The Coq mailing list

[Sam Kuper <sampablokuper AT posteo.net>]

On Thu, Apr 08, 2021 at 01:52:35PM -0400, Hadas Zeilberger wrote:
> The probability of a word like "Go" leading to harassment is
> significantly lower than the word "Coq". Therefore, it is meaningless
> to use that example as a reason for why not to change the name

Sorry if I was unclear.  My core points were:


1.  In a world where programming environments sometimes have imperfect
though reasonable names[1], but people often exhibit imperfect *and*
unreasonable behaviour, then please let's address that behaviour.

I.e.  much as we teach people *not* to take a person's clothing (or
given name, or other irrelevant properties) as an indication of consent
for puerility or worse, we should teach people that Coq is a
professional matter, not an open invitation for misbehaviour.

Whether you work in a crop-top, or work in Coq, or both, you shouldn't
be harassed for doing so.


2.  Naming things is hard.  If the community succeeds in avoiding
innuendo internationally, while retaining some or all positive aspects
of the extant name (reference to symbol of academic community/country of
origin; reference to name of relevant person; reference to name of
relevant part of maths; easy to spell; easy to remember; reasonably easy
to pronounce; continuity with published research) then great.

It just might be more difficult than some contributors seem to expect.
Several of the suggested replacement names so far are also problematic.


3.  The Coq website should explain the name, logo, and suggested
pronunciation, to minimise misunderstanding or abuse.


Best wishes,

Sam


[1]: If Go does not seem imperfect to you, great, but also see e.g.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bash#Verb or

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/python#Noun or

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pearl#Noun (cognate with Perl).

I expect there are others.  English slang is *extensive*:

https://www.salon.com/2014/10/05/tickle_gizzard_and_the_pleasure_pivot_a_history_of_sex_slang_and_the_coolest_ancient_dirty_words/

https://www.fastcompany.com/1673314/2600-historic-slang-terms-for-genitalia

https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2018-07/DIR-020-17%20Drug%20Slang%20Code%20Words.pdf

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