Re: guild hall update

[Thien-Thi Nguyen <ttn@gnuvola.org>]

() Andy Wingo <wingo@pobox.com>
() Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:00:52 +0200

   Another big change is that I renamed the package.  The problem was
   that the package itself isn't really a "guild hall" -- it marks you as
   a member of the guild, giving you access to various guild halls on the
   net.  After some hemming and hawwing I renamed it to "sigil" -- a
   graphic sign that marks you as a member of some group.

I kind of dislike the "marked as a member of some group" meme, whether
expressed as "guild" or "sigil".  Traditionally, guilds were irascibly
exclusive, subverting competition, introducing proprietary "extensions"
and "trade marks", and (ultimately) capturing and controlling the
prevalent regulatory regime.  (Side note: For a contemporary example at
grander / graver scale, see U.S. SEC MUI memory holing.)  It bothers me
that there is a "join and (only then you will) be cool" mindset at all.

The nice property of tools (and objects, as opposed to organizations, in
general, i suppose) is that people do not belong to them, and can share
them.  If the term "tool" (e.g., "guile-tool") is too boring, might i
suggest something exciting but still tool-ish, like "sword" or "club" (or
"cudgel" :-D) or "wand" or "knife" or "blade" or "zapper"?  Plenty of
acronym fodder, there, as well.  Or just go w/ acronyms directly: "tool
of choice" => "toc", "advanced package tool" => "apt", etc.

BTW, I think the long word "guile-package-manager" is fine, too.  You can
alias "sigil" to that, as that strikes your fancy, and others can do the
same, or different, as it strikes theirs.

   [...]

Looks pretty cool; keep up the good work!