gonna need it.

          • Anonymous

             You’re the only person on here who has actually made any sense at all. I really get annoyed at people who try to make connections like this where there obviously is none.

          • Anonymous

            Far from being the only person, really.

          • Anonymous

             You’re the only person on here who has actually made any sense at all. I really get annoyed at people who try to make connections like this where there obviously is none.

        • Tory Gaurnier

          This is the EXACT reason so many people get things like Antivirus 2011 on their computer, which is actually a virus itself, anybody with any Internet common sense knows that you must look up reviews and screenshots/videos of a program before you want to try it out, or judge it. And the fact that people are willing to shell out close to $100 because of a name, that’s just idiocy. If someone uses Photoshop for a class, or because they are professional, or whatever, that’s fine, but anyone who steers clear of a FREE program because their immaturity reads an acronym incorrectly, and instead they empty their wallet, well, those people are just stupid.

          There are several AMAZING programs out there, with absolutely stupid names, when it comes to programs, names mean virtually nothing.

          • Diego Ferreira

            Well, people aren´t logically programmed robots. They like “friendly”, ya know? I would use GIMP no matter what. Ubuntu is a bad name. But here I am. It´s not the point. We are the fan base. The question is about spreading.

            People in general aren´t that smart. We adapt. 

          • Diego Ferreira

            Well, people aren´t logically programmed robots. They like “friendly”, ya know? I would use GIMP no matter what. Ubuntu is a bad name. But here I am. It´s not the point. We are the fan base. The question is about spreading.

            People in general aren´t that smart. We adapt. 

      • Diego Ferreira

        The problem stated here is the name, not functionality. The name is a bad name, period. The program is very good. The philosophy behind it is also very good. But we are tired of being a “niche”, we need to spread the idea of Linux, and here we need to think like Jobs and not like a programmer or a closed club with weird rules. 

        • Anonymous

          “The name is a bad name, period.”

          Is it a new approach to argumentation? “What I think is right and you are wrong, because me and other people withno notion of context say so”?

          The name does not magically bring HDR-capable processing, CMYK and all the other features  that professionals need. Try thinking about it.

          • Diego Ferreira

            Well, people sometimes uses this kind of expressions in conversations.Like you, saying that all this conversation is pointless and the name doens´t matter. But here you are.

            And the name doesn´t bring functionality, but brings a nice face to the project. It matters. Ow, wait, maybe not. Maybe it´s better be a guy with clinched fists and an air of superiority. 

          • Anonymous

            “Maybe it´s better be a guy with clinched fists and an air of superiority.”

            You are surely referring to all these people in the thread who never contributed and still think they know better? :) Totally agreed! :)

  • Anonymous

    Yes. In many non-Linux users’ reviews of Linux software, they point out that they’d rather use an image manipulation program like Photoshop than something weird like “The GIMP”.  Who cares if the acronym makes sense?

  • Anonymous

    Yes. In many non-Linux users’ reviews of Linux software, they point out that they’d rather use an image manipulation program like Photoshop than something weird like “The GIMP”.  Who cares if the acronym makes sense?

  • Cliff Wells

    I think the developers should do whatever they want.  If the name is problem for you, don’t use it.

    Also, can we please just shorten all of the lengthy pleas about new users into “think of the children”?  It would be a real time-saver.

  • http://www.iheartubuntu.com iheartubuntu.com

    GIMP still isnt as user friendly as PS, even in single window mode. I love Inkscape and do most of what I need in Inkscape these days. I use GRAMPS more than I use GIMP :|

    • http://profiles.google.com/peter.podgorski Piotr Podgórski

      Inkscape? What is Inkscape doing here? It’s vector graphics, while Gimp is raster graphics, they’re meant for two completely different purposes. It’s pretty nonsensical to bring Inkscape up when Gimp is discussed…

      • http://www.iheartubuntu.com iheartubuntu.com

        I also brought GRAMPS up too. Burn me at the stake! Hell, Pinto is easier then GIMP is.

      • Anonymous

        You mean I can’t do web design in both? That I can’t cut that design into HTML code in both? Wow! You live and learn.

      • Anonymous

        You mean I can’t do web design in both? That I can’t cut that design into HTML code in both? Wow! You live and learn.

    • Tory Gaurnier

      Whether or not something is “user friendly” is very relative to the “user”. If someone knows photoshop, then yes, GIMP will be more difficult, however I started on GIMP, and Photoshop confused the hell out of me at first. Adobe has this problem of hiding everything throughout a million different menus, GIMP, right-click, and everything is right there. How exactly is that not user friendly?

  • Danial Behzadi

    Ain’t GTK “Gimp Tool Kit”?
    If you rename Gimp you should rename GTK
    If you rename GTK you should rename Gnome
    If you rename Gnome…

    • http://www.facebook.com/migueleonm Miguelangel Leon

      Why rename them all? GTK will be still GTK, is historical, Gimp tool kit because it was made for GIMP now called “another name” but GTK is still GTK. In fact Many people I know believes the G of GTK is for GNOME.

    • http://cassidyjames.com Cassidy James

      GTK could stay GTK, especially if GIMP gets renamed to something that still begins with a G. Even if it wasn’t you could keep GTK standing for GIMP Toolkit for historical reasons, or rename it to Gnu Toolkit, or just *gasp* not make it stand for anything!

    • http://www.FreezingMoon.org/ Dread Knight

      “Graphical Tool Kit”. There you go.

  • wayp .

    The name “Linux” is not descriptive, and who knows what it means in Swahili! Let’s change it!
    Ubuntu, also not descriptive and funny. Change it.
    Debian, not descriptive.
    Red Hat and Fedora, why that’s headware not software.
    Nautilus and Dolphin… sea creatures… is that appropriate?!
    Guess all need’s renaming…

    • Anonymous

      Red Hat is a rather cool name and nautilus was not a creature last time i checked

      • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/TheMerkinman Merk
      • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/TheMerkinman Merk
        • Anonymous

          isn’t the name taken from the submarine?

          • Anonymous

            Young people today…

            No, it’s the other way round :)

          • Anonymous

            I am, always, talking about the file manager

          • Anonymous

            That’s why I said “young people today”. Earlier versions of Nautilus had a very prominent seacreature logo.

          • Anonymous

            it still has it, i never thought about it though . Having seen it way more times than an image of an actual nautilus i have gotten used to it and ignored it :$

    • Anonymous

      Red Hat is a rather cool name and nautilus was not a creature last time i checked

    • Anonymous

      Bro. Windows. Obvious? Nay.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

      Linux means Linux Is Not Unix.

      Ubuntu ,It is named after the Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu (“humanity towards others”), that’s why the slogan goes: Ubuntu, Linux for human beings.

      Debian: Named after its creator and his wife, Deb & Ian

      Red Hat? a reference to it’s founder .. hat. Fedora is a hat aswell

      Nautilus is more likely taken from the submarine, what a submarine does? it EXPLORES the sea, as with Nautilus you explore your files. Dolphin is pretty much the same, a sea farer (explorer).

      • wayp .

        :)
        I knew all that… I was being sarcastic… but thanks for the explanation anyway.

  • http://zadco.me Zadco

    I suggest we rename it to: “The GAME”!

    • Anonymous

      you just lost it

  • Anonymous

    GIMP is well known as GIMP – it is recognizable
    Here in Poland, in elementary schools, they teach kids usin GIMP.

  • http://twitter.com/SarcasticSloth Steven Garza

    Are people seriously such prudes that they would get offended over a name like Gimp?

    If anything the name change should change from The GIMP to simply Gimp without all caps.
    They can get rid of the mascot and splashscreen as well. We all left that behind in the early millennium.

  • http://anxiousnut.wordpress.com Anxious Nut

    Geeks would say no, … including me. However, it’s true, GIMP future might be much better if the name changes although many know it as it is.

    Don’t get me wrong, I know what GIMP stands for and I like it, but … if they want to get it beyond geeks eyes, that might need to change to something as descriptive as other proprietary software.

    Come on, just from the sound of these, tell me which seems better: “GIMP”  or “Photoshop”; “Dark table” or “Lightroom”; “InkScape” or “Illustrator”? Honestly, I love the opensource names but they don’t sound as good as the proprietary ones. :(

  • http://www.facebook.com/james.lovallo James Lovallo

    GLIDE “GNU Layered Image Design Environment”

    Though ideally I’d prefer some sharp name that’s not an acronym, like Palette, Easel, Chroma, etc

  • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/TheMerkinman Merk

    They’ll call it FOSSoshop “temporarily” while they get a better name (because you MUST mention the license otherwise no one would know it’s FOSS), then refuse to change it from FOSSoshop once a better name is available.

    • Tory Gaurnier

      Nothing with “shop” in it, GIMP is not photoshop, it is bad enough that so many people think they are copying it, or think it’s a clone. If people see any kind of “shop” in the name, you know what the instant thoughts will be, “well that must be a clone of Photoshop”.

  • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/TheMerkinman Merk

    They’ll call it FOSSoshop “temporarily” while they get a better name (because you MUST mention the license otherwise no one would know it’s FOSS), then refuse to change it from FOSSoshop once a better name is available.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Thomas-Raven/100002547277110 Thomas Raven

    Gimp is one of the worst names of anything, ever.  While it might not hold it back in a world where there are few free alternatives, I wouldn’t expect anything with that name to win out over something that sounds more professional.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Thomas-Raven/100002547277110 Thomas Raven

    Gimp is one of the worst names of anything, ever.  While it might not hold it back in a world where there are few free alternatives, I wouldn’t expect anything with that name to win out over something that sounds more professional.

  • Dragan Strk

    I vote for change.

    • Anonymous

      Does it count?

    • Anonymous

      Does it count?

  • Dragan Strk

    I vote for change.

  • Ryan Gallagher

    I teach graphic arts in a school for special needs children. Many of them are gifted as well as learning disabled.

    I cannot use Gimp (nor would I) – the name is horribly offensive to many people with disabilities.

    Names matter in business too. “Here’s your file, it’s in gimp format.”

    • Maurice Mitchell

      I have to agree with you on that.  I can see the word offending several people.  I think they should ask the community and have a vote on a new name.

      • http://profiles.google.com/9zabner Abner H

        people that easily offended need to be offended more often. I doubt any disabled people would be offended by the name; only those who feel guilty about their good health would.

        it’s an acronym. get over it.

        • http://aragnis.com Ragnis Armus

          People get offended by everything.

        • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

          Excuse me whilst I put the finishing touches on my GAYDAR (GNU Augmented Yammer Deleter And Recognizer), my YIFF (Youth In FireFox) and my DILDO (Diagnostics In Limiting Dangerous Overflows) programs, then…

          • Anonymous

            What is a YIFF? I have no idea. Should I be offended on someone elses behalf!

            I should probably play it safe.

            YIFF offends me, I know like 5 YIFFs! Im not YIFFist in fact 3 of my best friends are YIFFs, and when I teach at a YIFF school I can’t use this software!

            My life is difficult!

          • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

            To some, that is an offensive term; it comes from the ‘furry’ sexual orientation, indicating to yiff is to screw everything in sight.

            It is currently in use as an insult towards homosexuals.

          • Anonymous

            I’m not sure if you missed my point or if it is your mission to take offence on behalf of anybody for anything.

          • Anonymous

            It’s just a name for an awesome piece of software, so don’t mind.

          • Anonymous

            DILDO is awesome! Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll see what I can do. “Use GNU DILDO to shake your overflows out of your stack.”

            Awesome!

          • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

            Ok, well, DILDO was good for a laugh, but do you get my point? Why not CRIPPLE or SPASTIC etc?

          • Anonymous

            did we not vote on this very site to change the name of a twitter client from schizobird to Polly as it was not a suitable name!?

        • Russell Wilson

          I dont see how keeping it helps its adoption though. people will either not care about the name and use it whatever it is called because its a good program or they wont use it because its called gimp. Especially in business. call it something neautral and its just 1 less reason for people to not use it.

      • Anonymous

        plus gimp just doesn’t sound right in any way you put it. Believe me, i’ve said it just about every single way possible “I gimped it” or “i used gimp” and there is no way to say it without a half confused stare back as well as a grossed out face.

    • http://nosheep.org.ua Алексей Раю

      I looked into dictionary, and YEAH! What a gimp of a program!

      • Anonymous

        So the name didn’t bother you before.

    • Bob Henderson

      Odd. I work in a school that serves a wide variety of students, special needs or no, and we use Gimp. The students find it hilarious.

      I find that taking off the kid-skin gloves once in a while is a good way to handle Education.

    • Bob Henderson

      Odd. I work in a school that serves a wide variety of students, special needs or no, and we use Gimp. The students find it hilarious.

      I find that taking off the kid-skin gloves once in a while is a good way to handle Education.

    • http://twitter.com/MichaelKargl Michael Kargl

      I am sorry but this is really not right! You can not use a very good piece of software just because you find the name offensive? Personally it did not even came to my mind that it could be interpreted as offensive. Its the GNU image manipulation program!

      • http://profiles.google.com/danteashton Danté Ashton

        This is a program, which, in it’s latest version, has a splash-screen image of a cow dominatrix, and the program itself is called the GIMP. 

        I use it, and dues where due; it’s a brilliant bit of software; but I’m sorry to say I really cannot recommend it in public; namely because, in my country, at least, the term ‘GIMP’ equates to a man in full leather with a whip and an evil grin. It is a term for a sexual fetish; not a name for good software.

        • Anonymous

          You are not supposed to recommend development version with temporary splash screen that is purely a pun on both Cage tool and alternative GEGL acronym meaning.

          • http://twitter.com/nathanf77 Nathan Broadbent

            That splash screen really is hideous though. I can’t say I’m very fond of that humour.

          • Anonymous

            You don’t habitually see fluffy rabbits on green meadows in FOSS graphics, no? :)

            Sure, as controversial things go, this splash is *quite* controversial. And since replacing splash screen to something of your own is exacty one ‘sudo cp’ command, I think it’s OK to expect people to just have a big grin or shruggin of shoulders and moving over :)

        • Anonymous

          NOT A RELEASED VERSION. DONT USE IT. THE SPLASH SCREEN HELPS TO REMIND YOU OF THIS.

        • Gabriel Rousseau

          Actually is a female gnu… But you can change de Splash Screen.. I changed mine. The file is at the /usr/share/gimp/2.0/images, I think

      • Anonymous

        But outside of the insular Gnu bubble, Gnu is meaningless to the vast majority of end users.

        • Polly

          not true – many major and lesser known distributions use it in their official and/or unofficial names – Debian GNU/Linux, Trisquel GNU/Linux, Kongoni GNU/Linux, Knoppix GNU/Linux, etc., not to mention how many are based of distros that use GNU as part of their name – not to mention all the tools and apps.

          • Anonymous

            Ok I made the mistake of saying Gnu bubble. Perhaps instead I should have said Linux bubble. Basically the thing that has 1% marketshare and tends to be package more in geekiness than consumerness.

          • Anonymous

            Ok I made the mistake of saying Gnu bubble. Perhaps instead I should have said Linux bubble. Basically the thing that has 1% marketshare and tends to be package more in geekiness than consumerness.

          • Anonymous

            Ok I made the mistake of saying Gnu bubble. Perhaps instead I should have said Linux bubble. Basically the thing that has 1% marketshare and tends to be package more in geekiness than consumerness.

      • https://launchpad.net/~joedoe47 joedoe47

        while the name may be interpreted as offensive but it’s all about attracting new users. Look at all the mac users, apple gives all of their apps generic and or funny sounding names and they “love” all the apps even if the application charges them money to use it and doesn’t even work half way decent. Sure you can have a program the sounds bad and works good but then you get something like GIMP and firefox. To be honest does the word firefox bring to mind a web browser? the answer is yes provided you have already tried it before but if firefox has the word “web browser” new users then see that and associate the name firefox with it’s use.  hence “firefox web browser” is what most new users know it as, but when you comment “oh so you like mozzila?” then they get confused. This is what I like to call a two word describer ^^. The name GIMP is ok and “glade” sound nicer but the devs should also add that last part that will allows users to know what it does in one word. “glade image editor/studio”. Now for example M$ with “internet explorer” the thing that the program does is part of the name. most people are already used to this and so if you’d like to come up with a name in this sort of way you can call it “photo studio”, “image studio”, “imaging  suite”. Any who the name Can Not stay the way it is currently something has to change. either add a two word describer to “the GIMP”. so like get rid of “the” and just change it to “Gimp imaging…” or change it all for a nicer sounding name like “glade image….”.

      • https://launchpad.net/~joedoe47 joedoe47

        while the name may be interpreted as offensive but it’s all about attracting new users. Look at all the mac users, apple gives all of their apps generic and or funny sounding names and they “love” all the apps even if the application charges them money to use it and doesn’t even work half way decent. Sure you can have a program the sounds bad and works good but then you get something like GIMP and firefox. To be honest does the word firefox bring to mind a web browser? the answer is yes provided you have already tried it before but if firefox has the word “web browser” new users then see that and associate the name firefox with it’s use.  hence “firefox web browser” is what most new users know it as, but when you comment “oh so you like mozzila?” then they get confused. This is what I like to call a two word describer ^^. The name GIMP is ok and “glade” sound nicer but the devs should also add that last part that will allows users to know what it does in one word. “glade image editor/studio”. Now for example M$ with “internet explorer” the thing that the program does is part of the name. most people are already used to this and so if you’d like to come up with a name in this sort of way you can call it “photo studio”, “image studio”, “imaging  suite”. Any who the name Can Not stay the way it is currently something has to change. either add a two word describer to “the GIMP”. so like get rid of “the” and just change it to “Gimp imaging…” or change it all for a nicer sounding name like “glade image….”.

      • https://launchpad.net/~joedoe47 joedoe47

        while the name may be interpreted as offensive but it’s all about attracting new users. Look at all the mac users, apple gives all of their apps generic and or funny sounding names and they “love” all the apps even if the application charges them money to use it and doesn’t even work half way decent. Sure you can have a program the sounds bad and works good but then you get something like GIMP and firefox. To be honest does the word firefox bring to mind a web browser? the answer is yes provided you have already tried it before but if firefox has the word “web browser” new users then see that and associate the name firefox with it’s use.  hence “firefox web browser” is what most new users know it as, but when you comment “oh so you like mozzila?” then they get confused. This is what I like to call a two word describer ^^. The name GIMP is ok and “glade” sound nicer but the devs should also add that last part that will allows users to know what it does in one word. “glade image editor/studio”. Now for example M$ with “internet explorer” the thing that the program does is part of the name. most people are already used to this and so if you’d like to come up with a name in this sort of way you can call it “photo studio”, “image studio”, “imaging  suite”. Any who the name Can Not stay the way it is currently something has to change. either add a two word describer to “the GIMP”. so like get rid of “the” and just change it to “Gimp imaging…” or change it all for a nicer sounding name like “glade image….”.

    • Anonymous

      How is that offensive… ? Have you tried it?

    • Polly

      You could just explain that it is the GNU Image Manipulation Program or just GNU Graphic Editor. Still though, when they see GIMP, they could be offended anyway, so I definitely see your point.

      • Anonymous

        which implies a high level of geekyness – im a BIG linux and open source user but there’s no escaping that we give some stupid name’s for software or use terminology that escapes the majority of people

      • Anonymous

        which implies a high level of geekyness – im a BIG linux and open source user but there’s no escaping that we give some stupid name’s for software or use terminology that escapes the majority of people

  • Ryan Gallagher

    I teach graphic arts in a school for special needs children. Many of them are gifted as well as learning disabled.

    I cannot use Gimp (nor would I) – the name is horribly offensive to many people with disabilities.

    Names matter in business too. “Here’s your file, it’s in gimp format.”

  • http://www.facebook.com/kumar.aatish Kumar Aatish

    I see one of the arguments produced against changing the name of GIMP, is that people who know what GIMP is have no problem with its name. Frankly, that is not the issue. The issue is about people who have no clue about a good free software. The NSFW meaning of the word is not obscure, it is very much real, present and concrete. I believe it must be changed.

    • Anonymous

      Most people do not know of any other meanings of GIMP except for “crippled” and the sexual meaning. Most people are surprised there are other (earlier) meanings and have to use a dictionary to learn them.

      I find the name as yet another obstacle when I try to recommend the program for something. Most people have never heard of it; they feel like it’s too risky to try a program that they never heard of to do some quick job instead of the famous photoshop. Telling them that it’s called the GIMP does the opposite of helping persuade them– they stop taking it seriously react to the name in some way.

      One may as well change the name of Krita to “Dildo” — after all, it’s just a plant.

      • Anonymous

        “Most people do not know of any other meanings of GIMP except for “crippled” and the sexual meaning.”

        You know what most people know and don’t know? Dear god, I’m glad to finally meet you!

        • http://www.facebook.com/kumar.aatish Kumar Aatish

          I have tried getting people to use Linux and open source products. So yes, when I tend to say that I know what most people think, it is because I hear snickers and muffled laughter when trying to promote a good software. For example Schizobird was renamed recently because of its connection to the word schizophrenia. It is difficult for people like me, who try to promote OSS at their universities and companies when something as inconsequential as name proves to be a hindrance to its adoption (and not because the name does not make sense, but because it is actually offensive).

          According to me, people in open source should give up this sense of arrogance when dealing with potential users and market.
          If you do not agree with me, then please try to name a software as ‘fedora unified communication operating framework’ and try to make it popular and get it mainstream adoption among companies.

        • http://www.facebook.com/kumar.aatish Kumar Aatish

          I have tried getting people to use Linux and open source products. So yes, when I tend to say that I know what most people think, it is because I hear snickers and muffled laughter when trying to promote a good software. For example Schizobird was renamed recently because of its connection to the word schizophrenia. It is difficult for people like me, who try to promote OSS at their universities and companies when something as inconsequential as name proves to be a hindrance to its adoption (and not because the name does not make sense, but because it is actually offensive).

          According to me, people in open source should give up this sense of arrogance when dealing with potential users and market.
          If you do not agree with me, then please try to name a software as ‘fedora unified communication operating framework’ and try to make it popular and get it mainstream adoption among companies.

        • Anonymous

          Within my oh so small sample size, yes. When asked, they don’t know the other meanings for gimp. In my world, these are usually students from various university programs.

          Perhaps in your personal world, most people have a rich and archaeic knowledge of the English language.
          Though I doubt this would extend to most people who may choose to use such a program.

  • Sahilshines

    quite a many well known photo editing software have  a “photo” or “pic” as a part of their name,given a new interface is rolling out it wod be be great the final product comes in all new avatar and with sexy name as well

    EDIT: Thunderbolt is much more sexier name then light-peak
             monitor a sexier name then console         photo xyz will be a sexier name den “THE GIMP”
    who really bothers to know acroym or nomenclature??
    many of the guys present here mite even say they are using Linux instead of “GNU Linux”plz follow the KISS principle;keep it simple,stupid ;)

  • http://www.facebook.com/james.lovallo James Lovallo

    GLIDE “GNU Layered Image Design Environment”

    Though ideally I’d prefer some sharp name that’s not an acronym, like Palette, Easel, Chroma, etc

    • http://twitter.com/samwhiteUK Sam White

      I like GLIDE, it’s smooth

      • http://adnan.quaium.com Adnan

        Yeah it is quite nice. But as we say now “I gimped it” (like “I photoshoped it”), what will we say with GLIDE? I glided it? Sounds not-so-attractive. Is it necessary to include GNU in the head of the name? If not then Only LIDE (Layered Image Design Environment) would be better. But still like James Lovallo, I also  some sharp name that’s not an acronym (Inkscape is a good example).

        • http://profiles.google.com/lekremyelsew Lekrem Yelsew

          Dude, that picture is a fake. Someone must have glid it.

    • http://anaershadowynomaly.deviantart.com Farran Lee

      Glide is actually quite nice, and it doesn’t need to all be in caps… it could be an acronym without needing to tell anyone that’s the case. Perhaps only give the acronym in the ‘About’ window or something.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeremy-Newton/512458865 Jeremy Newton

        Just like Gnome should ;)

    • http://cad.cx Colin Dean

      Great idea, but it’s too close to Glade.
      http://glade.gnome.org/

      • http://www.gregboggs.com Better Ubuntu

        No one has heard of glade. So that’s not a problem, but “glide” is something entirely different that many people HAVE heard of… and it would create the same problems that GIMP does.

        As for GIMP’s brand, it’s brand stands for a GIMP’d version of Photoshop… no loss changing there.

        • Anonymous

          Um, a ton of people have heard of Glade. Also, a ton of people use it. It’s teh fantastic.

        • http://twitter.com/95felipe felipe

          “No one has heard of glade.” Oh boy! Shut up.

        • http://profiles.google.com/lilianftp Moraru Lilian

          Lol, a lot of programmers use Glade.

      • http://www.gregboggs.com Better Ubuntu

        No one has heard of glade. So that’s not a problem, but “glide” is something entirely different that many people HAVE heard of… and it would create the same problems that GIMP does.

        As for GIMP’s brand, it’s brand stands for a GIMP’d version of Photoshop… no loss changing there.

      • http://www.gregboggs.com Better Ubuntu

        No one has heard of glade. So that’s not a problem, but “glide” is something entirely different that many people HAVE heard of… and it would create the same problems that GIMP does.

        As for GIMP’s brand, it’s brand stands for a GIMP’d version of Photoshop… no loss changing there.

      • http://twitter.com/nathanf77 Nathan Broadbent

        Meh. It’s close, but completely distinguishable. Common users will have never heard of glade anyway.

    • http://www.facebook.com/Brunnux Bruno Silva

      I think GLIDE is cool.

    • Anonymous

      Feels strange to say “I glided it.” Needs to be something that would flow as a verb.

      • http://twitter.com/TheSofox Sofox

        Anything’s an improvement on “I gimped it”

        • Badri Venkatavaradan

          “I glided it” will sound like “I glided on it” or “I glided through it” or something, since glide is already a verb.

      • Anonymous

        well don’t think “I photoshoped it” think more about other ways to put it. “Yeah, I glide” or “I used Glide” its not all about one way to say it..

        • Anonymous

          I think “I manipulated the image”. Brand-agnostic.

      • http://profiles.google.com/j.w12321 James W

        how about “I glid it”?

      • http://www.facebook.com/BLTicklemonster Bill Schroeder

        That’d be, “I glid it”.

    • Anonymous

      Feels strange to say “I glided it.” Needs to be something that would flow as a verb.

    • http://twitter.com/pixtuts Gimp.pixtuts

      Good idea, GLIDE would be a good name

    • http://twitter.com/briketaro briketa.ro

      Photoshop

      • http://profiles.google.com/lain.halfbit Lain inVerse

        Shophotos

    • Anonymous

      Glide is an awesome name, it doesn’t need the issues some of you have posted below addressed, photoshoped is a stupid term. Glade has an ‘a’ in it and any English reading user can spot the difference.

      I’d love to see the name changed, GIMP is a common male problem, especially around ugly women :P 

    • https://launchpad.net/~joedoe47 joedoe47

      I originally voted to keep it as gimp until I read this proposed name ^^
      it just rolls off the tongue and makes sense. although it might confuse a few between “glade” and “glide”. ;p

      • Stacey Ivancovich

         It doesn’t confuse me at all. I love Glide as a name! Thumbs up.

    • Anonymous

      How about “Photo Glide” ???

      • The Negative Shape

        Why “Photo”- anything? Does anyone actually use Photoshop or GIMP to polish photos?

        • http://www.martinsmucker.com Michael Martin-Smucker

          That’s _all_ I use Photoshop for, but I agree there are lots of other uses.

    • Joel McNierney

      If you’re changing your brand name because it’s not PG enough, don’t change it to something that could be misinterpreted in any context.

      • Jono Mingard

        If you simply have Glide as a name and ignore the fact that it’s an acronym the worst that could happen would be people asking “What’s Glide?”. And I’m not sure how GLIDE would be misinterpreted anyway …

    • Anonymous

      I think putting Gnu in everything is overkill

      • Polly

        Some people say that about Linux and Tux. It is a GNU application and used in Ubuntu, which is a GNU operating system.

        • http://profiles.google.com/lilianftp Moraru Lilian

          Again this stupid thing, Linux is Linux, it used a lot of GNU software before, not now… Yes GCC is important but other software no…

          • Anonymous

            You kidding me? Most of the toolchain is GNU. It’s more GNU than Linux!

          • http://www.khattam.info _khAttAm_

            WTF??

          • http://www.khattam.info _khAttAm_

            WTF??

          • http://twitter.com/onderbakirtas Önder Emre BAKIRTAŞ

            Think about GPL.

          • http://twitter.com/Phrodo_00 Javier

            what about glibc, you know, the thing that even provides _start()

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2T2HG2IC762YI7GT2JRNHLACHA James

      More like “Generic Layered Image Design Environment”…

    • Jono Mingard

      GLIDE is a whole lot better than GIMP – the words aren’t the most amazing but the acronym is excellent. And the fact that it starts with the same letter as GIMP is a plus as well!

    • http://profiles.google.com/thinkdevoid Andrew Sokalski

      Love the name Glide. Much better than GIMP

  • http://twitter.com/C_G_Hearn Christopher Hearn

    It wouldn’t be the first time a product switched it’s name. If anything it would bring more success, not less. All GIMP would need to do is announce it is now called it’s new name and redirect from gimp.org to the new site. Would it would be called would take some wordsmithing (as well as updating the interface).

  • http://www.facebook.com/marksmc Mark McClure

    Yes, a million times. I love Gimp and have always had problems recommending it to certain people because of the English definitions of the word. This is not just an open source program with an “odd” name, it is an offensive name in the English language and will always prevent a certain number of people from adopting it.

  • http://profiles.google.com/nathanel.titane Nathanel Titane

    I say ‘Yes’ simply in the sense of the matter that spelling it GIMP rather than G.I.M.P. would imply something different than the acronym it suggests….

    Oh, and, P.S.: THE MASCOT NEEDS TO GO!
    Why not showcase it as “THE G.I.M.P.”, I find it has a more potent approach to divulging it’s true, already recognized power :)

  • Robin Jacobs

    A new name would be nice. And if they don’t want to change the name, let them please at least remove the “The” part from “The GIMP” xD It sounds ridiculous. :p

  • Anonymous

    That’s true. Those who already use Gimp wouldn’t be very confused, if the name was change. And new branding and interface could attract more new users.

  • Anonymous

    I actually voted no, but after reading some comments and learning other meanings of Gimp, I would gladly vote YES. In fact re.branding could be very healthy for that awesome piece of software. :D

  • Anonymous

    I personally think a name change would make people take it more seriously.

  • Hari Zafiriadis

    Here is the oxford dictionary meaning for gimp:

    gimp
    (also guimp or gymp) …twisted silk, worsted, or cotton with cord or wire running through it, used chiefly as upholstery trimming…
    gimp
    …a physically disabled or lame person…

    The acronym is Gnu Image Manipulation Program (G.I.M.P.)   I like it because it represents what it’s function is.  Perhaps if people trying to hype GIMP could use the full title in articles, advertisements and such but with the acronym as well could make it more acceptable.

    I hate when perfectly good words suddenly become offensive because some people have associated the words in the wrong way and I don’t understand why people become offended by words.

    • Anonymous

      The misunderstanding usually stems from ignorance. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3BEMYXZR3QTBZF676TUAEKATHM syncdram

    What, is Gimp to hard to say for a new user? Single syllable words do not get any easier than that. 

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LGOFCYOUSI5DDSJM2YRC7TQQ3E Joe

      Why don’t you head over to Urban Dictionary and look that term up.

      • Danni Coy

        Why not go to a *real* dictionary and look the term up…

        • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LGOFCYOUSI5DDSJM2YRC7TQQ3E Joe

          I think it’s pretty clear from the splash screen that the devs are very aware of the urban dictionary definition.  I’m also pretty sure you’ll find that in one or the other of the “real” dictionaries..

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LGOFCYOUSI5DDSJM2YRC7TQQ3E Joe

      Why don’t you head over to Urban Dictionary and look that term up.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LGOFCYOUSI5DDSJM2YRC7TQQ3E Joe

      Why don’t you head over to Urban Dictionary and look that term up.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ZXBQ7B33I3Z426XSY4UXNYKSLQ Christian

    The 90′s are calling – they want their GIMP naming discussion back.

  • Glennz NL

    Time to fork:
    -New name
    -Single window only
    -Code clean-up
    -Redesigned interface

    • Anonymous

      Great! Will you be doing all the development from now on then? I’d be worried cuz that’d be just half the size of the current development team.. and that’s just the matter of -number- of developers.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1769488728 Aaron Ryan

    I once said to someone who needed a video editing programme; I said “Just download GIMP”, and he replied, looking at me with a puzzled expression and said “Oh, no no no, I’m not really into that sort of thing..”. I then tried to explain it to him and convince him, but he just thought I was tricking him into going onto a shock site.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1769488728 Aaron Ryan

    I once said to someone who needed a video editing programme; I said “Just download GIMP”, and he replied, looking at me with a puzzled expression and said “Oh, no no no, I’m not really into that sort of thing..”. I then tried to explain it to him and convince him, but he just thought I was tricking him into going onto a shock site.

  • http://twitter.com/samwhiteUK Sam White

    I don’t mind either way, but if there is a name change it should not copy anything from PS like openshop or whatever.

    Instead, I like OpenEDIT, which is easy and it also stands for an Open and Easy Design and Image Toolbox.

    I also like GLIDE as suggested earlier.

  • http://twitter.com/samwhiteUK Sam White

    I don’t mind either way, but if there is a name change it should not copy anything from PS like openshop or whatever.

    Instead, I like OpenEDIT, which is easy and it also stands for an Open and Easy Design and Image Toolbox.

    I also like GLIDE as suggested earlier.

    • http://twitter.com/samwhiteUK Sam White

      Wait, apparently OPENEdit has already gone, I’ll keep thinking.

    • http://twitter.com/samwhiteUK Sam White

      Wait, apparently OPENEdit has already gone, I’ll keep thinking.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

      Openshop ftw.

      • Polly

        I kinda like that one :)

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

      Openshop ftw.

  • Anonymous

    If the developers want to keep the old name, create a new site for the app with all-new design and branding, and keep the old site going at the same time. That way there will be 2 products that seem unconnected, but really the only difference is branding. Those who prefer a healthier and more professional brand can go for the new brand. Those who prefer a rotten and childish brand can for the old brand.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

      ArtForge sounds better , Picture This (!) Sounds like a basic photo management program, PhotoCraft sound slike a PhotoShop wannabe, Graphixfox sounds like a mozilla developed application or a Firefox add-on, ArtShop sounds nice too.

  • Anonymous

    If the developers want to keep the old name, create a new site for the app with all-new design and branding, and keep the old site going at the same time. That way there will be 2 products that seem unconnected, but really the only difference is branding. Those who prefer a healthier and more professional brand can go for the new brand. Those who prefer a rotten and childish brand can for the old brand.

  • Marcos Fonseca Junior

    I think “Powerfull, Intuitive and Magic Photo Editor” or “P.I.M.P.E”

  • Marcos Fonseca Junior

    I think “Powerfull, Intuitive and Magic Photo Editor” or “P.I.M.P.E”

  • Eduardo K

    Ubuntu should also be renamed.

    • http://cassidyjames.com Cassidy James

      Ubuntu isn’t an acronym, doesn’t have negative alternate meanings, and is becoming more and more popular. Renaming it would achieve nothing positive, but only hurt it.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

      ah..  Troll, bad, bad, Troll…

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

      ah..  Troll, bad, bad, Troll…

  • Eduardo K

    Ubuntu should also be renamed.

  • Anonymous

    FOSS has the craziest and sometimes stupidest names. GIMP is, in my opinion, stupid. They should change it to something more ‘commercial’. 

    • Tory Gaurnier

      You know the issue with that? GIMP is not ‘commercial’, it’s ‘open source’. 

    • Tory Gaurnier

      You know the issue with that? GIMP is not ‘commercial’, it’s ‘open source’. 

  • http://scaine.myopenid.com/ scaine

    After pulp fiction released, the gimp became synonymous in mind in my mind with bondage/rubber/sex slaves.

    I remember a screenshot tool from a while back called scrotum.  Actually, it was called g-scrot, but that’s not how you’d remember it and you were usually afraid to google for anything related to it.  Anyone remember this?  Thought not.  Now how about Shutter?  Great program, its name is descriptive of its function, it’s memorable and absolutely no scrotum associations.  Same program though.

    Gimp.  Jesus.  You’re kidding right?

  • http://scaine.myopenid.com/ scaine

    After pulp fiction released, the gimp became synonymous in mind in my mind with bondage/rubber/sex slaves.

    I remember a screenshot tool from a while back called scrotum.  Actually, it was called g-scrot, but that’s not how you’d remember it and you were usually afraid to google for anything related to it.  Anyone remember this?  Thought not.  Now how about Shutter?  Great program, its name is descriptive of its function, it’s memorable and absolutely no scrotum associations.  Same program though.

    Gimp.  Jesus.  You’re kidding right?

  • http://scaine.myopenid.com/ scaine

    After pulp fiction released, the gimp became synonymous in mind in my mind with bondage/rubber/sex slaves.

    I remember a screenshot tool from a while back called scrotum.  Actually, it was called g-scrot, but that’s not how you’d remember it and you were usually afraid to google for anything related to it.  Anyone remember this?  Thought not.  Now how about Shutter?  Great program, its name is descriptive of its function, it’s memorable and absolutely no scrotum associations.  Same program though.

    Gimp.  Jesus.  You’re kidding right?

  • http://scaine.myopenid.com/ scaine

    After pulp fiction released, the gimp became synonymous in mind in my mind with bondage/rubber/sex slaves.

    I remember a screenshot tool from a while back called scrotum.  Actually, it was called g-scrot, but that’s not how you’d remember it and you were usually afraid to google for anything related to it.  Anyone remember this?  Thought not.  Now how about Shutter?  Great program, its name is descriptive of its function, it’s memorable and absolutely no scrotum associations.  Same program though.

    Gimp.  Jesus.  You’re kidding right?

  • Anonymous

    where is the “not sure optionn” ?

  • http://twitter.com/LonghornGT LonghornGT

    I have a good short name: Fude (筆). It means japanese pen for calligraphy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fudepen
    Variations: OpenFude, LibreFude.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

      Can be easily misspelled FuDge, which means chocolate :D or Sh…t :(

    • Diego Ferreira

      Fude may be confused with “fuder”, meaning “to f*ck” in portuguese.

    • Diego Ferreira

      Fude may be confused with “fuder”, meaning “to f*ck” in portuguese.

      • Anonymous

        Oh noez, the Portuguese people will rebel and fork Fude for the sake of name change. Can’t you see this is pure nonsense?

        • Diego Ferreira

          No I can´t. It´s just bad for business. Names, visual, GUI, all these little things need to be taken in consideration for marketing purposes. 

          • Anonymous

            “No I can´t.”

            Sure, after all, you merely failed to defend  your point. That’s no reason to admit you made a mistake /sarcasm

            “all these little things need to be taken in consideration for marketing purposes”

            If you don’t have the softwate that the market wants, what is the point of discussing its name?

          • Diego Ferreira

            Well, I don´t see it as a nonsense simply because this discussion is a brainstorm between final users and enthusiasts of GIMP. Maybe useless for some, but you´re here, right? Making your point. But the other side is just plain dumb and nonsensical?

            And by “market” I mean millions of people that can use this software and spread its uses. But that´s just me. It´s a people thing. 

          • Anonymous

            (replying the “dead-end” comment below once again)

            “Well, I don´t see it as a nonsense simply because this discussion is a brainstorm between final users and enthusiasts of GIMP.”

            What is the point of a brainstorm that doesn’t make a difference? Not even because you will never agree on a new name, but because the name won’t change anyway. I hope you are having a good time at least.

            “But the other side is just plain dumb and nonsensical?”

            I haven’t lost my faith in humanity yet, but discussions like this one definitely don’t make me think better about it.

            I’m not buying the “poor disabled kids feeling offended” argument either, because I know BS when I see one. Worked with disabled kids a lot in my own time, they are all different, and just like with adlt people, some kids simply want attention.

          • Diego Ferreira

            The point is talk about the software. What is not talked about is dead. If nothing, we´ll provide feedback. Now it´s about the name, sometimes can be about the functions. 

            If isn´t important, why so serious?People will talk. It´s fun. Sometimes it´s productive, sometimes don´t. But, by the way this is going, I think that even good suggestions will be disregarded. “We´ll do as we please” kind of argument. Well, at least they are competent people. I like the software.  

      • http://twitter.com/LonghornGT LonghornGT

        Still better than Gimp.

        Can also be “Fudeh”, like “Fude” + “Bokeh”.

    • Diego Ferreira

      Fude may be confused with “fuder”, meaning “to f*ck” in portuguese.

  • https://launchpad.net/~boniboyblue Christopher Boni

    I can’t vote because I’m either yes or no. I use GIMP now and again but it is usually just for auto correcting the white balance  and resizing/cropping. Names have never bothered me, I always look for a description of what the software actually does.

  • http://www.facebook.com/cgermann1 Chad Germann

    Don’t see it happening secondly who gives a cruft about market share its not a commercial product.

    The Unix world has had a history of fun little acronyms and I dont see that changing anytime soon and, to be frank if you don’t like it you have the option of geting off the lawn.

    • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

      See, now this is where you go wrong. Market share is relevant even for non-commercial products. Do you want Adobe to forever be the “industry standard”? Do you want open source to be marginalized? Then do nothing. Change nothing.

      Do you want to legitimize open source solutions? Then take them seriously. The bigger the market share for tools like Gimp, the more it can grow. If it was as big as Photoshop, do you honestly think, for a even a second, that there wouldn’t be more people interested in developing for it?

      And the “getting off the lawn” is about as mature a response as any elitist remark can be. You see, open source is not solely yours nor mine, it belongs to everyone that takes part it.
      History or no history.

      • Anonymous

        “You see, open source is not solely yours nor mine, it belongs to everyone that takes part it.”

        So how about you do something useful for GIMP and have a voice in the decision making?

        • Diego Ferreira

          Using the software and spread the word is not enough to have a voice? Here, at least? And he´s not wrong. We need to take them seriously.  

          • Anonymous

            “Using the software and spread the word is not enough to have a voice?”

            In an argument? Enough. In decision making inside a doacracy flavoured project? Think again.

          • Diego Ferreira

            I can´t assume that GIMP is made by people without any interest in hearing its community. The more they improve, more users come to the project. So they would have more and more of this “flavor”, don´t you think? 

          • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

            Take a look at how Krita is being developed (http://krita.org/component/content/article/10-news/87-krita-artist-session-recording-part-iv-david-revoy) and see how both developers and users benefit from the exchange of information – and how it affects decision making.

            I’m not saying people should sit on their hands but I’m not gonna say “everyone, learn C today!” either.

          • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

            Take a look at how Krita is being developed (http://krita.org/component/content/article/10-news/87-krita-artist-session-recording-part-iv-david-revoy) and see how both developers and users benefit from the exchange of information – and how it affects decision making.

            I’m not saying people should sit on their hands but I’m not gonna say “everyone, learn C today!” either.

      • Chad Germann

        Fun fact most people who code Free Software do not care if they become the industry standard they are looking to wright a useful little program that honors your four freedoms.

        And yes Free software’s copyright is held by the orignal developer of a that peice of code in the case of The gimp it belongs to Spencer Kimble and Peter Mattis and it is they who get to pick the name of The GIMP

        And as far as forking the gimp over a name (that this Software has had seance 1996)  and causing compatibility issues for plugins for your end users and fragmenting the community for a useful software Does that not just sound a little asinine?

        • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

          Fun fact: What Linus started. He didn’t do it to create something that was industry standard but guess what, now it powers most of the internet.

          The forking idea is more of a desperate attempt at helping promote it without having people twist their nose. For me at least, it is a statement that some want to help so badly that one would want to remove any possible obstacles.

          I agree that it is not a great idea but the sheer fact that it is thought about might say a thing or two about the Gimp name.

      • Chad Germann

        Fun fact most people who code Free Software do not care if they become the industry standard they are looking to wright a useful little program that honors your four freedoms.

        And yes Free software’s copyright is held by the orignal developer of a that peice of code in the case of The gimp it belongs to Spencer Kimble and Peter Mattis and it is they who get to pick the name of The GIMP

        And as far as forking the gimp over a name (that this Software has had seance 1996)  and causing compatibility issues for plugins for your end users and fragmenting the community for a useful software Does that not just sound a little asinine?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=741798202 Steve Simmonds

    Thing is, while the name GIMP might be cute in geeky circles, the package really should come across more professionally. I think it is a great alternative to photo$hop, but whenever I recommend it to people I have to preface the recommendation with “now I know it is a stupid name but…”

    Liked IMP (same thing just without the rubber mask and the auto-erotic asphyxiation) , liked ‘OpenShop’, though I guess that could be confused with some form of retail outlet, and my suggestion… Image Workshop – OK lame a bit maybe. Lets call it IMP. Can even keep the mascot… (or have an option to turn it off…).

  • http://twitter.com/vollcorn vollcorn

    it’s called “Gimp”, not “THE Gimp”, GNU Image Manipulation Program

    Website: Gimp.org, Packagename: gimp, Name on official Website: Gimp, Name on Wikipedia: Gimp.

    Where do you get the “THE” from?

  • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

    Names do matter and yes, people do laugh upon hearing the software name. Change it if one wants to be taken seriously.

    Note – the issue is not being a bit silly (Google, Ubuntu, Yahoo!, etc…) but rather being misinterpreted as something actually bad. Go ahead and try selling something named “Tsunami” in Japan.

    Open source has to stop being self-depreciative  and start to focus on being professional.

  • Wyatt Kirby

    PIMP: Photographic Image Manipulation Program.

    • Saie Surendra

      LOOOOL.. now thats a good one, it just got funnier with your description of it!

  • http://twitter.com/teotoo Daniel

    Hell no! You cant change names like that! 
    Its been a long standing tradition to have software with amusing acronyms!

  • Anonymous

    I didn’t know the meanings of the word “gimp” when I first began to use it, and nobody I’ve ever talked to IRL seems to have either.  But I can see how so many people oppose that name. Why play with fire? Just change it.

    P.S. I like Wilbur, the mascot. Keep him :)

  • Anonymous

    I didn’t know the meanings of the word “gimp” when I first began to use it, and nobody I’ve ever talked to IRL seems to have either.  But I can see how so many people oppose that name. Why play with fire? Just change it.

    P.S. I like Wilbur, the mascot. Keep him :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=639831143 Richy Noble

    GIMP called GNU Image Manipulation Program. Why not GNU Photoshop. GPS.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=639831143 Richy Noble

    GIMP called GNU Image Manipulation Program. Why not GNU Photoshop. GPS.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Uri-Adonay-Herrera/100000821548713 Uri Adonay Herrera

      no.

    • Polly

      Might run into legal trouble with that one.

  • msx msx

    Absolutely nope: people *IS* stupid by definition and the word “GIMP” (or The Gimp) alongside its logo is a central part of its identity.

    Sure, let’s go and change no only its name but its versioning scheme too since Photoshop is at version 15 or so, how can GIMP “compete” with 2.7.3 as its version number!?
    Let’s do it Chrome and Firefox way, why not? Oh, sorry, I’ve to leave you guys, Firefox 7 is here, and Chrome 15, bye!

    Ooops! I was to press and suddenly a window popped up showing Firefox is now at version 9 and Chrome is at v. 23!

    Oh no! there’s a new cool browser made of Firefox and Chrome named AwesomeFox v.150 and Chroma v. 332, gonna download’em, I’m sure they’re sweet!

    –

    Seriously: name changing, version inflating… that’s whats happen when marketing rats have their tail in, community should concentrate making good things work great, that’s it.

    And please, people: COOLNESS *IS* OVERRATED.

  • http://twitter.com/mad2ux Mad2UX

    Well I see the problem are only with the people who speak english. 

    In the rest of the world I dont think so.

  • Saie Surendra

    The gimp has come a long way and the name does often offend I guess, so I can imagine a more professional name being used… i liked gimphoto, but I think thats a gimp derivative. I think there should be a new poll with name suggestions and votes on possible names

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_I32UYQJ2ZBOZ37UCAQPB56OVCE Luigi

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimp_%28sadomasochism%29

    what’s wrong with gimp? sounds perfectly classy…

  • http://devolute.net devolute

    As a web developer, I sometimes tell clients how best to resize their images for the web. I feel stupid when I tell them to use ‘The Gimp’. People generally like the software, but the name… it’s like a nerd in-joke.

  • Jonny McCullagh

    A client laughed at me today when I recommended it. I would love to offer training courses in GIMP as I do with PS but the name isn’t taken seriously. How about Mirage:
    Mirage
    Image
    Rendering
    And
    Gnu
    Environment
    It has the recursion which ties in with Gnu tradition. It makes me think of an image in the desert, and importantly mentions Gnu.

    • http://cybolic.wordpress.com/ Cybolic

      It sort of already exists: http://www.tvpaint.com/v2/content/article/products/other.php. It’s discontinued, but still.

      • Jonny McCullagh

        Well spotted. I still like the name and I’m not too sure that such a common word could have trademark issues? Even with a capital G it still inspires me:
        miraGe
        A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French mirage, from the Latin mirare, meaning “to look at, to wonder at”. This is the same root as for “mirror” and “to admire”

  • Jonny McCullagh

    A client laughed at me today when I recommended it. I would love to offer training courses in GIMP as I do with PS but the name isn’t taken seriously. How about Mirage:
    Mirage
    Image
    Rendering
    And
    Gnu
    Environment
    It has the recursion which ties in with Gnu tradition. It makes me think of an image in the desert, and importantly mentions Gnu.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LGOFCYOUSI5DDSJM2YRC7TQQ3E Joe

    I can’t believe there aren’t more comments about the splash screen.  Its implications border on NSFW.  The name would be OK if they didn’t go out of their way to encourage the implications — which BTW little to do with handicapped folk — it’s the OTHER meaning of the word. 

    Without that splash screen, the traditional meanings of the word would quickly fail to be associated with the program IMHO.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LGOFCYOUSI5DDSJM2YRC7TQQ3E Joe

    I can’t believe there aren’t more comments about the splash screen.  Its implications border on NSFW.  The name would be OK if they didn’t go out of their way to encourage the implications — which BTW little to do with handicapped folk — it’s the OTHER meaning of the word. 

    Without that splash screen, the traditional meanings of the word would quickly fail to be associated with the program IMHO.

  • Anonymous

    Hmm… Why not something related to Wilber since he’s been the mascot? …Though to be honest I’ve been trying to figure out if he’s supposed to be a dog or a coyote.

    • Anonymous

      I thought it was an ugly balloon you were meant to “gimp”

  • M. Badawy

    How about GIMS (GNU Image Manipulation Software)? Or GIMA (GNU Image Manipulation App)? 

  • http://matthewmorek.com Matthew Morek

    I agree with the name change. Glide sounds awesome, not to mention what the acronym stands for.

    On that note, I could see this process as a complete rebrand with a new interface (something usable from the start for a change), new splash screen and a new name of course.

    The main reason for this should not be just an offensive name, but marketing the tool to professionals, students and everybody else that doesn’t know what it is.

    PS. 3m of downloads on CNET doesn’t prove anything. It was probably collected over many lengthy years of GIMP’s existence. Take a look at Photoshop CS5 stats from here: http://adobe-photoshop.en.softonic.com/?ab=5

    Almost 5m in a month! That proves that GIMP needs serious attentions from both UX and marketing side to gain popularity.

  • http://matthewmorek.com Matthew Morek

    I agree with the name change. Glide sounds awesome, not to mention what the acronym stands for.

    On that note, I could see this process as a complete rebrand with a new interface (something usable from the start for a change), new splash screen and a new name of course.

    The main reason for this should not be just an offensive name, but marketing the tool to professionals, students and everybody else that doesn’t know what it is.

    PS. 3m of downloads on CNET doesn’t prove anything. It was probably collected over many lengthy years of GIMP’s existence. Take a look at Photoshop CS5 stats from here: http://adobe-photoshop.en.softonic.com/?ab=5

    Almost 5m in a month! That proves that GIMP needs serious attentions from both UX and marketing side to gain popularity.

  • Anonymous

    It’s amazing. It has been stated multitude of times that GIMP won’t change its name. It’s even in the FAQ. Seriously, people, is wasting time in pointless discussion the best thing you can do?

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1482494270 Anthony Passonno

      How is a discussion of any topic ever pointless? It is only pointless if you are of the mindset of mindless and blind disagreement for it’s own sake. 

       Did you not see the posts where people even considered forking the project and calling it something else?  

      • Anonymous

        There have been all kinds of GIMP forks, and none of them survived, because, you see, you need skills to maintain a project. Having an argument isn’t a skill. And having an argument when you already know what you want will not happen is exactly pointless, whether you like it or not.

        OMG!Ubuntu does not affect decisions of GIMP team in any way imaginable. Anybody who thinks this will change anything simply wastes his/her time.

      • Anonymous

        There have been all kinds of GIMP forks, and none of them survived, because, you see, you need skills to maintain a project. Having an argument isn’t a skill. And having an argument when you already know what you want will not happen is exactly pointless, whether you like it or not.

        OMG!Ubuntu does not affect decisions of GIMP team in any way imaginable. Anybody who thinks this will change anything simply wastes his/her time.

        • Diego Ferreira

          You know, this is starting to smell arrogant, plain simple. No one here is detracting the software. On the contrary, they are promoting it. 

          This “i do as I like” or “they do as they like” attitude is lame. One of the negative points of Open Source, i guess. But whatever, I will not give up the software. 

          • Anonymous

            Nobody’s telling you to give up GIMP :)

            “I do as I like” attitude is 100% valid and makes much more sense than trying to listen to a shouting crowd of arrogant people who are not even able to agree among each other and still think they know better.

    • Diego Ferreira

      Well, we can express our opinions, don´t we? GIMP is a lame name, created by a bunch of people without marketing notions. The name should be changed.  

      Why opensource create such bad names?

      • Anonymous

        I’m not saying you can’t express your opinions, all I’m saying is that you are wasting your time.

        • Diego Ferreira

          Maybe, but we are doing it anyway. Let them know that we dislike the name. Do they care? Don´t know, probably not. We are just trying to improve and honor their effort with this wonderful software. 

          • Anonymous

            Let them know? Oh, come on, the topic of name change comes up every half a year with thousands of hours wasted on discussion that doesn’t and cannot change anything. You only make developers tired.

            If you care about the project, do something useful. You don’t even have to be a programmer.

          • Anonymous

            Just cos people will look at your comments a lot. Maybe if people wanted to put thery’re debating skills to another  use.

            http://gimp-brainstorm.blogspot.com/

          • Anonymous

            So maybe you shouldn’t be spending so many hours arguing on this thread and, as you suggest, spend your energy on something useful?

            Haven’t you said that this matter has been settled long ago? So why the crusade?

            —-
            “Someone on the internet is wrong!”

  • Anonymous

    what about “ArtTux”

  • Anonymous

    what about “ArtTux”

  • http://shara.myid.net/ Shara

    hahaha gimp – канитель (rus)
    In Russian language is the expression “тянуть канитель (to pull the gimp)” ie, “squander time”, that expresses exactly what the developers doing

  • http://twitter.com/pachydyptes Pachydyptes

    Changing the name certainly could not hurt

  • http://twitter.com/pachydyptes Pachydyptes

    Changing the name certainly could not hurt

  • Jason Willson

    LibreOffice was an example brought up in an early comment that I believe sufficiently demonstrates that changing a name (or forking) does not confuse users into oblivion and non-use. The Document Foundation (which is based in Germany, a country where English is not the native tongue) houses the project, has enjoyed a broad scope of adoption and usage, even with OpenOffice.org still existing. I think changing the name of the GIMP would have a similar impact on a non-English speaking audience, (i.e. minimal impact).

    • Jason Willson

      Sorry about the repost – posted in the wrong spot :-P

    • Jason Willson

      Sorry about the repost – posted in the wrong spot :-P

  • Jason Willson

    Yes! Please change the name! And while we’re at it, change the names of several other awfully non-descriptive FLOSS names. An elitist/apathetic/condescending attitude to prospective new users/converts is counterproductive and foolish.To those who love the name: will changing the name make you stop using the software? Of course not, you’ll just fork it because you already like it. Let’s invite others in with non-offensive and intuitive naming schemes.Pretty names sell/distribute better (provided that the product underneath the label is actually worthy of it’s name). You will simply gain a larger audience. And the people that already like “the GIMP” will readily switch over to a newly branded product, since they like the actual software itself, or will otherwise provide a legacy fork.

    FLOSS acronyms are cute novelty innuendos, but are not descriptive without knowing what the acronym stands for. Isn’t FLOSS something that cleans teeth? Is it a society dedicated to proper dental care? We know it stands for Free/Libre Open Source Software, but a larger audience doesn’t necessarily know, nor do they necessarily care. It’s not intuitive. People want intuitive. They also want SFW. ;-)

    So yes, change the name, or at least have a branding fork that satisfies FLOSS & acronym enthusiasts as well as newcomers (e.g. Iceweasel vs. Firefox -> the GIMP vs. Glide, or Photocraft, or ).

  • Alexia Death

    This discussion has happened  so many times that I’ve lost count. Every six months or so in fact. There is nothing left to discuss. All the arguments have been heard and answered. It’s in the gimp FAQ[1].  THE NAME IS NOT GOING TO BE CHANGED.

    Your options:
    1) Fork it, in witch case, you will be stuck telling all your users that its GIMP, but with a different name forever.
    2) Deal.

    Pick one. Have a nice night.

    [1] http://www.gimp.org/docs/userfaq.html#Name

    • http://fitoschidoblog.wordpress.com Fitoschido

      You’re not my mom, freaking FAQ!

  • http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/7GXJ4CL5A6A5YPPUO47UQXGP5Y Johan

    Change the name or someone please just release a rebranded GIMP under another name. The license permits it.

  • Anonymous

    I think it would be useful to consider the name change this way- pretend that GIMP has never had a name. Think of it as a completely new, unnamed software package recently released- what name would you consider for it then, to promote it and emphasize its professional quality?

    I think GIMP is probably the last thing that would come to your mind, even if you were creating an acronym of some sort. I think Image, Raster, Manipulation, Pixel, Remaster, Edit, Design, and a mix of Program/Application/Software could be used in a new acronym to come up with a variety of clever acronyms that might have a closer relation to an art and design concept than GIMP.

    Definitely worth having some writers work on better suggestions. When people have the idea of calling it “OpenShop,” it doesn’t really inspire confidence in the necessity of a name change.

  • Anonymous

    I think it would be useful to consider the name change this way- pretend that GIMP has never had a name. Think of it as a completely new, unnamed software package recently released- what name would you consider for it then, to promote it and emphasize its professional quality?

    I think GIMP is probably the last thing that would come to your mind, even if you were creating an acronym of some sort. I think Image, Raster, Manipulation, Pixel, Remaster, Edit, Design, and a mix of Program/Application/Software could be used in a new acronym to come up with a variety of clever acronyms that might have a closer relation to an art and design concept than GIMP.

    Definitely worth having some writers work on better suggestions. When people have the idea of calling it “OpenShop,” it doesn’t really inspire confidence in the necessity of a name change.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jared.isaksen Jared Anders Isaksen

    LIGHT

    Linux Image Graphics Handler Tool

    • Anonymous

      And it’s soooo easy to google for it.

    • http://profiles.google.com/patrickscott52 Patrick Scott

      I like the sound of LIGHT but the “Linux” has to go since GIMP is a cross platfrom app…

    • Polly

      Nah, it needs to have GNU like the original. imho

      • Anonymous

        but why? this is the bit I don’t get – we all know GNU contributed to linux in great ways – why do they see the need in getting GNU with a cartoony ( and unprofessional imho ) logo stuck on every product? 

        A name means everything in software – you could write the best software in the world and it would still be number 2 if it has a stupid name - 

        I use gimp in linux , osx and windows – but I still tell clients and non-techy people I “photoshopped” it – why? because I don’t get funny looks, I don’t get the “why didnt you use photoshop?” question , or i dont get a puzzled stare when I call it the GNU Image manipulation Program.

        In short – if you wanna be taken serious – then act serious : make your project name and marketing appropriate for the audience your aiming at.

        And no I dont mean get rid of the cartoony logo – i mean refine it – classic example is , unfortunately, apple – its an apple with a bite out of it – basic , simple but means NOTHING to do with a computer.

        • Polly

          I’m not opposed to having GNU not part of the acronym, but using Linux instead, when it is a GNU app, is disrespectful, imho. If one uses a name or acronym for it without GNU, it should be followed in long term as a GNU app, again imho. For example, if you called it ImageQueen than long-form it would be ImageQueen (subbed -GNU image or graphic editor). I just think that there is a tendency for some folks to try and erase all GNU affliliations by replacing with the word Linux, and I think this is wrong. imho

        • Polly

          I’m not opposed to having GNU not part of the acronym, but using Linux instead, when it is a GNU app, is disrespectful, imho. If one uses a name or acronym for it without GNU, it should be followed in long term as a GNU app, again imho. For example, if you called it ImageQueen than long-form it would be ImageQueen (subbed -GNU image or graphic editor). I just think that there is a tendency for some folks to try and erase all GNU affliliations by replacing with the word Linux, and I think this is wrong. imho

        • Polly

          I’m not opposed to having GNU not part of the acronym, but using Linux instead, when it is a GNU app, is disrespectful, imho. If one uses a name or acronym for it without GNU, it should be followed in long term as a GNU app, again imho. For example, if you called it ImageQueen than long-form it would be ImageQueen (subbed -GNU image or graphic editor). I just think that there is a tendency for some folks to try and erase all GNU affliliations by replacing with the word Linux, and I think this is wrong. imho

  • Anonymous

    I’d say, yes, they should rename it. I don’t know any other application that is more adversely affected by its name. Talk about doesn’t make justice to the application…
    What I don’t get is wth they were thinking in the first place? Forget about extreme slangs, the word means “disabled” for God’s sake. It’s like naming your son “Stupid”! I don’t know the story and I don’t care, I don’t think there can be a reasonable explanation. Do you know why SUSE called the app “Yet Another Setup Tool”,  and not “SUSE Ultimate Control Center Software”? You know why. Do you think if Canonical makes a proprietary login screen, they’d call it “Ubuntu Graphical Login Interface”? I don’t think so… So, yeah, rename it please, as if you’re starting anew. 

  • Jonathan Almeida

    It’s not just GIMP that needs to be renamed (imo), a huge array of them need better names. They might seem nice but some hardly sound professional. I get strange looks from people when I introduce them to Ubuntu and start using strange named programs. It’s a bit of a turn off when you talk about how amazing Ubuntu really is.

  • Stefan Ivanović

    PIE (GNU PIE), program for image editing. Nice and clean. Isn’t it

    • Anonymous

      And not googlable

      • http://twitter.com/KyleClarkeNZ Kyle Clarke

        googling GIMP isn’t always recommended either ;)

        • Anonymous

          Back in 1997 maybe. Modern search engines know your search preferences. If you are GIMP user, chances to stumble upon anything remotely pervert when you google for “gimp tutorials” are pretty much zero :)

  • The Negative Shape

    The GIMP is a good program, but the name sucks.

    If there’s one thing we could ever learn from Apple, it’s how to name software. Yes, they may be cheating, money-eating patent scabs (no, I didn’t mean you, microsoft), but they sure know how to make their products and software attractive to customers. 

    I say change the name. And I call on another pool just for that purpose :)

    • Anonymous

      Come now. There are many good things about Apple’s marketing, but not the names. Slapping an “i” before everything does not make it “attractive”. iRestMyCase

  • Jaime Antonio González

    Almost all open-source/gpl/freeware Linux apps NEED A NEW NAMES!! (and other needs new logos) the current ones are UGLY …

  • http://www.redtube.com ActionParsnip

    I think its a good name as people smirk and they bloody remember it.

  • http://twitter.com/JoshDaBrinkley Josh Brinkley

    I think that what GIMP needs more than a name change is a new icon/mascot. I’m sorry, but seeing Wilber’s face everywhere gives the program a non-professional feel in my opinion. Thoughts?

    • http://twitter.com/tomijovanoski Tomi Jovanoski

      I completely agree with you… The program is free and everything, but it needs polishing! I mean, look at the new Blender… I was scared of using previous UI, but now with the redesign, I absolutely love the program! GIMP needs to learn from Blender’s changes!

    • http://twitter.com/tomijovanoski Tomi Jovanoski

      I completely agree with you… The program is free and everything, but it needs polishing! I mean, look at the new Blender… I was scared of using previous UI, but now with the redesign, I absolutely love the program! GIMP needs to learn from Blender’s changes!

    • http://twitter.com/tomijovanoski Tomi Jovanoski

      I completely agree with you… The program is free and everything, but it needs polishing! I mean, look at the new Blender… I was scared of using previous UI, but now with the redesign, I absolutely love the program! GIMP needs to learn from Blender’s changes!

    • http://twitter.com/tomijovanoski Tomi Jovanoski

      I completely agree with you… The program is free and everything, but it needs polishing! I mean, look at the new Blender… I was scared of using previous UI, but now with the redesign, I absolutely love the program! GIMP needs to learn from Blender’s changes!

  • Tory Gaurnier

    I admit, GLIDE does have a nice ring to it, sounds pretty nice, but I’ve got a perfect name for it, get this, GNU Image Manipulation Program! If anybody takes offense to an acronym, then it is THEY who have their mind in the gutter. If someone refuses to use such a powerful program for FREE because of their immaturity, it is their own loss. And if you really want these immature people to see past the acronym in the software centers and app stores, simply call it GNU Image Manipulation Program instead of GIMP. But really, people just need to GROW UP.

  • http://www.facebook.com/gingerboy92 Syukri Lajin

    G.i.K. GNU Image K???..

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q5FSFY54Z5ZXHY66MIKHOA2VZU GeorgeK

    What would be wrong with just dropping the “Manipulation Program” and calling it Gnu-Image… sounds like “new image”, which is what you would be making.

  • owain harris

    It doesn’t offend me at all, but for it to become a respected piece of software that can be used in the professional world, a name change would be for the best I feel.

  • Argent Zerda

    I personally don’t mind the name “GIMP”, but it would probably be better off if they changed it.

  • Danni Coy

    1) The name is not going to change see the gimp FAQ.
    2) Would people stop banging on about professional. The Graphics professionals I work with  as a rule care mostly about results and not whether the application has a cute mascot or silly name. In fact they usually prefer it when an application is a bit less than serious. 3) The big problem facing the gimp at the moment is developer man hours. If people want it to be a viable alternative to Photoshop then this is what needs to change.

    4) For those getting offended. Stop. Breath. Relax. Try to develop a sense of humor and isn’t it perhaps a teansy bit possible that you are taking yourself too seriously?

  • Heavy Programmer

    motto: glide trough your design, lol

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EZFQK43WMB2SWB4UMXMG3LLZKE Scott

    Well I agree a name change is in order, after all its not been the success it could be, and based on this post on the Gimp website they won’t change it at all..

    “GIMP is a stupid name. Why can’t you change it?

    GIMP is comfortable with its name and thinks that you should
    apologise for your rudeness. ”

    That said, maybe they could spend some time and clean up and modernize the interface, that alone would help I believe. Yea, cleaning up the interface would go a long way..

  • http://www.facebook.com/swlong2 Scott Warren Long

    Oh stop. A rose by any other name…etc. It will always be GIMP to me whatever they plan on doing….I like the name. It’s “Linuxy”.. :)

  • Niall Brown

    I have to agree that the name is offensive in more than one way but is also not a great name even with that aside.  This video on software design problems rates it among the worst names in their opinion.  As they say the name is the first impression a person gets of the software and it has a major impact.  http://gnome.mirocommunity.org/video/250/lt-matthew-paul-thomas-common-

  • Lanesa Stubbs

    Yes Definitely… When i first heard of it it was like GIMPPPPP!!!!!! I mean now i’ve gotten use to hearing it but it does need to be rebranded…

  • http://twitter.com/di0nysys Andrew Smith

    oh my GOD ubuntu could have issues of its own.

  • http://twitter.com/pachydyptes Pachydyptes

    Some naming ideas:
    - Ansel
    - RasterLab

  • http://ranjith.zfs.in Ranjith Siji

    GIMP is a GNU programme from GNU project to all the OS in the world. Even Ms or Apple [Giants in the world] is not making a Software and give to all other OS and say that this is our contribution to make a better world.

    So GIMP has its own place.

    PS – they are  giving GBs of Crap for an average user. Look at GIMP it is still in MBs .

    The new features shines it.  The pathetic situation is that PS got a large team contains 100s of people and GIMP got 10s of people to develop.

    We want to strengthen the dev team.

  • http://ranjith.zfs.in Ranjith Siji

    GIMP is a GNU programme from GNU project to all the OS in the world. Even Ms or Apple [Giants in the world] is not making a Software and give to all other OS and say that this is our contribution to make a better world.

    So GIMP has its own place.

    PS – they are  giving GBs of Crap for an average user. Look at GIMP it is still in MBs .

    The new features shines it.  The pathetic situation is that PS got a large team contains 100s of people and GIMP got 10s of people to develop.

    We want to strengthen the dev team.

  • Sam Joseph Hobson

    OSIM – Open Source Image Manipulator
    OSIE – Open Source Image Editor
    OPIE – Open Picture & Image Editor
    or drop the ‘programme’ from it and call it GIM – GNU Image Manipulator (pronounced ‘JIM’)

    or IMGS – Image Manipulation for GNU Systems (an acronym made out of the abbreviation for ‘Images’

    Or just some random word like peanut or something

    • http://jimmyvolatile.myopenid.com/ Jimmy

      I like it! GIM. Or “The GIM”. 

      I’d like to suggest “Glimpse”. It contains the previous acronym + additional letters to make up a word that hints of high speed, nimble, quick-to-use application.

      The word is easy to remember and pronounce, it’s pretty unique among applicaton names and does not suggest anything shady.

      Finally, I’m quite sure someone can come up with a suitable backronym for Glimpse.

      • http://afrolatinocomputing.blogspot.com Sam Hobson

        GLIMPSE – GNU/Linux Image Manipulation & Painting Software Extraordinaire (although it’s not just for linux, and I couldn’t think of anything else for E lol)

        or maybe GLimpse Isn’t Making a PhotoShop Emulation

  • Anonymous

    I think it needs to change.

    Some naming ideas:
    Ansel
    ArsOptica
    EyeLight
    LuxBox
    RasterLab
    RasterMill
    Yodachrome (Yodachromed your image I did) (copyright issues?)

    If an acronym is actually desired:
    PRIMP (Professional Raster Image Manipulation Program)

  • Steven Hoff

    I think the name originally is what made it catch on with geeks. Most geeks love stuff acronyms that can sound dirty (“Bring out the GIMP, so I can edit that photo”), but for GIMP to go mainstream it really needs a better name that my grandmother is not going to be opposed to saying. As it is also cross platform and in most aspects just as capable as Photoshop, it could easily surpass Photoshop as the most widely used standard image software. I think the name is really holding it back in that aspect.

  • Anonymous

    It should also dump 2.8 version number and go to 3. And then 4,5,etc. This should become a basic marketing principle among FOSS projects.

    • Anonymous

      You don’t know how version numbering goes, do you? It’s not a question of marketing; it’s a question of consistency and clarity.

      • http://twitter.com/di0nysys Andrew Smith

        clear and consistent numbers that don’t sell are useless

      • Anonymous

        People reading reviews, blogs, tech magazines want to read “Super Duper new version 3 of Gimp was released!” in order to give it a try, not “2.8.0 was released after 2 years of 2.6.x” It may have a gazillion new features, but it will look boring on the article. Great FOSS projects need hype, hype and then some hype again.
        Haven’t we learned anything from Steve Jobs yet? “Natural scrolling, WOW, Amazing, Magnifique!!!” , which is actually scrolling inverted…

  • http://www.facebook.com/Cesarmacielcoria マシエル シーザー

    Transx!

  • http://profiles.google.com/edgars.burmistris Edgars Burmistris

    ImagePimp

  • http://profiles.google.com/edgars.burmistris Edgars Burmistris

    ImagePimp

  • http://www.facebook.com/bogslug Daniel Latta

    “OpenShop”

  • http://www.facebook.com/syed.nayab Syed Nayab

    Just rebrand it better… LOGO and The Font of the GIMP To make it look serious tool  than for the amentures…

  • http://xmacex.wordpress.com Mace Ojala

    Gimp definetely doesn’t need a renaming. I don’t think i’ve ever met a person who has connected it’s name to anything like the link in the post (nothing NSFW about it either, it’s an encyclopedia entry)… but i live outside the english-as-motherlanguage -sphere.

    Rebranding is a really expensive process.

  • Polly

    I think GIMP is okay, but I do think it has negative connotations in relation to the differently abled. Some strange name ideas for amusement (feel free to laugh – I certainly did thinking of them).

    GNUtoShop, GNUShop, Photochop, or PhotoshawpGRAPE (gnu rendering art (or and) photo editor)GPup (gnu photo utility program)GDog (gnu digital objectification & graphics)GNUge (gnu graphics editor)GIPPER (gnu image, paint, & photo editor & renderer)GPie (gnu photo & image editor)GNUpix (Image Editor)GAPE (gnu art processing editor)GNUscape (Image Editor) GPict (GNU Image Editor)GNUscene (Image Editor)GNUview (Image Editor)Canine (GNU Image Editor)Pooch (GNU Image Editor)Whelp (means puppy) (GNU Image Editor)Doggie (GNU Image Editor)Mutt (GNU Image Editor)Mongrel (mixed breed dog) (GNU Image Editor)Wilber (the mascot) (GNU Image Editor)GLIM (means light or brightness) (gnu layered image manipulator)GNUDog (Image Editor)GNUna Lisa (re: Mona Lisa) (Image Editor)Van GNU (re: Van Gogh) (Image Editor)

  • http://eriksteinmann.wordpress.com/ Erik

    The PIMP?

    • http://twitter.com/di0nysys Andrew Smith

      Nothing sells software better than degrading women! *eye roll*

  • Michael Lucky Ilagan

    OpenCraft? ImageCraft? maybe an implementation that can also feature a more commercial-esque feel for GIMP while “GIMP” will be more upstream, just like SUSE Linux and openSuSE, or regular Ubuntu and Ubuntu LTS

  • http://www.facebook.com/rahulx4 Rahul Menon

    Well, they change the name or not, ill keep using it. I really like the tool and it works on both my linux machine and windows machine. Its an awesome tool and ill keep using it

  • Anonymous

    Just wondering, how do I unsubscribe from a particular thread here?
    The the past day or so my inbox has been full of notifications from this topic and it’s getting boring.

    Also, it seems every single topic here is the same, instead of healthy debate, as it should be, almost all the comments sections descend into petty arguments.

    Even the most innocent of articles that don’t really have anything to argue about still end up that way.

    I often see particular names popup over and over again with a general theme of “this is my opinion, everyone thinks the same way I do and if they don’t then they should”.

  • Anonymous

    I voted yes for a name change, but have to wonder whether the name has helped it out in some way, something along the lines of it’s called what ? I have to see this for myself.
    I also wonder whether changing it’s name will help it get any more users, what would happen if adobe decided to rename photoshop to something else ?

    Being called “The GIMP” has probably not done it any favours, but I doubt keeping the name will cause any major damage, I like GLIDE as a name, and perhaps it should be re-branded in a bid to gain more users and maybe more developers, of course you could just stick an i in front and it would no doubt become more popular (iGIMP) but then you’d get sued by apple.

  • http://twitter.com/jksalomonsen Jacob Salomonsen

    Gimp is Gimp. The end.

  • http://twitter.com/jksalomonsen Jacob Salomonsen

    Gimp is Gimp. The end.

  • http://twitter.com/jlbergqvist John Bergqvist

    Why not take the M out of it, so it’s The GIP? “I GIPped it” works in my opinion.

  • http://www.facebook.com/raibtoffoletto Raí Biason Toffoletto

    GIMP is fine!! Is the usual name, it has a history behind!

    And you should not translate an acronym…

    so keep in english: GIMP! Sounds like a real name for me.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QGUOKPDPIPMOPJK7RCCXIALHRI Ene Dene

    I never thought that Gimp had an issue with the name.

    Features will make Gimp more popular, changing the name less known.

  • Anonymous

    or would you rather I “photoshopped it”

  • Anonymous

    GIMP is already cool. 

  • Anonymous

    GIMP is already cool. 

  • Anonymous

    I thought I’d add my full opinion apart from the replies.

    I personally prefer using GIMP over Photoshop any day – but I prefer not to tell my clients this… why?

    Well I work as a UI and UX designer – its my job to know what users want, that its simple, and how to use it.

    I design solutions for web and software day in day out.

    As part of this job I also offer input on branding and marketing – GIMP is only ever referred to as a branding disaster – a fantastic piece of software that will NEVER gain traction with such an unsuitable name. 

    The fact is its created from an era of linux when it WAS just for geeks – yes it has moved onto OSX and Windows but it still retains the geeky name / GNU reference of 20 years ago.

    Unfortunately people can be fickle – they would prefer the nicer looking program over the more feature filled program ( even if its cheaper ) purely because the “perception” is what matters.

    GIMP is seen as free ( which is already seen as bad – why is it free? etc ) ,An innapropriate logo ( A cow in a gimp setup or a deformed balloon called wilbur? )
    And even as an acronym makes no sense!

    Names like Google, Yahoo , Bing don’t mean much but in context and use they have been accepted – “to google” is now known as to search the net.

    “to photoshop” is accepted as editing a picture

    I’d never dare say “I gimped your photo” – EVER.

    Drop the GNU name – we dont need everything stallman touched to have GNU in front of it. 

    And on a final note – I massively appreciate the work the developers of gimp do and continue to do – but they are developers , not UI designers, or PR, or brand managers ….. start acting and appearing to be a serious product and it might actually be taken as one.

    My final point on UI is this : http://stallman.org/ - the leader of GNU – think its fair to say he doesn’t care in ANY way about a brand, marketing, appearence or anything remotely similar. 

    Linux needs a change – linux needs to be taken seriously – ubuntu have finally caught onto this hence the MASSIVE changes they are doing. GNOME have started but , again, have developers making UI decisions ( bad bad bad! ).

    The end of this day stands as this -

    If GIMP is made purely for the developers own use and decides to let others use it then leave it as GIMP.
    If GIMP was made to create an open standard in Photo manipulation and editing then it needs a new identity.

    • Alexander Karatarakis

      This is possibly the best comment I have read in a long time. Agree with all your points.

    • Alexander Karatarakis

      This is possibly the best comment I have read in a long time. Agree with all your points.

    • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

      I couldn’t put it better. +1

    • Anonymous

       > http://stallman.org/ touche!

      The example I haven’t heard here is Sodi Podi.  It was/is an awesome program that no one took seriously until it was forked.  I think the name of the fork had no small part in now much more success it has had–Inkscape.

    • Polly

      It is a GNU image editor, often used in the GNU desktop environment (GNOME), on a GNU system with a Linux kernel (Ubuntu GNU/Linux). There is absolutely nothing wrong with using GNU as part of the name of the app, whether it changes or not. 

  • Anonymous

    I thought I’d add my full opinion apart from the replies.

    I personally prefer using GIMP over Photoshop any day – but I prefer not to tell my clients this… why?

    Well I work as a UI and UX designer – its my job to know what users want, that its simple, and how to use it.

    I design solutions for web and software day in day out.

    As part of this job I also offer input on branding and marketing – GIMP is only ever referred to as a branding disaster – a fantastic piece of software that will NEVER gain traction with such an unsuitable name. 

    The fact is its created from an era of linux when it WAS just for geeks – yes it has moved onto OSX and Windows but it still retains the geeky name / GNU reference of 20 years ago.

    Unfortunately people can be fickle – they would prefer the nicer looking program over the more feature filled program ( even if its cheaper ) purely because the “perception” is what matters.

    GIMP is seen as free ( which is already seen as bad – why is it free? etc ) ,An innapropriate logo ( A cow in a gimp setup or a deformed balloon called wilbur? )
    And even as an acronym makes no sense!

    Names like Google, Yahoo , Bing don’t mean much but in context and use they have been accepted – “to google” is now known as to search the net.

    “to photoshop” is accepted as editing a picture

    I’d never dare say “I gimped your photo” – EVER.

    Drop the GNU name – we dont need everything stallman touched to have GNU in front of it. 

    And on a final note – I massively appreciate the work the developers of gimp do and continue to do – but they are developers , not UI designers, or PR, or brand managers ….. start acting and appearing to be a serious product and it might actually be taken as one.

    My final point on UI is this : http://stallman.org/ - the leader of GNU – think its fair to say he doesn’t care in ANY way about a brand, marketing, appearence or anything remotely similar. 

    Linux needs a change – linux needs to be taken seriously – ubuntu have finally caught onto this hence the MASSIVE changes they are doing. GNOME have started but , again, have developers making UI decisions ( bad bad bad! ).

    The end of this day stands as this -

    If GIMP is made purely for the developers own use and decides to let others use it then leave it as GIMP.
    If GIMP was made to create an open standard in Photo manipulation and editing then it needs a new identity.

  • http://gkn.me.uk/ Greg K Nicholson

    If the Gimp’s going to be renamed, either call it the Image Manipulation Program (the Imp), or name the program after the mascot Wilbur.

    • Anonymous

      If there was ever to be a name change I think that (Imp) would be my first choice.

      It’s short, close enough to the original name to stay connected and recognizable and the acronym makes perfect sense to pretty much anyone.

      It would (should) stop the complaints, kinda fits in with the cheeky look of the mascot.

      We don’t need the “G”.  I’m sure plenty of people know what “GNU” is, less understand what it is and even less care what it is.

      • Polly

        I don’t think that people don’t know about GNU or care what it is, especially after they have been educated concerning the history of GNU/Linux. Many distributions use GNU/Linux as part of their official or unofficial names and many people are familiar with the countless GNU tools, as well as GNOME, which also includes GNU. I’m not opposed to not using it as part of the name, but we shouldn’t be slamming GNU, for which, without, Ubuntu would not exist.

        • Anonymous

          I certainly not slamming it but I still believe that many of it’s users don’t know what GNU is.
          They may well have seen it all over the place but don’t know what it actually is.

        • Anonymous

          I certainly not slamming it but I still believe that many of it’s users don’t know what GNU is.
          They may well have seen it all over the place but don’t know what it actually is.

  • http://gkn.me.uk/ Greg K Nicholson

    If the Gimp’s going to be renamed, either call it the Image Manipulation Program (the Imp), or name the program after the mascot Wilbur.

  • http://gkn.me.uk/ Greg K Nicholson

    If the Gimp’s going to be renamed, either call it the Image Manipulation Program (the Imp), or name the program after the mascot Wilbur.

  • Johannes Müller

    I’ve got it:
    call it … grape
    It’s funny to say: “I graped your picture”
    It could be standing for GNU RAstergraphics Photo Editor
    And the User could be called grapist.

    No… seriously… they have to drop GIMP ;)

  • Anonymous

    I like Glide as well… but would like to throw a couple of ideas, how about: Imageneer, Graphix ?

  • http://twitter.com/donatellojones donatellojones

    If one’s  gentle sensibilities are offended by the name ‘The GIMP’ perhaps a re-evaluation of perspective is in order:  at this time there are people dying by the thousands from famine,  people dying in order to have free speech in north Africa and the Middle East, people are coping with environmental nuclear contamination and the economy is decaying.  The name is not a real problem.

  • http://twitter.com/pwaspinator waspinator

    name should describe its function. if you read photoshop you could imagine what it was used for even if you never heard of it before.

  • Luís Miranda

    GIMP is perfect! Don’t mess with it!! 

  • Luís Miranda

    GIMP is perfect! Don’t mess with it!! 

  • Luís Miranda

    GIMP is perfect! Don’t mess with it!! 

  • http://rtp.pip.verisignlabs.com/ RTP

    When I discovered Pinta, I sort of pictured it as a (feature-limited) preview of the long-awaited single-window version of GIMP.

    I even imagined (!) a merger of Pinta & GIMP: Pinta (like GTK) would be a “product/project” of the GIMP “organization/team” (kinda like the Firefox-Mozilla or Ubuntu-Canonical relationship). This way, we wouldn’t be discarding the GIMP brand equity. Am I making sense?

    Anyway, my point is that a name like Pinta might have wider appeal. Especially among those who are new to GNU & GIMP.

    Whatever the name, I’m delighted that the program finally has a proper single-window mode. It’s been a helluva long wait.

  • http://twitter.com/ottorobba Otto Robba

    How come when it was the Schizobird everyone was clamoring for a new name and now people come with an attitude “Either make new features or get off the lawn!”?

    What kind of double standard is this?

    Heck, why don’t we just go with R.A.P.E. or A.B.O.R.T.I.O.N. for G.I.M.P? no problem, just acronyms right? “Hey, I recommend you use Abortion.”. “I raped that image for you.”

    Sorry for the backleash but in my exarcebation here maybe people might notice that there is something to a name.

  • http://twitter.com/Zta77 Stephan Henningsen

    First of all: I like GIMP and use it a lot.

    But I associate GIMP with a nerdy image editor and tries to be Photoshop, but never will be.  It has some cool and useful features, but  even more useless functions that clutter up the menus.  Also, GIMP is the program, that occasionally does a redesign of its user interface so I have to search for every one of my favourite functions; the latest “one window always open” is weird too.  All in all, I think GIMP is rather awkward, and I think that you have to be a native Linux-user to like it — because there’s no real alternative for raster image editing.

    If GIMP should have a new name, it should definitely rethink the above points first!  Otherwise it’s still just GIMP.

    I once heard there were some cool forks of GIMP that stride to be more professional (whatever that means).  Anyone got any experience with these?  Perhaps one of these should be “upgraded” to the new de-facto standard of Linux image editing tool.  It probably also has a different name already, that’s a little more thought-though =)

  • http://twitter.com/Zta77 Stephan Henningsen

    First of all: I like GIMP and use it a lot.

    But I associate GIMP with a nerdy image editor and tries to be Photoshop, but never will be.  It has some cool and useful features, but  even more useless functions that clutter up the menus.  Also, GIMP is the program, that occasionally does a redesign of its user interface so I have to search for every one of my favourite functions; the latest “one window always open” is weird too.  All in all, I think GIMP is rather awkward, and I think that you have to be a native Linux-user to like it — because there’s no real alternative for raster image editing.

    If GIMP should have a new name, it should definitely rethink the above points first!  Otherwise it’s still just GIMP.

    I once heard there were some cool forks of GIMP that stride to be more professional (whatever that means).  Anyone got any experience with these?  Perhaps one of these should be “upgraded” to the new de-facto standard of Linux image editing tool.  It probably also has a different name already, that’s a little more thought-though =)

  • Matthew Davies

    I don’t think it does
    GNU Image Manipulation Program what’s not to like.

  • Matthew Davies

    I don’t think it does
    GNU Image Manipulation Program what’s not to like.

  • Matthew Davies

    I don’t think it does
    GNU Image Manipulation Program what’s not to like.

  • http://twitter.com/Zta77 Stephan Henningsen
  • http://twitter.com/Zta77 Stephan Henningsen
  • James Plant

    The name is severely limiting any adoption, especially in Commonwealth countries where the name is massively offensive. If you’re going to go with the offensive name option, why not go all-in and call it Wankpaint?

  • http://www.facebook.com/jackluu7 Luu Huynh Viet Van

    Gimp is good for me!

  • Anonymous

    I don’t find any offence in the name “GIMP” but I just hope they change it anyway, it’s just not a good name.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t find any offence in the name “GIMP” but I just hope they change it anyway, it’s just not a good name.

  • http://twitter.com/jksalomonsen Jacob Salomonsen

    Let’s rename Banshee instead, both name and icon is kind of lame

  • Bennett Kanuka

    I’m sure my comment will get burried (there’s almost 500 comments on this!).

    I’d like to propose the name “Raster”.  To an average person, it’s a simple, awesome sounding name.  To a photo pro, it’s descriptive enough.

    I think with the right graphic to go with it, people could really get used to hearing the name Raster.

  • Anonymous

    And here is my biggest problem with ubuntu and most of the community surrounding it.  More concerned about fluffy bunny feel good BS than about anything actually technical in nature.  The creator of GIMP named it GIMP if you are offended by the name don’t use it, wow simple concept make sure you stope using BASh also because you know that sends violent messages to our children who might want to ! (that a bang symbol for all you Linux wannabes) someone unless of course you interpret it as !’ing someon in a sexual context then it’s even more horrific to our puritan sensabilities.  Get over your self importance it isnt up to you to rename or even suggest renaming a product developed by someone else let alone think you have the right to vote on it.  How about you get off your self righteous asses and write your own program and name it the peace love and happiness fluffy bunny image editor.

    • Anonymous

      And here is my biggest problem with the internet and most of the community surrounding it. More concerned with pointless raging than about anything actually coherent in nature. The English language gave us punctuation if you are offended by it don’t type in English, wow simple concept make sure you stope using GERMan too because you know that has a lot of punctuation for people who want to use ä (that’s an umlaut for all you language wannabes) unless of course you interpret German in a different concept then it’s even more horrific to our modern sensabilities. Get over your self importance what you say isnt remotely important to us let alone worth reading with it typed like that. How about you get off your soapbox and write coherently and call it a proper post.

  • James Plant

    Didn’t Cinepaint’s usage shoot up after it stopped being Film Gimp?

  • James Plant

    Didn’t Cinepaint’s usage shoot up after it stopped being Film Gimp?

  • Anonymous

    gg

  • http://twitter.com/di0nysys Andrew Smith

    remember when trying to be relevant in the real world that Linux users (myself included) are strange people.

  • Anonymous

    The GIMP to The Junk ,’cause no shift key to select layers, no layer style, no CMYK, no 16 or 32 bits edit  image, slow and boring update so The Junk suit, Photoshop is software of Century….

  • Anonymous

    The GIMP to The Junk ,’cause no shift key to select layers, no layer style, no CMYK, no 16 or 32 bits edit  image, slow and boring update so The Junk suit, Photoshop is software of Century….

  • Anonymous

    The junk

  • https://launchpad.net/~fabio-valentini Fabio Valentini

    will they rename GTK+ (aka GIMP Toolkit) too?

  • http://johannpopper.myopenid.com/ Johann Popper

    MOONCHILD!

    • William Davis

      I so agree. :D

  • Daniele Pignedoli

    The Gimp need resources aka developers, not a new name/brand.

    A new name/brand can help to gain more users, but the lack of resources is the problem: people who doesnt like The Gimp will not like Glide neither.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ilmoncholucas Lucas Romero

    “GERP” (GIMP ESTÁ RE PIOLA)

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_NDYMZRH4WAHEVRT37ZVENWCCVI Rowan Hughes

    how about this:

    Reliable Autonomous Photo Editor.

    now your photo editing conversations can go like this:

    Friend: “wow, those images look nice!”
    You: “yea, i raped it.

  • Joe Brown

    “You been smooching with everybody! Snuffy! Al! Leo! Little Moe with the gimpy leg..”

  • Anonymous

    dd

  • Gerardo Romero

    “Tux” name sucks too.

  • telegtest

    Back in the day, before Linux was accessible to ordinary mortals, it was fun to give silly names to our software.  Rogue behaviour was valuable to us in the beginning, it built a sense of excitement and solidarity.

    But, now, as we are all grown up, it is clearly time that we stop acting like teenagers.  Speaking of kids, if someone tried to introduce a bit of software named ‘The Gimp’ at a school here in Vancouver, they would be literally crucified (though the locals would find a more PC word for Crucified, and they would make sure the nails were organic).

    If we truly want the Open Source movement to succeed, then it is intolerable to allow silly names to hold us back.  In fact, this issue is so important, and The Gimp so so essential to our success, that we have no choice but to insist the project changes its name.  

  • telegtest

    Back in the day, before Linux was accessible to ordinary mortals, it was fun to give silly names to our software.  Rogue behaviour was valuable to us in the beginning, it built a sense of excitement and solidarity.

    But, now, as we are all grown up, it is clearly time that we stop acting like teenagers.  Speaking of kids, if someone tried to introduce a bit of software named ‘The Gimp’ at a school here in Vancouver, they would be literally crucified (though the locals would find a more PC word for Crucified, and they would make sure the nails were organic).

    If we truly want the Open Source movement to succeed, then it is intolerable to allow silly names to hold us back.  In fact, this issue is so important, and The Gimp so so essential to our success, that we have no choice but to insist the project changes its name.  

  • Herri Jay Capela

    Photo Image Manipulation Program = PIMP

  • Herri Jay Capela

    PIMP = Photographic Image Manipulation Program
    GPS = GNU Photo Studio (but we already have GIMP Paint Studio)

    I never really had any issues with the GIMP name, but I understand it’s negative connotations. If GIMP does get a new name, it should take inspiration from other software that do well to describe their usage while also still sounding snazzy. Like Inkscape, MyPaint, Scribus, Shotwell.

  • Anonymous

    When a product is popular, you do not change the name unless you are stupid. We all know about Gimp, and the name is short and simple, easy to remember and known by a lot of people.
    If they change their name now, it will destroy SO much for the program. And in worst case, it will just die out. The reason why something gets popular is mainly because of the name. If it’s easy to say, sounds fun or original.

  • Anonymous

    While “Glide” is alot better than GIMP but the name of an app should ideally give some clue as to it’s purpose. “Glide” falls short in that area. Name such as “Photoshop” and “Aperture” convey a real sense of what the software is for as well as give it an instant appeal to photographers. A new name for GIMP should do the same. The current name handicaps it and makes it sound cheesy in my opinion. It’s great software, I use it myself but the name does it no justice and a new name should be chosen that enhances its reputation.

  • Anonymous

    While “Glide” is alot better than GIMP but the name of an app should ideally give some clue as to it’s purpose. “Glide” falls short in that area. Name such as “Photoshop” and “Aperture” convey a real sense of what the software is for as well as give it an instant appeal to photographers. A new name for GIMP should do the same. The current name handicaps it and makes it sound cheesy in my opinion. It’s great software, I use it myself but the name does it no justice and a new name should be chosen that enhances its reputation.

  • Anonymous

    tt

  • Anonymous

    tt

  • Zsolt Lauter

    “Should ‘The GIMP’ Be Renamed?”
    Yes, and its new name should be “Gimp”, otherwise no.

  • Anonymous

    Keep it.  I love watching idiots squirm.

    Or you could just rename it to the “Super Happy Image Tweaking Environment,” as part of a compromise.  Let the overly sensitive types just say or type the whole name every time they refer to it.  The rest of us can use the acronym.

  • http://www.facebook.com/RikardJo Rikard Dan Johansson

    I like the name Gimp, but I like Pimp even more! 

    C’mon, how cool wouldn’t it be if people “pimped” their pictures,. ;)
    Not sure what the P would stand for though… if Pimp would be an acronym. To bad that the G goes away thought. :-/

  • http://www.facebook.com/RikardJo Rikard Dan Johansson

    I like the name Gimp, but I like Pimp even more! 

    C’mon, how cool wouldn’t it be if people “pimped” their pictures,. ;)
    Not sure what the P would stand for though… if Pimp would be an acronym. To bad that the G goes away thought. :-/

  • ABIR SADIK

    after looking up GIMP on urbandic i DEFINITELY and STORNGLY DEMAND that the software needs a new name IMMEDIATELY

  • Giovanny Arce

    Yes, why not? it can have a slogan, who knows, Apple = Lion, Snow Leopard. Windows = nt, xp, vista, 7, 8… , Photoshop CS1, CS2, CS3, CS4, CS5…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6CLU5ZOTFN5KZODOREOPZ27B7Q John Nelson

    I like the name “GIMP.” I’m bundling the “GIMP” with a meta-package of utilities aimed for children,  called “Fun Utilities for Colorful Kids.”

    • Anonymous

      I LOL’d :D

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_6CLU5ZOTFN5KZODOREOPZ27B7Q John Nelson

    I like the name “GIMP.” I’m bundling the “GIMP” with a meta-package of utilities aimed for children,  called “Fun Utilities for Colorful Kids.”

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HZILZGJ4PKNN67IK7JYXIKHLSM DjznBR

    The same should be done with XFCE.
    Horrible name.
    If it changes it will be the next leading DE.

  • http://twitter.com/DinoT1985 Dino Tassigiannis

    Deffo needs a new name and one that isn’t associated with bondage sex fetishes like GIMP.

  • Anonymous

    New name please!

  • Seyed Mahdi Mousavi

    Ha ha…  :) You are thinking about name ?!!!!
    GIMP has not a bad name. But real problem is its interface and it’s power.
    I worked with FireWorks and Photoshop. GIMP has some down point.
    GIMP team must powers up their activities to achieving a better position.
    Reimplementing GIMP and user needs should be a good idea.
    Friendly user interface is a most important point as its power.

    In any case, ‘Illustimage’  and ‘ImagegamI’ (a mirrored ‘image’) and ‘Xmage’ and ‘PhotoPoly’ and ‘PhotoInvent’ and ‘PhotoShock’ and ‘Imagenius’ are good choices :)

  • Cyril Christal

    I Gimp was very new, yes why not to change…? But now it’s a common name, easy to write & funny (even in France…!) So, i voted for no change! Yes i’m conservative! ;)

  • http://twitter.com/Warmonger1337 Warmonger

    It wont change. GIMP is GIMP and thats what it will always be. There is no sense in changing the name, and regardless to how many people vote that it “should”, it wont.

  • http://twitter.com/r_mo Stephen Armitage

    Put it this way, there’s plenty of people (in schools who could really use this software) who can’t get on this page because “gimp” is in the url.  gimp.org itself isn’t filtered but there’s plenty of tutorials and resources that are for this reason.

  • http://www.la-cajita.es Jorge Toledo

    Not only renamed, but rebranded from that funny kind-of-amateur icon to a more professional one.  The app deserves to be compared to Photoshop, but it still looks like a toy…

  • Majid Al-Dharrab

    It’s not “that word for black people”. Saying that is, IMO, more offensive than actually stating the word! Just say it or say “the N word” if you really want to be safe. Just *DON’T* associate it with black people.

    • http://michaeltunnell.com Michael Tunnell

      he probably did say it…it was edited by a moderator…it even explicitly says that.

  • Christo Georgiev

    Imp?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mickey-Judge/1039043662 Mickey Judge

    Gnomoshop  XD

  • Pingback: Your Questions About Reading Pictures Free - RichMamaSecrets.com

  • Anonymous

    So I guess my comment wasn’t approved.  That makes me pretty angry!  The use of the offensive word, GIMP, to many disabled people, anywhere, including on this site means little but the use of “the N word” seems to’ve blocked my comment!  I had to call WBAI radio here in NYC because while they used the word NUT to describe a mentally ill person, they complained about the use of the N word by people.  I said I objected to “the OTHER N word and they immediately knew what I meant.  But that didn’t change much.  The problem is, people aren’t afraid of the disabled.  Call me a spazz and there’s little I can do about it.  Try that with some other apressed groups in our society and you might end up in deep doo-doo.  :(

 
Poll