Awolfvax.53
net.news
utzoo!decvax!duke!unc!wolfvax!jcz
Mon Nov  2 21:47:32 1981
Net names
In Real Life:  Carl Zeigler
Location:      NCSU, Raleigh


	     I agree that the net should have a 'professional'
	name, But what constitutes 'professional?'   Personally,
	I think that 'The Source' is hilarious, but it does catch
	the attention of the consumer.  The net  represents a wide
	spectrum of interest (everything from the latest kill-the-
	millions-hardware to the lastest sci-fi movies.)   The	fact
	that the net has such a broad range precludes names that
	indicate content.  Also, names which refer to some particular
	OS (albeit the best so far) do not actually represent the net,
	and are sure not to once worldnet is realized.   The participants
	of the net include major (and not so major) universities,
	corporations, think tanks, research centers, and the like.

	    All these people do seem to have one thing in common -
	the willingness to discuss any idea, whether it is related to
	war, peace, politics, science, technology, philosophy (ethics!),
	science fiction, literature, etc.   While there is a lot of
	flame, the discussion usually consists of well thought out replys
	to meaningful questions. (Should the Postal Service be allowed to
	control electronic mail?   Will we survive Soviet aggression?)

	   I propose, then, that the name which most accurately
	represents the net would indicate the net's character.  My
	submission (more serious than my last) is Thinknet. (Thynet?)

	   Alternatively, much of the discussion can be seen examples
	of man's need for *meaningful* conversation.  (Is the conversation
	on the net meaningful?)  Such names as Idnet (intelligent discusion),
	Symnet (sympathetic thinking (symbiotic?)), Quanet (question and
	answer), and  Lisnet (lotsa interesting speculation) could be
	considered.

	   Consider Delphi.   The Delphi method seems to be very similar
	to the character of the net.  Would Delphi.net or Delphi be
	acceptable?  (Question for Sflovers: What John Brunner novel made
	use of the delphi concept?)  Are there any other concepts from
	history or the ancients that express the character of the net?

	   Another possibility is a name that does not neccesarily mean
	anything, but which does have a nice ring to it.  Such names as:
	Dynet (dynamic?), amnet, telid, wiznet, hypernet, scinet, technet,
	or sysnet. (I'm having trouble thinking of names that don't have
	'net' in them.)

	   Anyway, I hope that whatever name is suitable is chosen quickly.

						--jcz


	ps.
		I am told that a lot of the traffic on the net is not
	discussion, but real honest-to-goodnes work.  (Code, applications
	ideas, and such.)  I don't think that changes my observations
	above at all.

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