Filed Under Activism, Disablism, Letter Writing, Words Matter
Dear Open Source Developers,
You know, I go out of my way to support Open source projects. Even when I’m using Windows, I’m generally using an Open Source program to get done what I need to get done. But really, when you go about naming otherwise excellent programs Spaz or GIMP…well, it turns me off. It’s that whole language matters thing. And yes. It’s true. I do still use GIMP; but should I really have to cringe every time I open up a program to do something as simple as crop an image? And yes. I realize that GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program, but still; you couldn’t come up with something a little less…oh, I don’t know…totally friggin’ offensive to disabled people? Why try to be clever at the expense of other people’s lives? It’s so unnecessary.
So, I kindly ask that from here on out, all of you Open Source developers stop and think for a minute before you go about naming your programs names like Spaz or GIMP because the Open Source philosophy really isn’t attainable when you are using language that otherizes people.
I’m just saying.
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Open source developers don’t care about special needs people.
Jose ´s last blog post..Live-Blogging Tonight’s Debates
agreed!
I concur. I’ve actually stopped using Gimp on my mac and found some alternatives. The name is horrible.
Eric Stoller ´s last blog post..Burlington, Iowa and LGBT Rights
@Eric: Alternatives? Do tell. And leave some links!
oops. sorry. seashore has been my go-to app for basic image editing. i’ve used seashore for tons of screenshot crops. - http://seashore.sourceforge.net/ of course the heavy stuff is almost always done with photoshop.
i’ve also used a demo of acorn for quite a while…
http://www.flyingmeat.com/acorn/
Eric Stoller ´s last blog post..Burlington, Iowa and LGBT Rights
irc://irc.gimp.org/#gimp
Perhaps direct, sincere communication might be useful. Maybe a sudden surge in irc visits…?
Obviously not ill intentioned, but I agree this (Gimp) is one case where the devs should be listening. As this isn’t the usual “the name turns me off” business. Google, Cuil, Yahoo, and many others have taken weird names with hopes that they stick, and many have. The original devs of Gimp (+10 years ago) probably weren’t expecting that the clever name they chose would become more offensive as the world grows more sensitive to the needs of others.
And I don’t think it is fair to say open source devs don’t care about the disabled, as many open source programs specifically arise out of the need for alternative input methods, screen readers, text-to-speech software, and more.
But the name Gimp should go. Time has changed the word. And there are many other examples of words like it that would have never been chosen whether the acronym was fitting or otherwise, for obvious reasons.
I’m a disabled person and an open source developer, and I agree. I think “GIMP” could use a rename. Perhaps something like “GNU Raster Image Processor and Editor (GRIPE)”?
Personally, I’m more fond of names like BASH (Bourne-Again SHell), or Wine (Wine Is Not an Emulator), or other cleverness, that is obviously not going to offend or upset, and is still funny.
Flewellyn ´s last blog post..Bad Horse had better go for these guys!
It would be really easy to leave a comment like this:
“Well, if you don’t like it, don’t use it.”
But instead, I’m going to say this:
“It’s open source software. Anyone can modify it and fix it. Get involved, talk to the developers directly - perhaps you and they can change the names in following releases? Writing mean blog entries will only serve to have people feel scolded and unhappy and possibly “otherized” (is that really a word??) Instead, go find out who is currently maintaing each project and submit your ideas and/or talk to the developers directly. Convince them. In most cases, they’re reasonable people who will listen. The responsibility is yours as much as it is theirs.”
And good luck!
i was on a work call the other day and someone was talking about this program and hearing the word gimp over and over… just got to me. something swelled up in my throat and i actually rudely cut him off with a “i got i got it. you want X done.” i hear this word everyday but outside of a pride-based context it was so hard to hear.
but yes. thank you for calling this out, kev.
cripchick ´s last blog post..proud of my girls…