package with executable

Ben Finney ben+python at benfinney.id.au
Tue May 19 19:29:42 EDT 2009


Stefano Costa <steko at iosa.it> writes:

> my name is Stefano Costa, I am an archaeologist and I am developing
> GNUCal, a radiocarbon calibration program released under the GNU GPL.
> [1][2]

That is a great use of Python, and sounds like interesting work.

I would highly recommend you change the name, though.

Your project is not (I assume) developed under the auspice of the GNU
project, so it's misleading to call it “GNU foobar” instead of just
“foobar”. There's no trademark involved, but it's still best to keep
the namespace clearly deliniated (which is also entirely in the Python
spirit :-)

Also, to call a program “cal” risks great confusion among those who
know the standard ‘cal’ program as a calendar-generation utility. It's
best to avoid that confusion since it's entirely predictable.

Better would be something that evokes radiocarbon calibration; or, since
that's probably a pretty difficult job for a simple name, choose
something snappy that is at least evocative of the themes of
archaeology, radiocarbon dating, or measurement calibration.

Naming isn't an easy job, but it's an important one and is your only
chance at a first impression for the project.

-- 
 \           “A thorough reading and understanding of the Bible is the |
  `\                           surest path to atheism.” —Donald Morgan |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney
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