Change the name of LWN. [LWN.net]

From:		Greg Wilkins <gregw-AT-mortbay.com>
To:		letters-AT-lwn.net
Subject:		Change the name of LWN.
Date:		Thu, 27 Oct 2005 19:00:46 +0200


Dear editor,

while I was reading this weeks issue of LWN - it struck me that
the L in LWN is not really very accurate anymore.

This weeks front page has an article on new ideas in web browsers (some
of which don't even work on linux), a piece on the release of Minix (an
alternative to linux) and Gnome (a desktop that runs on linux, but other OS's
as well).

While the sections on kernel and distributions is still very Linux focused,
the sections on development and security are broader scope.

In light of the ongoing revenue problems for LWN - perhaps a name change
could be considered to reflect that LWN contains quality content on a
large range of free/open software/systems/document topics.  

 Open Source Weekly News             - OSWN
 Linux and Open Source Weekly News   - LOSWN
 Libero Weekly New                   - LWN
 This week in the free noosphere     - TWFN


Actually - now I come to think of it...  The N is not really that
accurate either.  If I want dry press release style New, then there is
heaps of that available at newsforge.  If I want rampant opinions, then
TSS is the place to be.    But LWN offers editorial - news with opinions 
that one has come to trust.

So perhaps:
   Open Source Editorials and Linux Weekly News

OK that suxs as well.....  but you get the idea - I don't think your
name is doing you any favours in advertising your great content!

cheers

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 3, 2005 9:17 UTC (Thu) by abartlet (subscriber, #3928) [Link]

A name change is not to be taken lightly, and the LWN brand is indeed very strongly respected for it's solid (not fluffy or advocative) reporting. While the old expansion may have passed it's date, it would be sad to loose such a good brand because an acronym wont fit.

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 3, 2005 10:34 UTC (Thu) by gyles (guest, #1600) [Link] (1 responses)

I'm not convinced the W is accurate either, now the news flows continuously...

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 3, 2005 13:50 UTC (Thu) by smitty_one_each (subscriber, #28989) [Link]

Ah, but the mid-week compilation of articles supports 'Weekly', weakly. ;)

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 3, 2005 13:57 UTC (Thu) by DG (subscriber, #16978) [Link] (2 responses)

I wouldn't bother changing the name - to most (uneducated?!) people the site is just "LWN", in much the same as many other acronyms have lost their original meaning, or the full version is not used or recognised. (e.g. BT/British Telecom).

I had a quick look around, and the site doesn't appear to actually say "Linux Weekly News" in any obvious place. What it does say is "Your Linux info source" on the LWN.net logo - which should perhaps be the focus of change.

David.

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 3, 2005 15:19 UTC (Thu) by jzbiciak (guest, #5246) [Link]

I agree... stick w/ LWN, if for no other reason than brand recognition.

And, all the non-Linux stuff that gets carried? It's all still arguably Linux related. It puts Linux in its larger context.

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 3, 2005 17:23 UTC (Thu) by amazingblair (guest, #2789) [Link]

The reason this site doesn't say "Linux Weekly News" anywhere is because... (drumroll, please)... that is no longer its name!

For all the reasons cited above, the editors have officially changed the name from "Linux Weekly News" to simply "LWN". The fact is, LWN has outgrown its original hunting ground, and what the letters "LWN" used to stand for no longer has meaning. Kinda like RCA, formerly "Radio Corporation of America", feeling comfortable selling other electronics besides just radios.

No, a 2nd name change is not needed, but as DG suggested, a newer by-line might be called for. Here some of the ideas from the original letter writer might be employed. Re-read those magazine titles with a marketer's eye towards a snappy by-line, and you may have something.

My two cents and keep the change. :-)

-Amazing Blair

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 3, 2005 17:24 UTC (Thu) by cventers (guest, #31465) [Link]

Bah... this is still primarily a Linux news site. (And a damn good one at
that... been very pleased with my subscription). Keep the name. Forever.

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 3, 2005 20:01 UTC (Thu) by ctg (guest, #3459) [Link]

Tut. You should have read the FAQ. It's been a long time since LWN stood
for anything..

From the faq:

"What does LWN stand for, anyway?

LWN, initially, was 'Linux Weekly News'. That name has been deemphasized
over time as we have moved beyond just the weekly coverage, and as we
have looked at the free software community as a whole. We have yet to
come up with a better meaning for LWN, however."

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 5, 2005 1:02 UTC (Sat) by stock (guest, #5849) [Link]

Never change a winning name or team!

A name change is mostly a act of weakness, like the feds are hunting you
down, or stockmarket investors in LWN ticker paper have been shoplifted ,
or LWN has some indictments coming their way :)

somebody checked if the person suggesting this doesn't have some hidden
agenda?

Robert

What's in a name?

Posted Nov 8, 2005 3:03 UTC (Tue) by apollock (guest, #14629) [Link]

Bleh. Every now and then I get all worked up over how organisations like "Linux Australia" are doing a lot more FOSS evangelism type stuff than straight out Linux related stuff.

I think we all just have to accept that the term Linux is (unfortunately) becoming synonymous with all things FOSS and get on with our lives.

I for one would prefer things to be a little more... accurately named, but dem's the breaks.

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 8, 2005 4:25 UTC (Tue) by pr1268 (guest, #24648) [Link]

LWN could easily jump on the recursion bandwagon (along with GNU, PHP, LAME, WINE, etc.):

LWN Weekly News
LWN Web Notices
LWN Worldwide Network
LWN Wants Newbies
LWN Writers' Noosphere

Change the name of LWN.

Posted Nov 10, 2005 23:31 UTC (Thu) by jd (guest, #26381) [Link]

Some names that could probably be recycled, since the original users have LONG since stopped using them: "Not The Nine O'Clock News", "That Was The Week That Was" (TW3). Personally, I'd just stick with LWN - it's never really been purely weekly, never been purely Linux and never been purely news, so the lack of consistancy has always been a part of the branding.