Bug 797588 - Screening of release names for universal acceptability
Summary: Screening of release names for universal acceptability
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED NOTABUG
Alias: None
Product: Fedora
Classification: Fedora
Component: distribution
Version: 17
Hardware: Unspecified
OS: Unspecified
unspecified
high
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Bill Nottingham
QA Contact: Bill Nottingham
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2012-02-26 23:43 UTC by Ganapathi Kamath
Modified: 2014-03-17 03:29 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

Fixed In Version:
Doc Type: Bug Fix
Doc Text:
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed: 2012-02-27 17:18:11 UTC
Type: ---


Attachments (Terms of Use)

Description Ganapathi Kamath 2012-02-26 23:43:28 UTC
Description of problem:

Fedora's release names insofar[1] IMHO probably do not conjure negative thoughts in the mind of most users. The name chosen for Fedora 17 may fall short of acceptability that previous names have had and may actually run counter to the views of at-least two groups
* animal rights and vegan/vegetarian advocates
* religious groups
Free speech does not mean in-sensitivities are thrust onto someone or pushed onto their desktop.
Seems to be a case of bad branding.

Fedora/Linux requires adoption of Linux by as many number of people as possible for it to succeed as an open movement. Consider a picture of a hot-dog is thrown onto thousands of desktops, or have boot up to see disconcerting words on first screen, or a new user introduced to F17.

Fedora/Linux development being open code-names stick along for the entire length of its use, and appear almost everywhere. In contrast, internal release names of other proprietary operating quickly disappear from public memory soon after first commercial shipment.
Compare with Mac OS-X (Kodiak, Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion) windows (Chicago, Memphis, Whistler, Long horn, Vienna, ) Debian (buzz, rex, bo, hamm, skink, potato, woody, sarge, etch, lenny, squeeze, wheezy)

[1] http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/History_of_Fedora_release_names

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
Fedora-17

How reproducible:
fairly easy.
Without enough advertizements about the naming process, the current names seems to be voted on a minority of fedora users who are aware of the voting and naming process. As a user myself, came to know of this process recently. 

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Suggest a name with as possible negative repercussions or with other vested interest
2. get as many people to vote on it
3. name may end up on the bleeding edge flagship product.
  
Actual results:


Expected results:
* A screening process where nominated names are run through check list (perhaps by count of veto with reason) to perhaps include the advocacy of the all things open and (source, media, standards, ...), and exclude dicier issues related to global acceptability (politics, religion, animal rights, human rights, endorsements, ...) while being amenable to anything else from the naughty, the playful, the neutral and anything else.
* For F17, A default desktop theme which does not raise eyebrows. Users who want a hot-dog and related monickers on their desktop are welcome to change on installation.
* If as an open process, and the lack of authority is the cause of non-self censure then maybe release naming should be done away with.
* A well advertized naming process

Additional info:

Comment 1 Bill Nottingham 2012-02-27 17:18:11 UTC
1) There is a well advertised process for names and for the screening thereof, it's done by the board. (The entire naming process is done at https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Guidelines_for_release_names)

2) I'm not sure where you got the idea that the default F17 artwork would have a hot dog on it. Perhaps you should check the development page at:
 http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/F17_Artwork/Development

In any case, bugzilla is the wrong place for this sort of discussion on the process, or suggestions of changes to the process - I'm going to close this ticket. Whether you agree with the results of the process and screening, it did actually happen, so NOTABUG is probably the closest resolution, in that it's not a bug in the OS distribution itself.

The board runs the naming process, and you can contact them at:
  https://fedorahosted.org/board/
or on their public list at:
 https://lists.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/advisory-board


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