ack-names.markdown

What do we call the new general purpose ack?

Ack is too surprising to non-programmers. There will be a less surprising, more greplike tool that takes goodness from ack. But what do we call it?

Must be

• pronouncable

  • and monosyllabic

• easy to type

• three characters

  • four maaaaybe if it's super easy to type, say, like "akjf"

• relatively low Googling conflict

  • not already a word

• No conflict with existing BSD ports, Ubuntu packages or Fedora RPMs.

• acronymfinder.com is handy for overloaded name conflicts.

Favorites

kap -- easy type, same short A sound as ack, direct and unambiguous

kel -- another good K name

wij -- easy type, abbreviates to "Where In Jesus' name did I put..."

gus -- general unified search, don't like the name so much, though

glo -- Kinda grep-like, easy type, very pronouncable, could get confused with "glow"?

Ideas

erg -- Relates to doing work. Downside is that it's all left-hand.

rst -- follows the standard of TCP flags like ack, pronounceable as "rist", easy to type, I don't like the lack of vowel.

xoa -- singularly mine, no conflicts, but not pronouncable. "zoe-uh"?

bix -- easy to type, but always refers to Bix Beiderbecke, or Byte Information Exchange

bax -- easy type, my first dog, sounds ack-like, could sound like "backs" like "backups"

dij

gim

hap

kel

kif

mug

nak -- easy to type, but implies negative of ack.

nif

orp

Won't work

lak -- could be confused with "ack" or worse, "lack"

puf -- parallel URL fetcher

dit -- overloaded meaning

jix -- Joomla Import/Export

jak -- video game character

fid -- too close to "find"

pof -- points to dating site plentyoffish.com

dif -- Too close to "diff"