Phoenix needs a new name

Rooktoven · Post by **Rooktoven** » November 9th, 2002, 11:18 am

(which is the best option IMO)

I would suggest the following--

Reptar (if the Rugrats empire doesn't sue)

Homer (obvious entendres-- Maybe MattGroening would allow the use of the logo)

Mozappa (!!!)

Gandalf

Lightspeed

anything having to do with the Hitchhiker's Guide (42, Zaphod, Vogon, Marvin)

Zorro

MC2

Jugalator · Post by **Jugalator** » November 9th, 2002, 11:25 am

MozJunior sounds like it's intended for 12 year olds...

Mozilla Lite sounds like it's exactly that, a lesser version of Mozilla. As Phoenix has some innovative *new* features, that would be a very bad name for Phoenix IMHO.

I personally think it would be an advantage if we had heard the name before and pronouncable, so I don't think Zhuque, Setare, Defero, Lagartija, etc. would be very appropraite. I also like "short" names like Gila since Phoenix is also a "light" browser. And everyone knows what a Gila lizard is, right? hehe

I'm not sure I think variations on the Phoenix spelling is that good either. They mostly make the developers look dyslectic or have a poor imagination. The average user would also wonder why the heck it's not called simply "Phoenix". Obviously a very small fraction will even care to ask and look for trademark issues. They'll just see it as "stupid".

I'm pretty sure Gandalf and such names will be hard to get the rights use, especially with the ongoing releases of the Lord of the Rings series. They also sound unecessary geeky.

Sputnik was amusing but I'm not sure that's free from trademarks... Or why not call it simply "Pioneer"? I guess that would draw some attention to the browser.

"Pioneer - The First Browser That Is Only A Browser"

../frank · Post by **../frank** » November 9th, 2002, 11:52 am

Jugalator wrote:"Pioneer - The First Browser That Is Only A Browser"

That might be OK for those who believe Microsoft invented the internet, but it's hardly accurate.

Lynx is only a Browser
Mosaic was only a Browser
I could go on

zem · Post by **zem** » November 9th, 2002, 12:16 pm

Some random ideas -

Firedrake
Firelizard (small, quick, can be a nuisance

)
Quicksilver
Slipstream
Superfluid

worth · Post by **worth** » November 9th, 2002, 12:29 pm

Why not just call it "Phoenix?"

zem · Post by **zem** » November 9th, 2002, 12:38 pm

worth wrote:Why not just call it "Phoenix?"

Oh, I could think of a reason or two...

(yeah, yeah, ihbt, ihl and all that)

kojo · Post by **kojo** » November 9th, 2002, 12:40 pm

kojo wrote:Monitor: Stays with the lizard theme (although a big one, not a small one); also, you can use a browser to "monitor" the web? That last bit might be a stretch...

Prometheus: Continues the mythology theme. Phoenix was "taken" from Mozilla which came from Netscape which is owned by AOL-TimeWarner...huge media empire. It was given to mankind freely. Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to mankind...freely.

Just my thoughts. I like some of the others as well.

Ok, nobody seemed to like Monitor or Prometheus...how about Mozuki (I'm not sure of the spelling...).

Anyone remember the Godzilla cartoon that came on in the US on Saturday mornings during the 1980's? At some point, Godzilla's "nephew" (this was a trend in cartoons at the time...) named "Godzuki" showed up. He was smaller than G-Zilla (about the height of a 12 year old), but he could do things 'Zilla couldn't, like fly! He had a set of webbed wings underneath his arms that let him fly/glide. If staying with the whole "Zilla" thing is cool, this might not be a bad way to go. If the Godzilla people didn't sue behind Mozilla, I doubt anyone would be upset with Mozuki.

pavlov · Post by **pavlov** » November 9th, 2002, 12:59 pm

How about 'LIGHTNING BOLT!'

Hixie would like this one.

MXN · Post by **MXN** » November 9th, 2002, 2:53 pm

kojo wrote:Prometheus: Continues the mythology theme. Phoenix was "taken" from Mozilla which came from Netscape which is owned by AOL-TimeWarner...huge media empire. It was given to mankind freely. Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to mankind...freely.

...and got in trouble for it. And the creators of Phoenix might get in trouble for using the name Pheonix.

Kommet · Post by **Kommet** » November 9th, 2002, 6:02 pm

tepples wrote:Phoenix is a BIOS maker whose product name "Phoenix BIOS" rhymes with its competition.

Gonzo is a Muppet.
Basilisk is a 68K Mac emulator, the Mac analog of Bochs.
Athena is the most basic X11 widget set.
Inferno is the Plan 10 operating system.
The intentional misspelling Pheonix is uncomfortably close to Beonex Communicator.

Sorry, but I don't have any suggestions, other than, say, "Mozilla2 Browser".

And are ANY of those examples you list web browsers (except Beonex) or even tangentially related to internet technologies? No?

(Ignore Gonzo for now, I'll get to that in a sec.)

Trademarks keep companies from causing confusion IN THE SAME MARKET by releasing similarly/identically named products. If the products are in unrelated markets then there is little or no chance of confusion. A browser and a widget set are very unlikely to be confused for one another, yeah?

This is, in fact, at the heart of the "Phoenix DOESN'T need a new name" arguement, as the complaining entitiy (Phoenix Technologies) doesn't have anything to do with web browsers or the internet. Phoenix is a common word, used by SEVERAL companies either in their names or in their product names, and is not used in the browser market except by the Mozilla-based browser we are discussing now.

Gonzo and Bowser are likely to be in a different category as they are not common words, but refer to specific characters and creations that are undoubtedly copyrighted by their owners. Yes, "gonzo" means "bizarre" and "bowser" is used to mean "tanker vehicle", but they have been presented here in the context of their Muppet and Koopa characters, created by Jim Henson and Nintendo, respectively

Just to be clear, there have been any "intentional misspelling" going on. There are multiple acceptable spellings of the word (phoenix and phenix are in Websters), especially when including languages other than english.

cheeaun · Post by **cheeaun** » November 9th, 2002, 6:16 pm

"Phoenix" rules!!

Jugalator · Post by **Jugalator** » November 9th, 2002, 6:37 pm

Frank wrote:Lynx is only a Browser

Nah, it's less than a browser...

Just kidding - you're right about that.

Thumble · Post by **Thumble** » November 9th, 2002, 6:51 pm

I like Zaphod, if only because it works well alongside <a href="http://www.trillian.cc">Trillian</a>

Although that may not be an association that the developers would like to promote.

Otherwise I've got no complaints about using Guerilla, Sextant, Sparrow or Axolotl. Ok sure the Mexican Walking Fish is a bit of a far cry from a flaming bird, but I think it's the closest we'd get to Salamander without any conflicts.

Actually Sparrow would be ideal. Small, fast and (hopefully one day) common. That would make IE the pigeon of the browser world

cheeaun · Post by **cheeaun** » November 9th, 2002, 6:55 pm

Thumble wrote:Actually Sparrow would be ideal. Small, fast and (hopefully one day) common. That would make IE the pigeon of the browser world

If then, how about "Swallow"?

Post by **tve** » November 9th, 2002, 7:09 pm

Guerilla is still my favorite suggestion, but thought about some other names:

Piranha
Gojira (japanese name of Godzilla)
Gaucho

Phoenix needs a new name

If you cant keep Phoenix...

Coming in late...

Mozuki?

Re: Monitor or Prometheus?

Re: Gonzo, Basilisk, Athena, Inferno, Pheonix(sic)...

If we absolutely must change...

Re: If we absolutely must change...