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Mandrakesoft Changes Name to Mandriva

joestar writes "Following its recent merger with Conectiva, Mandrakesoft has decided to change its name to 'Mandriva' for two reasons: "1. The recent Mandrakesoft - Conectiva merger calls for a new identity that better represents the combination of two key companies and their global presence. 2. The long-winding trademark lawsuit with Hearst Corporation has reached a point where we decided it is more reasonable for us to move forward.". Mandrake is dead, long life to Mandriva!"

458 comments

  1. Well by paranode · · Score: 5, Funny

    I preferred Conedrakesoft, but... whatever...

    1. Re:Well by Rodney_Hampton · · Score: 0, Troll

      Good god, could the name be any more lame. I wonder how many dollars were spent in meetings to come up with this new moniker? Inquiry for Mandriva management: If you're going to change your name could you at least come up with something remotely penguin or linux sounding? It was bad enough when your company was named after a duck instead of a penguin. You could have even broken ranks and selected a frog species as the inspiration for your name. There are plenty of species of frogs in latin america and Mandrake is, after all, a French company.

    2. Re:Well by ImaLamer · · Score: 2, Funny

      Cone drakesoft?

      Well, it is from France!

    3. Re:Well by Rosco+P.+Coltrane · · Score: 0

      Yeah.. Trouble is, your joke falls flat on its face because "conne" takes two Ns...

      --
      "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
    4. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is rumoured that it was $1,000,000 spent so that "Price Waterhouse" and "Coopers and Lybrand" could merge into "PricewaterhouseCoopers".

      Posted anonymously for a reason...

    5. Re:Well by eln · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Company names should be fairly nonsensical like this. Naming the company something Linux-ish ties them to exclusively Linux-based products. This is a bad idea not because it's Linux, but because it ties the company to a particular type of product, which limits their ability to spread the brand to other products. Note that most of the "Linux only" companies of the dot-com era (the ones that actually survived) changed their names to something more generic.

    6. Re:Well by U1timateZer0 · · Score: 0
      Since Rosco P. Coltrane posted that, I only have one response:

      Hakyukyukyuk!

      --
      Unplug all controller for great reset!!
    7. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because, according to you, Red Hat, Debian or Gentoo are "penguin or linux sounding"? You're laughable.

    8. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      ...gentoo is a penguin, just thought you should know.

    9. Re:Well by Afrosheen · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Moron. He's making a joke about the awful Coneheads movie..when asked where they're from, the Coneheads reply 'we're from France'.

    10. Re:Well by B'Trey · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It was bad enough when your company was named after a duck instead of a penguin.

      A duck? A drake is a male duck, but a mandrake is a poisonous plant that is supposed to have magical powers, probably because it's root looks like a human figure. Didn't you ever play King's Quest?

      Is there something I'm missing or is this duck thing just confusion because of the word "drake" being in the name?

      --

      "The legitimate powers of government extend only to such acts as are injurious to others." Thomas Jefferson.

    11. Re:Well by beset · · Score: 1

      Sounds too much like Mandribble and that can't be good for business

      --
      1) Clever Sig 2) ????? 3) Profit!
    12. Re:Well by Sporkinum · · Score: 1

      I guess the "World" is not familiar with old SNL references, but I thought it was a good joke.

      --
      "He's lost in a 'floyd hole"
    13. Re:Well by Agrippa · · Score: 4, Funny

      Cheer up. It could of been renamed to "Manspire".

      .agrippa.

    14. Re:Well by Otter · · Score: 4, Interesting
      I think the distribution's name is actually a reference to Mandrake the Magician, not to the plant. Hence the magic-related imagery that used to surround Mandrake Linux, and is still present in the star logo.

      (I can't believe that strip is still around! Do comic strips ever stop? Does anyone still read Barney Google or Rex Morgan?)

      BTW, a somewhat more timeless mandrake reference is Genesis 30:14.

    15. Re:Well by MightyMartian · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That is the dumbest goddamn name I've ever heard. The distro's pretty good, but the name... the name... Why that blood name?

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    16. Re:Well by MissTuxie · · Score: 2, Insightful

      wish I had mod points. Why do most people think naming their company "websomething" or "something something net" is gonna make them sound edgy? Most good sticky names derive from the silliest things. And do not tie you to anything in particular. Look at google and Yahoo, for instance.

    17. Re:Well by MikeMacK · · Score: 3, Funny

      It sounds too much like this and I know that can't be good for business!

    18. Re:Well by B'Trey · · Score: 1

      Not that you mention it, I seem to recall hearing that before. That's what the copyright lawsuit in the story is referring to. Still, Mandrake the Magician is a human being, not a duck. And I'll bet that Mandrake the Magician was named after mandrake, the magical plant.

      --

      "The legitimate powers of government extend only to such acts as are injurious to others." Thomas Jefferson.

    19. Re:Well by kyojin+the+clown · · Score: 2, Informative

      or worse still; 'Mandrill' ahref=http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/content/animals /species/9803.htmlhttp://yahooligans.yahoo.com/con tent/animals/species/9803.html> urgly.

    20. Re:Well by woobieman29 · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Movie?

      How about the long-running SNL skit that was actually quite funny? Never saw the movie, as SNL spinoff movies have a pretty low rate of success these days. For every decent one (Wayne's World, Night at the Roxbury) You have loads of crap (Ladies Man, SuperStar, etc) that have "diluted the brand" pretty badly.

      --
      \/\/oobie
    21. Re:Well by Garg · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not to mention the Google factor... a made-up name ensures anyone looking for you will find you without a bunch of irrelevant hits.

      Garg

      --
      Garg
      Alumnus, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
    22. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Mandrake/Linux, Manux... Manux: The Hands of Fate.

    23. Re:Well by El_Servas · · Score: 0

      Most good sticky names derive from the silliest things.

      True. Like AT&T (a titi)!!!

    24. Re:Well by EnderWiggnz · · Score: 1

      did anyone ever read Family Circus?

      or "Dick Tracy"

      or "Cathy"?

      --
      ... hi bingo ...
    25. Re:Well by Afrosheen · · Score: 1

      Yeah, it was meant as a point of reference for the /. crowd, who in general are too young to remember the original 70's skits.

    26. Re:Well by Nasarius · · Score: 1, Informative
      Didn't you ever play King's Quest?

      You mean Quest for Glory I (or if you're playing the old EGA version, Hero's Quest). Great games.

      --
      LOAD "SIG",8,1
    27. Re:Well by Donald+Ferrone · · Score: 0

      Didn't you ever play King's Quest? No, sorry; I actually lost my virginity.

      --
      Donald Ferrone, Ph.D
      Professor of computer science
      http://www.geocities.com/donald_ferrone/
    28. Re:Well by drgonzo59 · · Score: 1

      This is a big problem for the drug companies. Each one of those pills has to have a short, unique and easily remembered and pronounced name. Finding a new company name is hard but doing that for every product is even harder. I heard currently they are just using words from other languages, especially Latin. I remember my friend in her graphic design class had to make up a company name for her final project, it is not as easy as it seems. Eventually she just used a slighly modified Swedish name and the problem was solved.

    29. Re:Well by Reignking · · Score: 1

      Known as the "empty vessel" approach to branding...

      --
      One man's Funny is another man's Offtopic.
    30. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ACTUALLY...Mandrake is a British RAF Captain, here in the States with the Officer Exchange Program. He is currently under the command of General Ripper. Any questions?

    31. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      A PhD has a lot of room to be talking.

    32. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, stupid name... But I'm sure Carsten Haitzler will be happy no matter what they change it to.

    33. Re:Well by sharkey · · Score: 3, Funny

      urpmi --update mass-quantities

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
    34. Re:Well by LarsWestergren · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Damn, they actually went ahead and did it. If they had to have a compound name, couldn't they at least have picked Mantiva? On the Mandrake mailing lists, most people seemed to be in favour of that one.

      The only Google reference to Mantiva is an Italian family name. If I associate it with anything in English, its "mantis".

      --

      Being bitter is drinking poison and hoping someone else will die

    35. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Looking at that attempt at a URL, it appears that you really are a clown. Well done.

    36. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd bet manspire.com is already taken, but I can't check right now. I'm not allowed to visit that kind of Web site at work.

    37. Re:Well by badmammajamma · · Score: 3, Funny

      Apparently Mangina was taken.

      --
      Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood. -- H. L. Mencken
    38. Re:Well by dweebzilla · · Score: 1

      Mandrivel

      --
      Get your tagline off my lawn.
    39. Re:Well by dgatwood · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I can't help but think of Dilbert's merger of Pathway Electronics with E-Technology Co. to form the Path-E-Tech Cormpany....

      Maybe it's just me.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    40. Re:Well by Storlek · · Score: 1

      Whois Server Version 1.3

      Domain names in the .com and .net domains can now be registered
      with many different competing registrars. Go to http://www.internic.net/
      for detailed information.

      No match for "MANSPIRE.COM".


      It's your lucky day!

      --
      Bears don't normally eat things that talk and move backwards.
    41. Re:Well by pnutjam · · Score: 0, Troll

      I can't belive you include Night at the Roxbury as a "decent one".

    42. Re:Well by kdpickett · · Score: 2, Funny

      Mandriva has kind of a prison rape overtone to it for some reason... Not the best combo of words to lay down...

    43. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Far more people are familiar with the original Coneheads TV skits than the movie; probably most Americans in the 1970s whose bed time was after 11:30. Even if you didn't see it, you probably knew somebody who went around imitating lines from the show.

      On TV, the Coneheads also claimed that their homeland was France.

    44. Re:Well by rocjoe71 · · Score: 1
      Mandrake isn't a duck, it's the name of a magician. If you'd ever had a glance at their website you'd notice the classic magician's tophat and wand show up regularly in their artwork.

      Do all telephone companies try to incorporate "Bell" in their name?

      What species of penguin is Suse, Gentoo and Slackware, and do any of these penguins wear a Red Hat? ;-P

      --
      Height: 38U, Weight: 0 Newtons, Eyes: #0000FF, OS: Gray Matter 1.0 (Alpha)
    45. Re:Well by slimak · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Right, like Motorola:

      Galvin Manufacturing Corporation founder Paul V. Galvin creates the brand name "Motorola" for the company's new car radio, linking "motor" (motorcar, motion) with the suffix "ola" (sound). (source)

      After changing the company name to Motorola in the 1940's, Motorola has only been able to make car radios.

      What about Microsoft? They make hardware and large software products.

      American Airlines flies internationally (but I guess I wouldn't rent a car from them)

      Dunkin Donuts sells coffee

    46. Re:Well by bigbigbison · · Score: 1

      Since that is what the lawsuit is about, I am sure the company denies that the name has anything to do with Mandrake the Magician.

      --
      http://www.popularculturegaming.com -- my blog about the culture of videogame players
    47. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      did anyone ever read Family Circus? or "Dick Tracy" or "Cathy"?

      I enjoy Family Circus, especially the "paths"

      My grandfather enjoyed Dick Tracy

      but no, no one has ever read Cathy.

    48. Re:Well by eljasbo · · Score: 1

      actually a gentoo is a type of small quick penguin. check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentoo_Penguin They only wear the red hats for formal nights.

    49. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He stole my precious bodily fluids!

    50. Re:Well by S.O.B. · · Score: 1

      ...and they tip the hat to one side when they're ready to PAR-TAAAY.

      --
      Some of what I say is fact, some is conjecture, the rest I'm just blowing out my ass...you guess.
    51. Re:Well by legojenn · · Score: 1

      If it's a trademark issue, then what about Manspire? This time I know the domain is available.

      --
      I make a reasonable middle-class wage by going to work and not spamming blogs with scams.
    52. Re:Well by Stevis · · Score: 3, Funny

      Not to mention when they randomly generate a company name by combining astronomical and electrical engineering terms, and get "Uranus-Hertz."

      --
      We've got two lives, one we're given, and the other one we make. --Mary Chapin Carpenter
    53. Re:Well by VagaStorm · · Score: 1

      I was aboute to say; In your face.... But as long as "no one" knows it's a penguin I'd have to agree that it dos not sound wery penguinish :D

    54. Re:Well by vettemph · · Score: 1

      I prefer Mandows.

      --
      The government which is strong enough to protect you from everything is strong enough to take everything from you.
    55. Re:Well by Allnighterking · · Score: 1

      There is a Mandrake Duck though not in the sense of a real (as in dictionary name) In certain areas of the US the common Mallard is also know as a Mandrake.

      As for the common rumor that it was named after the comic strip character. No it wasn't. I remember from the very early days (around the first release) in the e-mail list I mentioned the comic book character and the reaction I got was "The What?" "How old are you?" So no one there was thinking of anything but the root.

      However there is a mildy known magician from the eary days of Vaudville called Mandrake, and IIRC Manduck was the character Donald Duck played in a number of Disney shorts. BTW the Comic book character is actually a rip off of the real Mandrake the magician IMHO but since he isn't a Company he doesn't count.

      --

      I'm sorry, I'm to tired to be witty at the moment so this message will have to do.

    56. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I normally don't take time out to repsond to AC's (waste of time) but I'll make an exception today.

      Originally the post intended to make a connection between the Con statement and Coneheads saying they're from France. The point of reference was a terrible movie which should have been the Saturday Night Live skits..but in light of the age of the slashdot crowd, the movie was substituted.

      The grandparent post is especially ridiculous considering the even more obscure French slang word origin.

      So fuck you, and fuck this thread. :p

    57. Re:Well by Inv8r+Zim · · Score: 1

      I chuckled then frowned because the first thing that popped into my head was "Mangina." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_slang#M

    58. Re:Well by hdparm · · Score: 1
      Mod who moded this offtopic, please. This can be flame (towards French) perhaps even troll. I don't think it's the either of two and must admit that Mandriva sounds unbelievably stupid. If you really had to mod this guy down because you don't agree with him (which is not supposed to be done) use overrated. Better yet, send email to CowboyNeal and tell him that you're a dumb prick and that mod points shouldn't be assigned to you anymore. See you in metamod.

      Slashdot moderation criteria are long overdue for a major rethink.

    59. Re:Well by Afrosheen · · Score: 1

      For the 115th time, Mandrake was named after a comic book called Mandrake the Magician, and King Syndication wasn't too happy about it after 5 years. They had to change the name eventually regardless. But yes, the name totally blows. It's too bad that someone made such an awful decision.

    60. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No shit, Cathy is the best excuse for a comic strip author's future suicide I can think of.

    61. Re:Well by gurumeditationerror · · Score: 1

      You mean Quest for Glory I (or if you're playing the old EGA version, Hero's Quest). Great games.

      Kings Quest was on the Amiga at least and you used mandrake at some point.

    62. Re:Well by SlightlyOldGuy · · Score: 1

      'Mandrake' always made me think of the R.A.F. officer in 'Dr. Strangelove'. 'Mandriva', of course, is something a feminist shouts while driving. For the regular expression literate, This is being typed on a (Phoenix|Fire(bird|fox)) browser on a Mandr(ake|iva) GNU/Linux system. Heh.

    63. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mandelay

    64. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, I think that the "Mandrake" magician from Vaudville was probably influenced by the comics, as the comics predate the person by 15 years or so.

      A reference I found about it:
      http://www.canadianmagiciansarchive.homestead .com/ M.html

    65. Re:Well by stor · · Score: 1

      Cheer up. It could of been renamed to "Manspire".

      It's a Mansiere!

      Cheers
      Stor

      --
      "Yeah well there's a lot of stuff that should be, but isn't"
    66. Re:Well by ImaLamer · · Score: 1

      I actually got rated a troll for the best off the top of my head SNL joke (today)

    67. Re:Well by slavemowgli · · Score: 1

      "Good boy. Here's a donut." (For being able to quote Dilbert cartoons :))

      --
      quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
    68. Re:Well by kai.chan · · Score: 2, Funny

      Any ideas for what the logo should look like?

    69. Re:Well by JabberWokky · · Score: 1
      There's a large portion of us here who are certainly old enough to remember the skits... or even older. I know many 50+ year old Slashdot users. Every time an "old fart" topic comes up, even ones before my time like 1950s engineering using slide rules, the thread fills up with people making posts based on personal experience.

      --
      Evan

      --
      "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
    70. Re:Well by EvilAlien · · Score: 1

      Yup. Early marketing, years ago, featured a magician duck waving a magic wand, leaving a trail of stars which is where the current stylized star logo thing got derived from. That would be why Mandrake had such a hard time fending off the stupid trademark challenge.

      --
      perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5, (41*2), sqrt(7056), (unpack(c,H)-2), oct(115), 10)'
    71. Re:Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What a load of Mandrivel!

  2. April Fools? by BJZQ8 · · Score: 3, Funny

    April Fools Day was the 1st...Oh wait, they're serious.

    1. Re:April Fools? by xanthines-R-yummy · · Score: 3, Funny
      It's April 1st there. They're in a different time zone!

      Oh, wait...

    2. Re:April Fools? by TimeForGuinness · · Score: 1

      I just got that joke...since I'm an hour behind everyone else

    3. Re:April Fools? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Different time zone? They're on another planet...

    4. Re:April Fools? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not funny anymore.

  3. Harddriva? by brontus3927 · · Score: 5, Funny

    So will all their *Drake tools now be *Driva tools? It just doesn't have the same ring to it.

    1. Re:Harddriva? by paranode · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't forget to compile the kernel modules for your SoundDriva too.

    2. Re:Harddriva? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They have been renamed to the equally girly "Duck Tools".

    3. Re:Harddriva? by CrackHappy · · Score: 1

      Now THAT is funny as hell.

      What an accent you have, is that French?

      --
      1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d t0 g37 l41d Capitalization really works: i helped my uncle jack off a horse
    4. Re:Harddriva? by rbochan · · Score: 4, Funny

      But they can now refer to their mailing lists as Mandrivel ;o)

      --
      ...Rob
      The American Dream isn't an SUV and a house in the suburbs; it's Don't Tread On Me.
    5. Re:Harddriva? by Amoeba · · Score: 4, Funny
      Don't forget to compile the kernel modules for your SoundDriva too.

      And do you pronounce Mandriva as "Man-drive-ah" or as "Man-dree-vah"? I'm thinking the first one would be best cause, Snap G! I gots my Soundriva up n running in dis mofo.

      Uh.. nevermind.

      --
      Do not taunt Happy-Fun Ball
    6. Re:Harddriva? by U1timateZer0 · · Score: 0
      "Life is like a hurricane here in Duckburg.
      Racecars, lasers, aeroplanes; it's a duck blur.
      Might solve a mystery, or rewrite history;

      Duck Tools Oooh, ooh!
      Every day, they're out there making
      Duck Tools Oooh, ooh!
      Tales of daring do bad and good
      Luck Tools Oooh, ooh!"

      --
      Unplug all controller for great reset!!
    7. Re:Harddriva? by 2old2rockNroll · · Score: 5, Funny

      They have been renamed to the equally girly "Duck Tools"

      So the backup program is now called Duck Tape? Sorry.

    8. Re:Harddriva? by isecore · · Score: 1

      incidentally, "driva" in Swedish is "pile"

      So it would be a pile of tools.

      --
      I enjoy large posteriors and I cannot prevaricate.
    9. Re:Harddriva? by faccenda · · Score: 0, Informative

      Hm... the "iva" part comes from Conectiva... that in portuguese is pronounced "Co-nec-tee-vah"... so, I think that it will be pronounced like the second option.

    10. Re:Harddriva? by schon · · Score: 0

      do you pronounce Mandriva as "Man-drive-ah" or as "Man-dree-vah"?

      Well, if their new logo changes to this then, I'd guess the former :o)

    11. Re:Harddriva? by IdleTime · · Score: 1

      I use my "driva" on the golf-course, I'm not even going to start explaining where I use my "man-driva"!

      --
      If you mod me down, I *will* introduce you to my sister!
    12. Re:Harddriva? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Why does Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella?


      Fo Drizzle!

      Muhahahah...sorry, long day at work already.

    13. Re:Harddriva? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Brilliant!

    14. Re:Harddriva? by protomala · · Score: 1

      If it should follow the pronounce of "Conectiva" it should be Man-dree-vah, cause it's cô-nêc-tee-vah (ok, it's hard to write this to sound in english) in portuguese.

    15. Re:Harddriva? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And do you pronounce Mandriva as "Man-drive-ah" or as "Man-dree-vah"?

      If you say the first too quickly it sounds a lot like mangina

      Yo man, whats on your box? Mangina?

    16. Re:Harddriva? by Afrosheen · · Score: 1

      So in Sweden, if you do a piledriver on someone, does that mean you make a pile out of a pile?

    17. Re:Harddriva? by dbIII · · Score: 1
      And do you pronounce Mandriva as "Man-drive-ah" or as "Man-dree-vah"?
      Depends if you are using the "Ga-know-me" desktop or not.
  4. Names by Lucky_Pierre · · Score: 1

    A rose by any other name......

    --
    "Whenever the cause of the people is entrusted to professors, it is lost." ~ V.I. Lenin
    1. Re:Names by baudilus · · Score: 5, Funny
      A rose by any other name......
      .....could still not be as stupid sounding as "Mandriva."
  5. Stupidest. Name. Evar. by criscooil · · Score: 2, Funny

    They should have called it "Firebird Linux".

    --

    My life is an open book ... up to a point.

    1. Re:Stupidest. Name. Evar. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thunderbirdriva Linux?

    2. Re:Stupidest. Name. Evar. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Phoenix Linux

    3. Re:Stupidest. Name. Evar. by nacturation · · Score: 1

      No, no... the name you're looking for is LinZilla.

      --
      Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  6. Mondilla ? by Sergo5020 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Why not?

  7. Great name! by waynegoode · · Score: 5, Funny
    Mandriva

    I'm sure glad they didn't pick some wimpy combination of Mandrake and Conectiva. Now the three top distros at Distrowatch (choose last 3 months) will all have great-sounding, easy-to-pronounce names:

    1. Ubuntu
    2. Mandriva
    3. Mepis
    1. Re:Great name! by doctormetal · · Score: 0, Redundant

      I'm sure glad they didn't pick some wimpy combination of Mandrake and Conectiva.

      Eh, you mean like mandrake connectiva?

    2. Re:Great name! by Stevyn · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ubuntu, sounds like a baseball strategy.

      Mandriva, sounds like a bunch of guys driving down the road

      Mepis, Me piss?

      At least I can say, "well Gentoo is a species of penguins you ignorant pisser."

    3. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Whoosh!

    4. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think the joke was implied. . .

    5. Re:Great name! by Cecil · · Score: 1

      Please visit a mechanic immediately, your sarcasm detector is badly malfunctioning.

    6. Re:Great name! by digidave · · Score: 1

      At least the name Ubuntu works well within the Free Software community. It means 'humanity to others'.

      --
      The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.
    7. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      S T U P I D

    8. Re:Great name! by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 1

      I think I'm going to start a Linux distro and name it Weenis.

      Mandriva sounds like a drag Carmen Miranda imposter.

      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
    9. Re:Great name! by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 1

      Huh. I meant that to point at the footnotes on this page.

      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
    10. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You complete and utter fuckwit.

    11. Re:Great name! by UrgleHoth · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, on the topic of great sounding distros, How about naming one "Cthulhu" (barring any existing copyright issues). Bonus would be the slogan, "Cthulhu Linux, it'll suck your face off."

      --

      Dogma - "let's just say we'd like to avoid any empirical entanglements."
    12. Re:Great name! by ScoLgo · · Score: 3, Funny

      Say what you will. I'm just glad they kept the 'r' in there. Otherwise, their mascot might've been John Madden dressed like Mariah Carey.

      Yipes!!

      --
      "Michael, I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing - and it was everything that I thought it could be."
    13. Re:Great name! by doctormetal · · Score: 1

      Please visit a mechanic immediately, your sarcasm detector is badly malfunctioning.

      Nah, The detector is just out of order for the rest of the evening. Hope it will work again tomorrow (after some sleep).

    14. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Cthulhu Linux"

      Little known fact is that Iliad owns part of mandrakeSoft , 2% to be precise

      http://www.boursier.com/vals/FR/profile.asp?code=F R0004159382

      Millenium Partners 13,40 %
      Remote Reward 10,31 %
      Jacques Le Marois 6,89 %
      BBS Capital 6,19 %
      Windhurst 5,29 %
      Frédéric Bastok 4,81 %
      Clearsteam Banking 3,42 %
      François Bancilhon 3,04 %
      Iliad 2,05 %

    15. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My god what are their kids named! Perhaps they shouldn't have kids...

    16. Re:Great name! by eugene_roux · · Score: 1
      At least I can say, "well Gentoo is a species of penguins you ignorant pisser."
      Its okay... I get to say, "Ubuntu is a philosophy, you damn ignorant git!"

      Besides which, here in Cape Town a "gentoo" is a colloquialism for a lady of ill repute...

      Take that! :-)

      --
      Part Time Philosopher, Oft Times Romantic, Full Time Unix Geek
    17. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It runs best on HP computers.

    18. Re:Great name! by biglig2 · · Score: 1

      Well, Mandriver Linux sounds like it'll suck something off....

      --
      ~~~~~ BigLig2? You mean there's another one of me?
    19. Re:Great name! by conteXXt · · Score: 1

      "Cthulhu Linux, It's not Squid"

      --
      The truth about Led Zep should never be told on /. (Karma suicide ensues)
    20. Re:Great name! by jonadab · · Score: 1

      How about Ungoliant Linux? Not as hard to pronounce as Cthulhu, but at least twice as evil.

      --
      Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.
    21. Re:Great name! by Alioth · · Score: 1

      The trouble is Mandriva sounds a bit like a 70s porno flick!

    22. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      All the more reasons to run slackware!

    23. Re:Great name! by cp.tar · · Score: 1
      Well, on the topic of great sounding distros, How about naming one "Cthulhu" (barring any existing copyright issues). Bonus would be the slogan, "Cthulhu Linux, it'll suck your face off."

      I'd prefer Hastur Linux myself...

      Every time you name it, it gets more powerful...

      --
      Ignore this signature. By order.
    24. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, you could avoid legal issues with the name by calling the Gnome-based distro Gthulhu, and the KDE-based distro Kthulhu...

    25. Re:Great name! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Since when is it difficult to pronounce Cthulhu?

    26. Re:Great name! by jonadab · · Score: 1

      > Since when is it difficult to pronounce Cthulhu?

      Since it contains blends that are not normally used in English, most notably
      "cth". (This also occurs in Ictheus, the Greek word for fish, and a lot of
      English-speaking people have trouble saying that, too.) The combination "ulhu"
      (or, for that matter, any blend between two Us) is also abnormal in English.

      Of course, "difficult to pronounce" is relative. Glulxe, for instance, is
      harder to say than Cthulhu, and "mrurlurlji" is something terrible -- but
      Ungoliant practically rolls off the tongue.

      --
      Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.
  8. Man-driva! by nightsweat · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Man...driva, wider than a mile
    I'm crossing you in style, someday

    This is a belated April Fool's joke, right? That's the dumbest name since International Harvester became Navistar.

    --

    the major advances in civilization are processes which all but wreck the societies in which they occur - A.N. White
    1. Re:Man-driva! by nightsweat · · Score: 1

      Troll? How does this get rated a troll? No seriously, I don't get it.

      --

      the major advances in civilization are processes which all but wreck the societies in which they occur - A.N. White
    2. Re:Man-driva! by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1
      Mandriva.... That's the dumbest name since International Harvester became Navistar.

      Can I hear from France, please?

    3. Re:Man-driva! by nightsweat · · Score: 1

      I don't understand your comment, but great handle!

      --

      the major advances in civilization are processes which all but wreck the societies in which they occur - A.N. White
    4. Re:Man-driva! by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1

      It's a jab about this and this.

    5. Re:Man-driva! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not bad, now get Michael Robertson to tell everyone how you got approval from the estates of Mancini and Mercer to use that song

    6. Re:Man-driva! by horza · · Score: 1

      It has to be a late April Fool that got stuck in the spool. What a load of Mandriva-l. They should have merged the best bits of both names and named the company: Mandrake. I agree with an above poster than when the names behind the merger are forgotten you are just going to end up with a bad name.

      Phillip.

    7. Re:Man-driva! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's the dumbest name since International Harvester became Navistar.
      Sounds like an improvement to me.

    8. Re:Man-driva! by nightsweat · · Score: 1

      You must be joking.

      International Harvester makes farm equipment for harvesting they sell gobally.

      Navistar makes... Compasses?

      --

      the major advances in civilization are processes which all but wreck the societies in which they occur - A.N. White
  9. My Recommendation by qw(name) · · Score: 1

    The new company should be called SoftCone.

  10. Sigh by wigle · · Score: 2

    Another awkwardly named software company.. when will they learn to at least pronounce it first?

    --
    ::wigle::
    1. Re:Sigh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did they really need a reason to reprint all the business cards?

  11. Is that the best they could do? by Moby+Cock · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Mandriva!?!

    That name sucks. Is this the best they could come up with. Conetidrake would've been better.

    When two companies merge and they change the name, that is an opportunity to come up with a really good name. Mandrake was a good name. Connectiva was a bad name. Mandriva is worse.

    *sigh*

    1. Re:Is that the best they could do? by nightsweat · · Score: 0

      I think you found the one worse name they could have gone with.

      Conetidrake?

      --

      the major advances in civilization are processes which all but wreck the societies in which they occur - A.N. White
    2. Re:Is that the best they could do? by Erwos · · Score: 2, Insightful

      While I don't think Connectiva was a _bad_ name, I agree with your sentiment that they really dropped the ball on this one. Mandriva only makes sense in the context of a single, little-known corporate merger. In a couple years, it'll be just a bad name.

      Dragonux, for example, would have been a better choice. It conjures thoughts of both UNIX/Linux and the dragon - fearsome in some cultures, a harbringer of good luck in others. It also plays on Mandrake's old name.

      Mandriva plays on Mandrake's old name, but makes no sense otherwise.

      -Erwos

      --
      Plausible conjecture should not be misrepresented as proof positive.
    3. Re:Is that the best they could do? by Dun+Malg · · Score: 2, Funny
      I think you found the one worse name they could have gone with.

      Conetidrake?

      Nah there are plenty worse:
      Comandrake (they manage gardeners, right?)
      Manconnect (gay dating service?)
      Condrake (AKA conservative linux)
      Mandiva (Drag queen lounge singer?)
      Mancondrakectiva (some sort of respiratory infection?)

      Not to say they couldn'y have done better than they did...

      --
      If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
    4. Re:Is that the best they could do? by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1
      Conetidrake?

      Hehe, especially when you know what con means in French...

    5. Re:Is that the best they could do? by Moby+Cock · · Score: 1

      You talk of images. This makes me think...They seem to be retaining the Mandrake star symbol as their logo. What about StarLinux, or StarlightOS, or Starshot, or anything other than Mandriva.

    6. Re:Is that the best they could do? by silicon+not+in+the+v · · Score: 1
      That name sucks. Is this the best they could come up with.
      Your comment sounds strangely familiar...

      Ring Announcer: What's your name kid?
      Software Company: Mandriva.
      Ring Announcer: Mandriva? That's it? That's the best you've got?
      Software Company: Yeah.
      Ring Announcer: Oh that sucks.
      --
      We may experience some slight turbulence and then...explode. -Capt. Mal Reynolds
    7. Re:Is that the best they could do? by vadim_t · · Score: 1

      Or Draconix/Dragonix, I think it sounds a bit better.

      But indeed, "Mandriva" just sounds weird.

    8. Re:Is that the best they could do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Connectiva is a great name. Just like Initech.

  12. They can't be serious! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    What's more ridiculous than this name?

    Maybe Linspire...

    1. Re:They can't be serious! by mikael · · Score: 2, Interesting

      There was a sofa store that was sued for putting up a poster claiming themselves to be "sofa-king-good".

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    2. Re:They can't be serious! by wild_berry · · Score: 1

      Signor, eet does not sound so baad een Portugese (of Brazil) or ze français (naturalement de La France!). Eet ees ze Eengleesh which makes ze name sound poncaux. In zis way we fart in your general direction!

      [Cough] Seriously, Latin America will call it Manned-Reever. And France will call it Mon-Dreever (both with appropriate/respective rolled or throaty 'ar' sounds).

    3. Re:They can't be serious! by NotFamous · · Score: 1

      Well, Mandrake was going to merge with Linspire, but the name ManSpire was to0 risky...

      --
      Some settling may occur during posting.
    4. Re:They can't be serious! by itchy92 · · Score: 1

      yeah... and now there's a new club here in Miami that's called Sofa King. The radio ads are so terribly obnoxious and juvenile, yet they claim to be the first R-rated nightclub in Miami.

      Aren't all nightclubs "R-rated", so to speak?

      --
      Slashdot: News for nerds. Stuff tha-- MICRO$OFT IS THE DEVIL!!1
    5. Re:They can't be serious! by anagama · · Score: 1

      Gosh - although the slogan has to be one of the worst, and the business owners are lucky they aren't allowed to use it, it seems like an awful big stretch to consider that phrase offensive. Sure, it ain't good english, but it isn't actively offensive -- the ruling is a bit restrictive.

      Besides, bad advertising should be allowed if for no other reason than to cause avoidance. For example, I see the "Dun Rite Roofing" truck all the time around here (or maybe it's a power-washer guy). Anyway, it helps me - I know the last place I'll call if I need that particular service.

      --
      What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
  13. I'm glad they didn't go with the runners up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mandrows
    Manboylove

    1. Re:I'm glad they didn't go with the runners up by tomhudson · · Score: 1
      They should have gone with Lesbian GNU/Linux.

      Check out some of the open-source lesbian linux sex instructions

      ... and patching the kernel, etc

  14. Sounds like... by mikefoley · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...the name of a tranny stripper..

    Eeesh...

    --
    What's my Karma Mr. Burns? "Excellent"
    1. Re:Sounds like... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's "Transgendered Adult Entertainer" to you, perv.

    2. Re:Sounds like... by Mr+Guy · · Score: 5, Funny

      I read it as "Man dree vuh" and thought it sounded like a small Eastern bloc country occupied by the Soviets after World War II.

      Do you haf za news from Mandreevah!

      Dah! Vee haf crushed da reseestance in Mandreevah! Long live mother Russia!

    3. Re:Sounds like... by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      Or a place where eevil sword and sorcery wizards come from. The dreaded Saag Gosht of Mandriva! (Thunder sfx)

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    4. Re:Sounds like... by idontgno · · Score: 1

      Ah, Mandriva, the even more impoverished and backward neighbor of Molvania.

      --
      Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
    5. Re:Sounds like... by Dav3K · · Score: 1

      odd...I first read it as Man-drivel.

    6. Re:Sounds like... by Mad_Rain · · Score: 2, Funny

      I read it as "Man dree vuh" and thought it sounded like a small Eastern bloc country occupied by the Soviets after World War II.

      I can't believe no one has said this yet:

      In Soviet Russia, Mandriva renames YOU!

      ew, now I feel all... dirty. Blech.

      --
      "What do you think?" "I think 'What, do you think?!'"
  15. Hmm by bogie · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Mandriva? How ahh European...

    In Mandriva company changes name to _________!

    --
    If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
    1. Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is "European" the latest insult in your "country"?

    2. Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, it's been around for two or three years.

  16. Represents WHAT??? by hesiod · · Score: 3, Funny

    > the recent Mandrakesoft - Conectiva merger calls for a new identity that better represents the combination of two key companies and their global presence.

    How does "Mandriva" "represent their Global Presence?" If I had no idea what they made and was asked to guess, it would be some sort of male driving school... Or a singing fruit (mandarin, Diva)... But in no way does Mandriva make me think "Linux, of course!"

    1. Re:Represents WHAT??? by 0racle · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, its a terrible name that one does not associate with Linux. They should have chosen a name like Maya, Excel, Trivoli, Firefox, Bryce or Java. You know names that don't just set a product apart but immediatly discribe what it does.

      --
      "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
    2. Re:Represents WHAT??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How does "Mandriva" "represent their Global Presence?

      Maybe as an anonymous corporation that has no real focus?

      I hope not: Mandrake is the distro that got me into Linux and the 2nd one that I will recommend to anyone interested in Linux (Knoppix is first by a long shot).

    3. Re:Represents WHAT??? by hesiod · · Score: 1

      OK, smartass, no those names don't represent their products, but those products did not claim that it "represents their Global Presence." Mandriva DID. If that sentence was not in there I wouldn't have brought it up. THEY are the ones that claim it's supposed to mean something.

    4. Re:Represents WHAT??? by 0racle · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Mandrake is supposedly big in France. Conectiva is big in Brazil. Both are at least known of around the world. They combined the two to have a name that has parts of well known names but is not currently tied to any main geographic location then they told the world, or at least the parts that cared. Seems pretty global to me.

      --
      "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
    5. Re:Represents WHAT??? by Captain+Nitpick · · Score: 1
      They should have chosen a name like Maya, Excel, Trivoli, Firefox, Bryce or Java. You know names that don't just set a product apart but immediatly discribe what it does.

      The name Bryce is descriptive, but only if you know some background first.

      --
      But then again, I could be wrong.
    6. Re:Represents WHAT??? by ravee · · Score: 1

      Why couldn't they just leave the name mandrake unchanged? It is bad marketing technique. Look at what novell is doing.... just because it brought SuSe, it didn't change the SuSe name to NovSe or something else .Because a lot of people know what SuSe is . And by changing the name, you are actually destroying the marketing advantage that product enjoys. It is like ripping out the brand from the product. See what happens if Nike decided to not put its name on its shoes... It would be like any other shoes and people will not buy it.

      --
      Linux Help
      for all things on Linux
  17. No self-respecting man would install "mandriva" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I mean, come on. This is a name just asking to be picked on. I wonder if I'll someday be able to install mandriva on my performa. That would be awesomea.

    Unless this is a method for hardening its security-- y'know, everyone picks on mandriva, so it has to toughen itself up. Like naming your son Sue or something.

    1. Re:No self-respecting man would install "mandriva" by TrekCycling · · Score: 1

      If I had mod points I'd give them to you, man, because that's funny.

    2. Re:No self-respecting man would install "mandriva" by HeliumHigh · · Score: 0

      That was you?! Thanks alot you sonuva...

      I love that song :)

    3. Re:No self-respecting man would install "mandriva" by ThoreauHD · · Score: 1

      HAhhaaa.. Oh .. ok, I'm alright. I man, these French people are fucking retards.

  18. this is totally stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "mandriva" just sounds ridiculous. Nobody is going to remember it. They may as well have called it:

    236176911b0bc7fca6bae20804ba08d9

    which is what I get from

    echo mandriva |md5sum

    and is about as easy to remember.

  19. Mandrakesoft Changes Name to Mandriva by thebrains · · Score: 1

    It sounds like this is really heading to Brazil. --Mode me 0

    --
    It is a privilege to be alive
  20. Next up.... by cprincipe · · Score: 5, Funny

    Noveluse

    --

    bun-fhuinneog agam!

    1. Re:Next up.... by ediron2 · · Score: 1

      The correct spelling is Novluser. You left off the 'r'.

      Trust a shareholder.

  21. Rupaul? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ooooh, I thought you said Man DIVA.

    my bad.

  22. Microsoft is right.... by gmuslera · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... Linux MUST be hard to use, see how difficult will be to pronounce the name of most of their main distributions (SuSE with mixed case? Ubuntu? And now... Mandriva? even is hard to pronounce linux), then installing/using them should be even harder.

    1. Re:Microsoft is right.... by j0e_average · · Score: 1
      Methinks SuSE recently became SUSE...but it's only a matter of time before it becomes Novell...and then nothing...at which point the Germans will take it back and it will become....

      SuSE!

    2. Re:Microsoft is right.... by moranar · · Score: 1

      Gentleman, how you pronounce dis "Mee-croh-soft" thing? "Veen-do-oos"? "Vin-douse"? How?

      --
      "I think it would be a good idea!"
      Gandhi, about Internet Security
    3. Re:Microsoft is right.... by jruschme · · Score: 1

      Obligatory SNL reference...

      "With a name like Flucker's, it's got to be good."

    4. Re:Microsoft is right.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you can't pronounce the name, then it must be good.

  23. Headshot by http101 · · Score: 1

    Mandriva? I think I fragged that bot in UT2004...

    --
    -- Game Developers: Stop porting badly-textured games from crappy console systems!
    1. Re:Headshot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      YOU DICK@!!

    2. Re:Headshot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You like that?!

  24. Mandribble? by ttys00 · · Score: 0

    Anyone else read that as Mandribble, and then imagine the new logo?

    Yuck.

    1. Re:Mandribble? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nope.

    2. Re:Mandribble? by Zeebs · · Score: 1

      Nope your the only one, we'll just have to increase your dosage untill that stops. :P

      --

      Happy Noodle Boy says "F###ing doughnut! Mock me? You fried cyclops!!"
  25. Thinking that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny


    Mangina might've been a better name.

    1. Re:Thinking that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I agree!

  26. Manwhatever by pjf(at)gna.org · · Score: 1

    Mandriva? Ah yes, I bet it's new taste of Mirinda ;-).

    --
    echo "getuid(){return 0;}" > e.c; gcc -shared -o e.so e.c; LD_PRELOAD=./e.so sh
  27. Disturbing name. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    This reminds me too much of the spanish word "maricon", which roughly translates to "queer" or "fag" when used to reference a homosexual.

    1. Re:Disturbing name. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The solution is, of course, to use the Jesux distribution!

    2. Re:Disturbing name. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What does it refer to in reference to a heterosexual then?

    3. Re:Disturbing name. by panaceaa · · Score: 1

      How??? "Maricon" only shares 4 letters in common... that's like me saying it reminds me of the word "vagina".

      How does it make me think of the word vagina? Well they share 5 letters, of course!

    4. Re:Disturbing name. by gg3po · · Score: 1

      Even more so than "maricon", I think Mandriva brings to mind the Spanish word "mariposa", which literally means "butterfly", but is also used (at least among Mexicans -- can't speak for others) as a synonym for "maricon".

      --
      ---
  28. how about by suezz · · Score: 1


    Mandiva

    a man diva - now that would been something.

    1. Re:how about by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Didn't they come from Israel and win the Eurovison song contest a few years ago?

  29. Mandriva? by Exluddite · · Score: 1
    Sounds like someone out of a pulp Sci-fi novel.

    "All hail Mandriva, lord of the Moons of Jupiter!"

    --
    What does this button do...
    1. Re:Mandriva? by nickos · · Score: 2, Informative

      It should have been "Mandrake is dead, long live Mandriva!" rather than "Mandrake is dead, long life to Mandriva!". It's a reference to the phrase "The king is dead, long live the king"

  30. It's curable by George+Tirebuyer · · Score: 3, Funny

    I swear I caught this once and a shot of Trobicin fixed it.

  31. I suppose it's better than a womandriva by blueZ3 · · Score: 1

    But then, I could be wrong :o)

    --
    Interested in a Flash-based MAME front end? Visit mame.danzbb.com
    1. Re:I suppose it's better than a womandriva by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or Slavedriva ... I was thinking the same thing.

  32. Has anyone else noticed ... ? by Chromodromic · · Score: 5, Funny

    That if, say, you're an English speaker unfamiliar with the "i's" long "e" sound, you'll be likely to pronounce it "Man-dreyeva", which sounds like New York slang for "Mandriver", which sounds like gay porn?

    Not that there's anything wrong with that ...

    Well, actually, for a product name, yes there is. That's awful. God. A name only an engineer could love.

    --
    Chr0m0Dr0m!C
    1. Re:Has anyone else noticed ... ? by Hooded+One · · Score: 1

      Any way you pronounce it, they've pretty much chosen the gayest name possible. I believe my boyfriend would concur. ;)

    2. Re:Has anyone else noticed ... ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      cough GIMP cough

    3. Re:Has anyone else noticed ... ? by micromuncher · · Score: 1

      The name will be popular in certain circles. I don't think the crowd that promoted sanitized Christian unix (daemon removal, etc.) will like it much though.

      I can see it now, saying to my old history prof...
      "I just installed Mandriver unix on my Hard Disk!"
      "I don't think Eunichs have much to drive with Bill."

      --
      /\/\icro/\/\uncher
    4. Re:Has anyone else noticed ... ? by Some+Dumbass... · · Score: 1

      That if, say, you're an English speaker unfamiliar with the "i's" long "e" sound, you'll be likely to pronounce it "Man-dreyeva"

      Yes, now that all of the English speakers have had their chance to say that the name of a French company sounds weird to them (gee, really?) do any French speakers have something to say about this? It's not supposed to be pronounced like "monde riva" or something is it?

    5. Re:Has anyone else noticed ... ? by frisket · · Score: 1
      A name only an engineer could love.

      I doubt it. It's much more likely the invention of some lamebrain marketing droid. Or worse, the product of a "focus group" or some similarly fatuous corroborree.

      How long before it becomes conventional to add an "i" and make it Mandrivia to rhyme with Trivia?

    6. Re:Has anyone else noticed ... ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah... I'm not usually one to claim this, but first thing I thought when I read the name was "that sounds pretty gay". Not in the modern day, teenager slang sense, but literally.

      Ugh.

    7. Re:Has anyone else noticed ... ? by turpie · · Score: 1

      Maybe they should have tried their new name out on a focus group. Surely somebody would have told them how crap it is.

      Though if they did use a focus group, how bad must have the rejected names been?

  33. In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    RedHat and Astaro Security Linux have merged to become Red Ass Linux

    All welcome our Red Ass overlords!

  34. Avirdnam by Swamii · · Score: 5, Funny

    You know that when your company's sounds better pronounced backwards, you've picked a lousy name.

    --
    Tech, life, family, faith: Give me a visit
    1. Re:Avirdnam by Fr4ncis · · Score: 1

      What if your company is named LOL?

    2. Re:Avirdnam by ch-chuck · · Score: 1

      I used to use a c compiler called 'sozobon' and was amazed when someone pointed out that was 'no bozos' backwards.

      --
      try { do() || do_not(); } catch (JediException err) { yoda(err); }
    3. Re:Avirdnam by flurdy · · Score: 1

      Now that is funny.
      Maybe they argued for months,
      and then just settled on a-vird-nam as a funny joke.

      mandriva is not bad. i just loved the drake. it will take time to get used to man-drivel.

      Maybe it sounds better in french and portuguese.

      --
      My other Sig is very funny.
    4. Re:Avirdnam by sharkey · · Score: 1

      Hey, it worked for "Natures".

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
    5. Re:Avirdnam by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 1

      My brother, he fought long and hard over in Avirdnam. Darn 'virds shot his kneecaps off, they did. Wasn't the same when he came back.

      --
      Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
    6. Re:Avirdnam by Swamii · · Score: 1

      Haha I can see my grandpa saying that. Thanks, that just made my day. :-)

      --
      Tech, life, family, faith: Give me a visit
  35. Well At Least by Greyfox · · Score: 1

    It wasn't Mangina. Though that's always an option if they hit the skids and are really hard up for a bit'o cash...

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

    1. Re:Well At Least by AceCaseOR · · Score: 1

      The only problem with that though, is that it becomes vaguely obsene if you add a letter, sort of like "Puck-Man" (though that was a matter of changing a letter).

      --
      Zagreus sits inside your head, Zagreus lives among the dead, Zagreus sees you in your bed and eats you in your sleep.
  36. Mandriva or Ladydriva? by ettlz · · Score: 1

    That's what the person who answered the phone at the car insurance company asked. I told them to mind their own business, and that this wasn't that kind of phone call.

  37. interesting -- deb/rpm based by dalutong · · Score: 1

    Mandriva is now merged with conectiva, which funds ubuntu. is this a novell novell/suse/ximian thing?

    is the difference in supporting distros with different packaging systems really that minimal?

    --

    What comes first, finding a teacher or becoming a student?
    1. Re:interesting -- deb/rpm based by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Ubuntu is funded by Canonical. You seem to ahve the names mixed up. Before the merger, Conectiva was a prominent South American Linux vendor which came up with Apt for RPM. Mandrake merged with Conectiva to form Mandriva. Novell, SuSE, and Ximian are not involved, although their Voltron-esque merger into a mighty Linux vendor may have prompted this. Red Hat, SuSE, and Mandrake are the three largest commercial Linux vendors. Since Red Hat started it's super duper enterprise offerings and Novell tookover SuSE, Mandrake probably thought consolidating with some of the lesser Linux vendors was the only way for them to remain competitive. I just wish they'd let Turbo Linux in on the fun. To my knowledge, Turbo is the only Linux vendor with a completely legal DVD playback program, provided by Cyberlink.

      It occured to me that I probably drifted off topic, but this distro will continue to be rpm based, since both original distributions are rpm based.

  38. Woah by Skynet · · Score: 1

    For a second I thought it said "Mangina."

    --
    Execute? [Y/N] _
  39. Good they renamed it, but will QA follow? by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 3, Funny
    The name change was needed. Indeed, in Luxembourgish, Mandrake litterally means "my trash". And given Mandrake's low reliability the name stuck...

    Just let's hope, that with the new name, they'll also improve their QA...

    1. Re:Good they renamed it, but will QA follow? by rapidweather · · Score: 1
      Hey, I liked Mandrake. Installed Mandrake 8 lots of times, and found it to be very reliable and easy to use, especially the XF86config part. Got a kick out of going back and forth through their wizard to maximize my graphics setup. Still had to hand-edit the file to get the vertical refresh to "60" to accommodate my ADI Microscan 4V.

      Didn't like the package selection setup where Mandrake picked the packages you needed, rather than you picking them as in Redhat. Seemed to have a mind of it's own. Sorry to see the name change, however, I liked the name as it was.

    2. Re:Good they renamed it, but will QA follow? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hope for you that Luxembourg doesn't mean anything bad in some obscur language, you might have to change your country name...

    3. Re:Good they renamed it, but will QA follow? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In russian slang, Manda means vagina... Riva would be upset...

  40. They're just trying to filter out the females... by 0siris · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can imagine it now.

    Mandriva? Man driva? Woman can drive just as well as men! Sexist company, I'll not be using their distro!

  41. Changing name over and over.. by Fr4ncis · · Score: 1

    Isn't all this "easy-changing name" thing in the opensource world a bit confusing for the average user? I think it's a bad idea to change name so easily, like Mozilla did (Firebird, Firefox..)

    1. Re:Changing name over and over.. by afd8856 · · Score: 1

      Are you sure there's an average user in the open source world? From my impression, the open source / linux distribution providers are still in the "construction" phase, and they can still burn bridges in preparation for the times when their market share will not be single digits.

      And look at Firefox: only after their last name change they're begining to make a difference for the real average user. With the name change came marketing, promotion and relevance in the real world.

      --
      I'll do the stupid thing first and then you shy people follow...
    2. Re:Changing name over and over.. by Wudbaer · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Oh, that's nothing. I have a really impressing resume with work experience at four different biotech companies - just that they always were one and the same that kept changing names for some stupid reasons. So it's not just open source.

  42. I hate to say it... by RichDice · · Score: 1

    I hate to say it, but I have heard ass that sounds better than this. *sigh*

    Cheers,
    Richard

    1. Re:I hate to say it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why do you sign your post when your name is right above?

    2. Re:I hate to say it... by cbreaker · · Score: 1

      He's probably from the UK. They do things different over there.

      --
      - It's not the Macs I hate. It's Digg users. -
  43. pics of both by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  44. Damn by jb.hl.com · · Score: 1

    I was banking on Mandows.

    --
    By summer it was all gone...now shesmovedon. --
    1. Re:Damn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It has alreay been taken! Mandrake with windows art and look&feel.
      http://distrowatch.com/mandows

    2. Re:Damn by jb.hl.com · · Score: 1

      Oh my christing fuck.

      --
      By summer it was all gone...now shesmovedon. --
  45. Maybe this is a good French name. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sure, Mandriva sucks in English, maybe it sounds better in French or Portugese. Mandrake and Connectiva are not US companies, why should they care about American English?

  46. It's better than a few other alternatives, though. by jd · · Score: 4, Funny
    Here are other names they might have used...


    • ConMan (well, depending on the quality of the merge)
    • Drake Connect (useful if anyone wants to set up a Romanized dragon dating servce)
    • IvaSoft (Adult themes get searched more than anything else)
    • Floccinaucinihilipilihication would seem to be appropriate, as would Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. These would seem to be much more memorable.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  47. One thing's for sure... by calethix · · Score: 1

    I don't think they'll have any long-winding trademark lawsuits over Mandriva.

  48. What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Apparently Mandriva held a slight edge over the other option, Mangina.

    After all, a ManDriva is better than a WomanDriva.

  49. Re:Cumshot by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Mandriva? I think I fagged that bot in UT2004...

    Hehe ;-)

  50. Serious question for the uninformed... by kjkeefe · · Score: 1

    Who was Conectiva? Why did Mandrake acquire them? Thanks

    --
    1, 2, 3, 4, 5... That's the combination on my luggage!
    1. Re:Serious question for the uninformed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Conectiva is a Linux distribution produced in Brazil with some penetration in the Latin America. As far I can tell, Mandrake has plans to put a foot in Latin America, and Conectiva (the company) was a cheap acquisition.

    2. Re:Serious question for the uninformed... by QuadZero · · Score: 1

      This news story offers additional information.

      --
      Richard (aka Merwyck, aka QuaDZeRo) I blog at http://richardharlos.com
  51. Let's Dance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The missed the boat here! They should have called it:

    MANDIVA

    That would be the killer market tap. Think "Queer Eye for the Lunix Guy", or as Conan O'Brien say's admire the "man boobs" :D

  52. Re:They're just trying to filter out the females.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Woman can drive just as well as men? My mother'd laugh in your face for a comment like that...

  53. At the risk of redundancy... by CDarklock · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...what a stupid name.

    "Condrake" would have been easy to pronounce. Unfortunately, it has the word "Con" in it, which doesn't sound like a good thing to buy.

    Why didn't they use something completely new like "Foxglove"? It's herbal and has earthy, pagan overtones like Mandrake. It's also got some interesting connotations about being a comfortable covering for Firefox.

    I *like* Foxglove. Somebody should start a Foxglove Linux project. I can immediately picture the logo, the website, and a half dozen decent marketing campaigns. You could talk about it being "foxy", make a pun on the Dr. Seuss classic "Fox in Socks", make "fox guarding the henhouse" references, say it "fits like a glove", run a "Poison your PC" campaign, or (my personal favorite) call it "digital digitalis". It's a *damn* fine name for a Linux distro.

    Too bad nobody ever listens to me. ;)

    --
    Microsoft cheerleader, blue flag waving, you got a problem with that?
    1. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by Richard+Dick+Head · · Score: 1

      If you build it, they will come. Just inherit K/Ubuntu, and make a PimpZilla theme for it.

    2. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by swv3752 · · Score: 1

      Well a fox was an alternative mascot for a while for Linux but it never really caught on.

      I think that they should have played on the Dragon related name like Draconix. It combines Mandrake and Connectiva, plays on the whole Drake thing, includes *nix, and sounds good. There will of course be some RPG connotations, but surely it would be better than all the gay jokes.

      --
      Just a Tuna in the Sea of Life
    3. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by pllewis · · Score: 1
      I totally agree that the name sucks. Mostly because all of the tools are drak(somtething).

      drakconf

      drakrpm

      drakfloppy

      drakwizard

      You get the point. I would have liked to see drake somewhere in the name. Anywhere.

    4. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by meringuoid · · Score: 1
      Foxglove: great eye candy but lethally toxic.

      Sounds more like Windows XP to me.

      --
      Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
    5. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by cacepi · · Score: 1

      I *like* Foxglove. Somebody should start a Foxglove Linux project. I can immediately picture the logo, the website, and a half dozen decent marketing campaigns. You could talk about it being "foxy", make a pun on the Dr. Seuss classic "Fox in Socks", make "fox guarding the henhouse" references, say it "fits like a glove", run a "Poison your PC" campaign, or (my personal favorite) call it "digital digitalis". It's a *damn* fine name for a Linux distro.

      Better yet, put the distro in a pastel black box with none-more-black CDs, so everyone can "Smell the Glove"...

      On second thought, eww.

    6. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by Seraphim_72 · · Score: 1

      I thought the name sounded familiar - Digitalis sp. are the original source of the Digitalis line of heart meds.
      Digitalis medicines are used to improve the strength and efficiency of the heart, or to control the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat. This leads to better blood circulation and reduced swelling of hands and ankles in patients with heart problems. From the NIH
      I agree, a fine name for a linux distro. "Foxglove Linux, it's good for the heart."

      Sera

      --
      Slashdot, where armchair scientists get shouted down and armchair theologians get modded up.
    7. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by Perky_Goth · · Score: 1

      You know, they are French, so those puns wouldn't quite work the same in french...

    8. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by TrashGod · · Score: 1

      Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), in small doses, is a tonic for the heart; in large doses it's a poison.

      What about foxglove as a virutal reality peripheral device?

      No, too much lonliness and guilt already...

    9. Re:At the risk of redundancy... by slavemowgli · · Score: 1

      Y'know, that's actually a very cool name.

      --
      quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.
  54. Rappa CooCoo DJ Lofuscious Say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I usedta had a wimmin driva, but she turn out to be nottin but a dam ho! Now I gots me a Mandriva!

  55. Man-drivel? by kpharmer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just don't get this - what kind of a brainstorming session did these guys have?

    mansnivel?
    mansnot?
    manmucus?
    manbile?
    manslurry?
    mandribble?

    mandriven?
    mandriver?
    mandriveme?
    man-drivin' female?

    Just like my old scout, I'll probably just go on calling it what I've always called it- Mandingo.

    1. Re:Man-drivel? by Montag2k · · Score: 1
      From Eddie Izzard and Wikiquote:
      "His name changed from Jerry Dorsey to Englbert Humperdink! I mean, I'd just like to be in the room when they were working that one through:
      'Zinglebert Bambledack! Yingeebert Dangleban! Zanglebert Dingleback! Winglebert Humptiback! Slupbum Waller!'
      'What?'
      'Alright, Kringlebert Fishtibuns! Steveibuns Buttrentrunden...'
      'No, Jerry Dorsey! I like...'
      'No we can't... Let's see, we have Zinglebert Bambledack, Dinglebert Wangledack, Slupbum Waller, Klingibum Fistlbars, Dinglebert Zambeldack, uh... Jerry Dorsey, Englerbert Humptiback, Zinglebert Bambledack, Englebert Humperdink, Dinglebert Wingledank'
      'No, no, go back one'"
  56. How about ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If Gentoo and Fedora merged ... Fentoo or Gendora.

    And if IBM and Apple merged, maybe we could buy a computer called the iMple, or how about the iMac! ... wait ...

  57. How do you pronounce it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To rhyme with:

    1) griever
    2) driver
    3) river
    or
    4) Prince?

  58. WTF?? by IdJit · · Score: 1

    Sounds like some tired old drag queen.

  59. Better yet... by harris+s+newman · · Score: 0

    Mandrix

  60. Hearst lawsuit by bcrowell · · Score: 2, Funny
    More info about the Hearst lawsuit here. Wow, looks to me like a pretty clear case where a big, powerful corporation is using a lawsuit that's utterly without merit in order to screw a small, weak corporation.

    BTW, mandrake is also a natural laxative.

    1. Re:Hearst lawsuit by schon · · Score: 5, Funny

      mandrake is also a natural laxative.

      Maybe, but it's a bitch swallowing all eight CDs.

    2. Re:Hearst lawsuit by rifftide · · Score: 1

      They could change their name to MANARCH... as in MAnarch's Not Affiliated with that Radical Chick

    3. Re:Hearst lawsuit by Lovesquid · · Score: 1

      You bought the suppository version, you knob.

    4. Re:Hearst lawsuit by fLameDogg · · Score: 0

      I've had good results with the Download Edition.

      --
      fD
  61. It has to be Novelsusimian. by melted · · Score: 1

    They've bought Susimian after all.

    1. Re:It has to be Novelsusimian. by Feztaa · · Score: 1

      You need to have the "X" in there to keep it hip and 'gen-x'-ey.

      My vote is for Ximusovel.

  62. It's April 7th by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Enough with the April Fools jokes already...

  63. This has got to be a joke... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I mean, come on, Mangina would be a much better name for this.

  64. Learn how to pronounce it first... by JamesP · · Score: 0

    It's Mandreeva, not Mandrayva....

    Really, i thought Mandraktiva would be better sounding...

    --
    how long until /. fixes commenting on Chrome?
  65. welp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's probably the stupidest name I've ever heard. They would have probably been best to absorb mandrake into connectiva and be done with it. Quite frankly, I don't even like SAYING the name. It sounds so rediculous. I suppose it's time for me to stop recommending it to beginning linux users now. Not only because I can't say that name without laughing, but because I never really like connectiva anyway and since this merger will most definitely bring their "style" to this distro, I don't feel I can stand behind it any longer.

    Suse will be getting a call from me as soon as I complete typing this up. It's just too bad their desktop version is so expensive.

  66. That would imply they... by spidereyes · · Score: 1
    The long-winding trademark lawsuit with Hearst Corporation has reached a point where we decided it is more reasonable for us to move forward.
    know what direction they're going in right now.
    --

    I say we just grow up, be adults and die.
  67. A Weird Name (was Re:Avirdnam) by manastungare · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now, ain't that "a weird name" really ...

    1. Re:A Weird Name (was Re:Avirdnam) by Kalgash · · Score: 1

      He must love gold.

    2. Re:A Weird Name (was Re:Avirdnam) by mattwarden · · Score: 1

      (Score:4, Interesting)

      Apparently the moderators didn't get it. You might want to explain.

  68. Let me be the first to say it... by brainnolo · · Score: 1

    ...this is a wonderful name!

    No wait, i was kidding. This sucks.

  69. It's not April 1st, I know by gsasha · · Score: 1

    But none of the jokes back then was nearly as funny as this one ;)

  70. Organization of the papal conclave by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    From CNN:

    Excommunication is one option, particularly for the handful of people who aren't cardinals who will have access to the red-hatted "princes of the church." They include regular priests who hear confessions, two medical doctors on call in case of emergency and staff who will serve meals and clean up after the cardinals.
    Wouldn't it make more sense to provide toilets instead? We live in the 21st century for chrissakes!
    1. Re:Organization of the papal conclave by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 2, Insightful
      And another gem, from further down in the same article:

      The reasons for the change are practical: There was no running water in the makeshift rooms the cardinals used in the Apostolic Palace, and there was only one bathroom for every five or six electors, he said.
      ... but there were plenty of servants with brooms and shovels!
  71. Re:In other news... by Yankel · · Score: 5, Funny
    RedHat and Astaro Security Linux have merged to become Red Ass Linux

    I thought they were going with AssHat Linux.
    --
    --- Dan
  72. Mandriva by PeDRoRist · · Score: 4, Funny

    Womanshouta

    --

    Anything you do can get you slashdotted, including nothing.
  73. Condrake would've been better by I_Human · · Score: 2, Interesting

    or Drakecon, or something - Mandriva sounds like a cartoon witch harassing Bugs Bunny.

    --
    -JP
    1. Re:Condrake would've been better by boybaha · · Score: 1

      I think Cake would be the most logical combination of their names. Cake.

    2. Re:Condrake would've been better by I_Human · · Score: 1

      Cake is pretty slick. Good call ;)

      --
      -JP
    3. Re:Condrake would've been better by PeDRoRist · · Score: 1

      Trouble is, Mandrakesoft is (was) a french company, and in french, "con" is an insult. It's slang for "female genitalia" (like c*nt in english) but it's more widely used to designate a very dumb person. Or an asshole.

      Anyway it's quite bad for business.

      --

      Anything you do can get you slashdotted, including nothing.
  74. Seriously, by hartba · · Score: 0

    I for one welcome our new Mandriva overlords.

    --
    60 percent of the time, my comments are right everytime.
  75. Really? by hey! · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I always thought it was a crappy pun on John Donne:


    Go and catch a falling star,
    Get with child a mandrake root,
    Tell me where all past years are,
    Or who cleft the devil's foot,
    Teach me to hear mermaids singing,
    Or to keep off envy's stinging,
    And find
    What wind
    Serves to advance an honest mind.


    Mandrake - root -- unix? Get it? Blech.
    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    1. Re:Really? by h4rm0ny · · Score: 4, Funny


      MOD PARENT: +5 Metaphysical.

      --

      Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.
    2. Re:Really? by stor · · Score: 1

      Funnily enough whenever I think of Mandrake I'm reminded of John Donne because of that poem. Actually, it's a silly little song iirc, called "Song" :)

      To anyone who doesn't know, it's a song about the fundamental unfaithful nature of pretty women.

      "Get with child a mandrake root": The mandrake root has often been used in poetry (esp. 16th century) as a symbol of a vagina and two legs. Donne here is simply describing something that's impossible: getting the Mandrake root pregnant.

      I could go on but you're probably getting bored already, apart from the potential tenuous connection you can now make between vaginas and a Linux distribution.

      Cheers
      Stor

      --
      "Yeah well there's a lot of stuff that should be, but isn't"
  76. This name is terrible. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This name is terrible.

  77. Soft Drugs More Like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hmm, mandrake root: the root of the mandrake plant; used medicinally or as a narcotic

    Therefore, I suggest a better name would be:

    Narcotix

    Motto: Get Mellow with Narcotix

  78. what a lousy name by felipe.ledesma · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is the bad thing about inventing company names when you are drunk. I bet they were celebrating the merger, they all got drunk and then "mindstormed" this jewel.

  79. MOD THE PARENT INSIGHTFUL! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This guy's hit the nail on the head! At first I couldn't figure out why the name DOES sound queerish (looking at all the posts, almost everyone seems to agree on this point), but after reading this post, I knew. It *really does* seem to imply the words "man" and "diva". I think they are really going to have to search for a better name.

  80. No no no! by erroneus · · Score: 3, Funny

    That doesn't roll off the tongue.

    MANDIVA! Now that's a better name... or is it?

    1. Re:No no no! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It may not roll off the tongue, but, on a cold day, it sometimes comes out the nose.

  81. whats next? by Ritalin16 · · Score: 1

    SlackBSD? SuDora? Turbian? What about ManslacknovelldebianHat-BSD?

    --
    In soviet Russia, Linux compiles YOU!
  82. And furthermore... by PCM2 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ol' Man-driva
    Dat Ol' Man-driva
    He mus' know sumpin'
    But don' say nuthin'
    He jes' keeps rollin'
    He keeps on rollin' along

    --
    Breakfast served all day!
  83. Re:They're just trying to filter out the females.. by wereHamster · · Score: 1

    the whole world say 'amen' in the church and not 'alady'... but yet we don't say that the catholic church is sexist...

  84. And I was hoping for a name change by syntap · · Score: 1

    to Firebird. Oh well...

  85. MoFo? by tepples · · Score: 1

    Snap G! I gots my Soundriva up n running in dis mofo.

    What do sound drivers or sound configuration tools have to do with the Mozilla Foundation?

  86. In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Apple and Micosoft have merged, and to better represent both companies, they are now called
    ApplePileOfShit

  87. Connectiva, Mandrake by wowbagger · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Connectiva and Mandrake merge.

    How about Con-Man?

    No, wait, crap. There's already a Con-Man Linux distro.

  88. Sounds like drivel to me by mamladm · · Score: 1

    Well, they may be forgiven for wanting to create a name out of Mandrake and Conectiva, but why they went about this so badly is beyond me.

    Couldn't they have just split Man/drake and Conec/tiva to yield Mantiva instead?

    At least that doesn't seem to bring all kinds of words with negative connotations to mind.

    Wonder how long that name will last.

    --
    the macintosh asterisk mailing list http://www.astm
  89. Me(m)p(h)is by tepples · · Score: 1

    Mepis, Me piss?

    Just pronounce it like Memphis, given that Memphis, Tennessee, is named after Mepis, Egypt.

    1. Re:Me(m)p(h)is by rilian4 · · Score: 1

      Slight correction. The ancient Egyptian city was also spelled 'Memphis'. some references to back this up:

      http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/h utchinson/m0002259.html
      http://www.memphis.edu/egypt/main.html>

      --

      ...quicker, easier, more seductive the darkside is...but more powerful, it is not.
  90. Should have chosen AndSoft by HalliS · · Score: 2, Interesting

    2 years ago, two telecommunication companies merged here in Iceland.
    The people that were to come up with a new name, wrote the two names up on a blackboard,

    Íslandssími
    og
    Tal
    (which means Íslandssími and Tal )

    ... knowing that they could use neither one as a name for the new company, and that that they had just partnered up with Vodafone.

    So what did they do? They erased the names and were left with og (which means and).
    The new company: Og Vodafone, which basically means And Vodafone



    So let's take Mandrake and Connectiva, take out the two names and let the new company be called: AndSoft!


    --


    My other UID is 1337
  91. or AsHat maybe? by holy_smoke · · Score: 1

    nahh...

    --
    Is the juice worth the sqeeze?
  92. Good thing they didn't merge with Ingo Molnar... by Ann+Elk · · Score: 1

    They'd have to call the new company Mandingo...

  93. it's an acronym by rifftide · · Score: 1

    Distro Renamed to Irritate Various Americans

  94. Quickly browsing the dictionary... by emil · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A little too close for comfort.

    drivel - To slobber; drool. To flow like spittle or saliva. To talk stupidly or childishly.

    trivia - Something of small importance.

    1. Re:Quickly browsing the dictionary... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmm, the definition of drivel you've presented matches my definition of 'Shiavo'. As in, that weed was so awesome, after two hits you'd be Shiavo'ed. Alternately, I was so drunk that night I was full on Shiavo.

    2. Re:Quickly browsing the dictionary... by zapadoo · · Score: 1

      Before reading your post the very first thing that popped into my mind was... Mandrivel .

      Poor choice of names imo.

  95. Call it....... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Conman? :-)

  96. Re:In other news... by kv9 · · Score: 1

    or Baboonix. bit of subtlety never hurt.

  97. I don't like it.... by Eric+Damron · · Score: 1

    driva is too close to drivel....

    --
    The race isn't always to the swift... but that's the way to bet!
  98. Awful by MicroBerto · · Score: 1
    These guys really need to go get a marketing book out on BRANDING.

    This name just gives more ambiguity to something already ambiguous (Linux)... how the hell do you even pronounce it?! Is this the best they could do?

    --
    Berto
  99. What's today's date again? by nicarley · · Score: 1

    Here I was dismissing this off as another April fool's joke, then I remembered that was days ago. Ugh.....

    --
    Nic Farley
  100. mandonna? by CockblockTheVote · · Score: 1

    What about Mandona? http://www.mandonna.com/

  101. Re: Like Debian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sounds gay, plus it's just about dead.

  102. ConSoft... by skubeedooo · · Score: 1

    ...would have been better.

  103. vun-de-bah! by jeezus84 · · Score: 1

    does this name make anyone else think of those old Wonderbar commercials? VUN-DE-BAH! MAN-DRI-VAH

  104. Good Thing by fizban · · Score: 1

    (To the tune of "She Drives Me Crazy" by the Fine Young Cannibals)

    Mandriva's crazy, (ooh, ooh)
    Like no one else, (ooh, ooh)
    Mandriva's crazy,
    and they need help right now...

    aw, screw it...

    --

    +1 Insightful, -1 Troll. What can I say, I'm an Insightful Troll.

  105. Why?!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mandrivel?

  106. How's it spoken (probably) by springMute · · Score: 2, Informative

    "Conectiva" was spoken in portuguese as in "conecteevah" so I think it's probably spoken as "Man-dreevah".

    1. Re:How's it spoken (probably) by Yaotzin · · Score: 1

      I fail to see any other way to pronounce it, but then again, English is not my main language.

      --
      Error: No error occurred
    2. Re:How's it spoken (probably) by ourcraft · · Score: 1

      here's how its pronounced.

      man DREE va

      emphasis on the DREE

      think arriba (it's here) you all had tv cartoon character(s) shouting aahhreeeba!

      So it's Arriba Mandriva!

  107. Re:In other news... by EvilAlphonso · · Score: 1

    RHAsta Linux mon!

  108. bad idea by bheading · · Score: 1

    I immediately read "Mandrivel", not a good idea to have a distro which is drivel.

  109. Comic Book Guy says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    worst... name... EVER!

  110. Re:In other news... by thepurplemonkey · · Score: 1

    I much prefer AssHat

  111. I think what we have here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think what we have here...
    is a lack of creativity.

    Mandiva wouldn't work, unless you enjoy cross-dressing...

    Mandrivel...

    Sheesh.

    Lotsa bad options to choose from, and they picked one.

  112. No, it's a recursive acronym by marciot · · Score: 4, Funny

    > Distro Renamed to Irritate Various Americans

    Good idea, but you got it slightly wrong. It's a recursive acronym:

    Driva Really Irrates Various Americans.

    -- Marcio

  113. To a new beginning! by maiku · · Score: 1

    To the Newmanium!
    To the Kramerium!

  114. Con is French slang for cunt. by crovira · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I suspect that the joke was a little more low-brow than what you thought.

    --
    MSBPodcast.com The opinions expressed here are my own. If you don't like 'em... Think up your own stuff.
    1. Re:Con is French slang for cunt. by rsidd · · Score: 1
      Con is French slang for a fool or idiot. I haven't heard of this other meaning (but I'm not French so what do I know).

      Denis MacShane, Britain's Europe minister, got into trouble for making a rude joke about "les neo-cons". Still, I don't think the joke was as rude as you suggest...

    2. Re:Con is French slang for cunt. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is that why the French don't respect the US republican party, becuase they are con-servative?

    3. Re:Con is French slang for cunt. by kaiidth · · Score: 1

      You're right that it gets used for fool and idiot, etc, but the other meaning is also correct.

      For this reason it's probably better to avoid using the meaning that you mention in a formal situation, because people will look at you as though a small elderberry bush has just grown out of the top of your head. You can get away with it in a lot of settings though, but it is one extraordinarily vulgar word.

  115. The problem with Conectiva... by twodot72 · · Score: 1

    ...was that it seems to be impossible to get people to write conectiva instead of connectiva.

  116. Now we know why Mandrake has seemed so lost... by adrenaline_junky · · Score: 4, Funny

    like any Mandriva, they won't stop to ask for directions.

    (sorry)

  117. Re:In other news... by Sexual+Ass+Gerbil · · Score: 1

    Did you hear that Astaro is looking for a mascot? I would suggest combining Astaro with Hamtaro to get Asstaro the Linux-savvy hamster, but maybe that's just me.

    What does this have to do with the new name for Mandrake Linux? I have no idea. Back to your regular slightly on-topic madness that is Slashdot.

  118. Crack Smoking Party by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They must have had a Crack Smoking Party to come up with this name

  119. Sounds like a monkey with an attitude.... by otis+wildflower · · Score: 1

    .. Like the distro. The name? Not so much.

    Then again, I like Gentoo, but at least that name isn't made up.

  120. 'Mandreeva' is the pronunciation by ourcraft · · Score: 1

    Think arriba! (uuuhh . . . pronounced ahrreeeba!)
    it's arrived!

  121. Mangina? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeah, but is Mandriva the best he bitch in our man stable? ...Wait. No. Oh my god.

    I just made a Deuce Bigalo, Male Gigalo reference.

  122. +1, Funny by Laconian · · Score: 1

    I can't help but say "Bring out the GIMP" every time I click the icon.

  123. I, for one. . . by Davgeary · · Score: 1

    . . .welcome our Mandriva Overlords

    There. It's out of the way.

    --
    /* No Comment */
  124. Re:They're just trying to filter out the females.. by otis+wildflower · · Score: 1

    What females?

    This is _Linux_ we're talkin' bout here. Land of the Dead Parrot, Paranoid Android, Z'Ha'Dum, Muad'Dib and all the other stuff that are terrifying.. to Women..

  125. Worst... name.... by raytracer · · Score: 0, Redundant

    ever!

    Honestly, what the hell were they smoking?

  126. A few days late... by bad_outlook · · Score: 1

    Mandriva? Haha, good one, but April fools was a few days ago. How I pine for Linux distro names that had nothing to do with the company/group distributing it; Rock Linux is perfect if you ask me. Not to mention Dragon Fly BSD or White Box Linux.

    bo

  127. However... by waynegoode · · Score: 1
    Having made fun of the names, I must admit that the two distros I have used the most are Mandrake and Mepis. I guess I can put up with the name Mandriva and I can now correctly pronounce Mepis.

    The Mepis website says pronounce it like Memphis without the extra letters, but they didn't say which pronunciation of Memphis, the correct one, with a short e, or the one most people it the SE US use, with a short i instead of e. Since Linux users are intellectuals without equal ;), I base it on the correct pronunciation of Memphis and pronounce it with a short e.

    1. Re:However... by fLameDogg · · Score: 0
      intellectuals without equal ;)

      That's an awfully lot of syllables just to say "pedants" ;O)

      --
      fD
  128. dumbest name change ever. by Suppafly · · Score: 0, Redundant

    period.

  129. Donne? by denissmith · · Score: 1

    Yeah, but:
    Get with child a mandriva root?
    Come on, it'll never fly

    --
    I have nothing to hide. So, why are you spying on me?
  130. Cthulhu Linux by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 3, Insightful

    >Bonus would be the slogan, "Cthulhu Linux, it'll suck your face off."

    I like it. I can think of several other excellent marketing themes:
    • Cthulhu Linux - Use it or else.
    • Cthulhu Linux vs. Microsoft - Why settle for the lesser evil?
    • Cthulhu Linux - Bringing the fear of computers back into your life.
    • Cthulhu Linux - Wait 'til you experience our Blue Screen of Death.
    --
    Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
    1. Re:Cthulhu Linux by Propaghandi · · Score: 1

      Sweet-but wait until Landover Baptist gets a hold of it! (and to think they had a hissy about Mac OS X). Speaking of which, the slogan that should have been used for "Panther" "Mac OS X"-get it by any means necessary!

      --
      "Who's your Diaper Daddy?"
    2. Re:Cthulhu Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Landover Baptist are a joke site, in case you didn't know.

  131. pronunciation guide? by circusboy · · Score: 1

    would that be

    man`-drai-va
    man-drai`-va
    man-dree`-va
    man-dr ee-va`
    man-dree-vai` (long a)

    the choice could have innuendo consequences...

    --
    -- it's ridiculous how many people misspell ridiculous... (damn, damn, damn...)
    1. Re:pronunciation guide? by praxis · · Score: 1

      I was thinking: man-dri-va... all short vowels.

    2. Re:pronunciation guide? by circusboy · · Score: 1

      but where's the accent?

      --
      -- it's ridiculous how many people misspell ridiculous... (damn, damn, damn...)
    3. Re:pronunciation guide? by praxis · · Score: 1

      On the penultimate syllable.

    4. Re:pronunciation guide? by circusboy · · Score: 1

      ah, italian style!

      --
      -- it's ridiculous how many people misspell ridiculous... (damn, damn, damn...)
  132. Pronounciation by hyfe · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Sometimes, tt's fun to notice how english centric slashdot is. Given how many Europeans without english as native language there are here, it is kinda surprising at times.

    Mandriva; good pronounication in the scandivian languages, spanish, german, french and spanish.

    Mandrake; good pronounication in english. >p> Majority of posters complain about pronounication :)

    --
    "" How about taking the safety labels off everything, and let the stupidity-problem solve itself? """
    1. Re:Pronounciation by seb249 · · Score: 1

      Nah its not that its just all their draktools will now be changed to driva tools - sounds too much like Drivel to me :)

      "Yes i am about to repartition my disk with this drivel tool" just doesnt sound right

    2. Re:Pronounciation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Considering it has some of conectiva's influence in its name (or so it looks, right?), why didn't you list portuguese as well?

      It doesn't sound that weird in portuguese, imo. Not the best name I've heard, but not nearly as ugly as some of the attempts of pronunciation I've seen described here. :P

    3. Re:Pronounciation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Slashdot is a U.S. site run mostly by U.S. people for a mostly U.S. audience.

    4. Re:Pronounciation by GnarlyNome · · Score: 1

      In english it too easily becomes Man Diva
      or a male goddess
      Please change it to somthing that is not so phunny

      --
      Diplomacy is the art of saying "Nice doggie" until you can find a rock. Will Rogers
  133. More like... by Matarick · · Score: 1

    More like an a mecha from a Mazinger manga or anime. Kind of like GOOOO DIVVVVAAAAH.

    I would pay good money if they made the Mandriva distro's mascot a super penguin robot with a pointy head and sharp wings. Go Nagai would be proud.

  134. Re:Well... at least it isn't.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At least they didn't name it Mandrivel...

  135. Who were the ad-wizards who came up with that one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seriously... Mandriva? It reminds me of a clothing line or some such. I maintain that any name that one can't immediately know how to pronounce correctly doesn't help establish the company in the minds of folks. I also dislike MEPIS, Yoper, and Ubuntu as far as names go. It just sounds ridiculous.

  136. Horrible Name by ktcifone · · Score: 1

    Man-Drivel would be better

  137. Does that mean by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 1

    That the newsletter they e-mail every month becomes "ManDrivel"?

    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
    1. Re:Does that mean by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When the French say "Man-anything", I get suspicious.

  138. Foxglove Linux (tm) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You could have this character as a semi-official mascot :-)

  139. No doubt! by ImaLamer · · Score: 2, Informative

    Really!

    I would have swapped that for The Ladies Man (which wasn't the best). By far the worst is Stuart Smalley, even though I love Al Franken (remember, it's the Al Franken millenium!).

    In reality, Austin Powers is the best disguised SNL spin-off ever. All of the characters that Myers does is from SNL (or tested on SNL) and Dr. Evil is Loren Micheals.

  140. More offtopic but re: Hero's Quest... by FireAndGlass · · Score: 1

    Wasn't Hero's Quest also a board game? I remember playing that as a kid. First taste into RPG...

    1. Re:More offtopic but re: Hero's Quest... by VagaStorm · · Score: 1

      I think it was Hero Quest, but anywas... I had it.. And I painted ALL the litle figures :D

  141. Mandrix by ColaLoca · · Score: 1

    Wouldn't Mandrix have been a better (sounding) choice?

  142. Sounds like a Romainian Transvestite by spookymonster · · Score: 0, Redundant

    nt

    --
    - Despite popular opinion, I am not perfect.
  143. It's awful, but... by Flashpot · · Score: 1
    at least they didn't call it OS/2.

    Thank you. I'll be here all week. Please tip your waitrons.

    --
    That which does not kill her only prolongs my agony.
  144. Crash by Lovesquid · · Score: 1

    Mandriva is sexist. How about Womandriva?

    Nevermind ... there are already enough accidents on the roadways.

  145. Amandriewa Linux? by Paul+Crowley · · Score: 1

    Now that's a much better distro name!

  146. Visions.... by bshensky · · Score: 1

    ...of a gay taxi driver in Manhattan...

    get it? "Man driva'"

    Ugh...

    --
    Makin' money, makin' friends, makin' whoopee and wearin' Depends
    1. Re:Visions.... by Creepy+Crawler · · Score: 1

      Cause a Mandriva is better than a womandriva.

      --
  147. huh by cg0def · · Score: 1

    what s dumb name. If I were the CEO of the company I would fire the creative director on the spot.

  148. Not man-drive, man-dreeva by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Due to its French and Portuguese origins, don't pronounce "driva" as in English "drive", but "dreeva."
    I guess to would've been obvious, if you stepped outside your frontyard in these last couple of years and had at least a faint notion of Latin languages. Oh, well...

  149. Here's the complete email they sent: by ntilde_cr · · Score: 1, Informative

    Flash Newsletter: Mandrakesoft Announces Name Change!
    It's been in the air for a few weeks...
    After spending weeks balancing pros and cons, Mandrakesoft has decided to change its name!
    The name change will apply worldwide to both the company and its products. The management team sees two good reasons for this change:
    1. The recent Mandrakesoft - Conectiva merger calls for a new identity that better represents the combination of two key companies and their global presence.
    2. The long-winding trademark lawsuit with Hearst Corporation has reached a point where we decided it is more reasonable for us to move forward. By adopting a new name, we eliminate the liability attached to the Mandrakesoft name and we can focus on what is important to us: developing and delivering great technology and solutions to both our customers and our user community.
    We will endeavor to build even stronger brand recognition in our new name. So what is the new name?
    The winner is ...

    M A N D R I V A

    Why Mandriva? This new name, simple and efficient, is the synthesis of Mandrakesoft and Conectiva. This will further a smooth transition and will build on our existing brand recognition in the IT world.
    * Company & Products
    Mandriva is the new name for the company. Mandriva Linux is the new name covering products.
    Additional derivations follow directly: Mandriva Club, Mandriva Store, Mandriva Expert and so on.

    * Websites
    Our web addresses become accordingly:
    http://www.mandriva.com/ for the corporation
    http://www.mandrivalinux.com/ for the community project
    http://www.mandrivastore.com/ for the online Store
    http://www.mandrivaclub.com/ for the Club
    http://www.mandrivaexpert.com/ for the web-based support platform


    We encourage everyone - users, partners, and the media - to start using the new name as soon as possible. In particular, Mandriva users are encouraged to update their bookmarks ASAP! New Mandriva logos are now available on our website at:

    http://www.mandriva.com/company/press

    * Mandriva Club Contest!

    Help the new Mandriva name to spread everywhere and win many prizes such as a HP laptop!
    A big contest has opened on Club, learn more at: http://www.mandrakeclub.com/article.php?sid=3589

    The Mandriva Management Team

    --
    Donate to the cause HelpMeGetAMac.org
  150. MAN-DIVA by philathea80 · · Score: 1

    I like Man DIVA better!

  151. Surprisingly... by HarryZink · · Score: 1

    ...no one suggested MANDINGO!

  152. Sounds like... by rez_rat · · Score: 1

    Sounds like the world's first software company Sex Change!!

  153. Winning Name? by monkeyboy87 · · Score: 1
    If this was the winning name, I can imagine what were the losing names must have been like.

    I can smell the In Soviet Russia jokes already....

  154. Mandingo? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Worst. Name. Evah.

  155. Re:It's better than a few other alternatives, thou by serutan · · Score: 1

    You forgot Mannecdraketiva.

  156. Flightless dragon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A drake is also a 4 legged dragon with no wings - a flightless dragon.

  157. Mandriva? Sounds like a poisonous insect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The mandriva carnivoris, also known as eat-you-from-the-inside bug, well, eats you from the inside after getting into any of your body cavities.

  158. Netdrake Confirms It... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mandriva is dying.

  159. Foxglove by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The female condom.

  160. Re:In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Well, I can't wait to use it:
    <3 Linux
  161. Some names I suggested to Mandrakesoft by Anand_S · · Score: 2, Funny

    Mandrakesoft was obviously intent on combining "Mandrake" with "Connectiva" for the new name, so I came up with the following:

    1. Condrakula
    2. ConMan
    3. MaC OS 10.2

  162. Nussimian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think Nussimian would be better. To a Finnish speaker who is vaguely aware of Latin, it brings 'fucking a monkey' to mind.

    M

  163. it's pendant time~! by joe_bruin · · Score: 1

    no, 236176911b0bc7fca6bae20804ba08d9 is the md5 sum of "mandiva\n".

    what you meant to do was:

    $ echo -n mandriva | md5sum
    7bbcc6c9b6f53ac3a6029596e7e468a5

    1. Re:it's pendant time~! by ChaoticLimbs · · Score: 1

      I believe you mean that it's pedant time, not pendant time. A pendant is a necklace. The irony of your mistake astounds me.

    2. Re:it's pendant time~! by ChaoticLimbs · · Score: 1

      There are also three errors in my post, which are intentional. Let's see if the real pedants can find them. Most will find 2. A rare individual will find the third.

  164. erectile dysfunction? by sireasoning · · Score: 1

    Mandriva ... isn't that for erectile dysfunction?

    Is your man-thing a bit wee?
    Has the drivah gone dormant?

    --
    The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them. -Albert Einstein
  165. Mangina by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mangina is the first thing I thought of

  166. They should really go for Latin words by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Otherwise they are sure pick something up that is
    an indecency in some language. Mandriva is way to
    close to Russian 'manda', which is a very rude
    form of 'c**t'. Similarly how BlueWater was forced
    to rename itself because it just sounded exactly
    like 'vomit' ..

    PS. Gotta love www.manda.com though, these poor
    bustards must be seeing tons of curious web traffic :)

  167. Re:It's better than a few other alternatives, thou by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I like the shortest poem on that site:

    Fleas
    Adam,
    Had em

  168. mandriva is... by alizard · · Score: 1

    probably preferable to "Mangina" as a company name.

  169. Re:It's better than a few other alternatives, thou by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Abe: Welcome home, Son. I broke two lamps and lost all your mail... What's wrong with your wife?
    Homer: Never mind, you wouldn't understand.
    Abe: Flu?
    Homer: No.
    Abe: Protein deficiency?
    Homer: No.
    Abe: Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis?
    Homer: No.
    Abe: Unsatisfying sex life?
    Homer: N -- yes! But please, don't _you_ say that word!
    Abe: What, seeeex? What's so unappealing about hearing your elderly father talk about seeex? I had seeex.

  170. Meaning by Misagon · · Score: 1

    Although it would pronounce well in scandinavian languages, it would still sound very strange.
    Man-driva means "heap of men".

    Someone wrote before me that "mandriver" was NY slang for gay porn... Well ... ;)

    --
    "We mustn't be caught by surprise by our own advancing technology" -- Aldous Huxley
    1. Re:Meaning by hyfe · · Score: 1

      No, it doesn't? Atleast not Norwegian, Swedish, Danish ot Islandish. I'm not up to speed in Finnish though, but it's hardly a scandivian language.

      --
      "" How about taking the safety labels off everything, and let the stupidity-problem solve itself? """
  171. Worst. Name-change. Ever. by Digital+Pizza · · Score: 1

    Well, OK maybe not, but it's up there with: Dow -> Tweeter Racksaver -> Verari Lindows -> Linspire Blech!

    --
    We apologize for the inconvenience.
  172. Mandrivial! by mrmeval · · Score: 1

    Mandrivial, Mantrivial, Mansnivial, Hike!

    --
    I'd go on a Vegan diet but the delivery time from Vega is too long. --brownkitty
  173. Real Reason Hearst went after Mandrake by ctustison · · Score: 1

    Besides have a bunch of evil lawyers on retainer, the obvious reason Hearst went after Mandrakesoft was to get mandrake.com. You see, they have another lousy movie on the way out and it is a whole lot easier to promote mandrake.com then mandrakethemagician.com.

    It is easy to see what happened here. Tuxedos are associated with penguins and also magicians. This association is incidental and they should not have been fined for this.

    I say that Mandrake Soft should change their name to Symbionese Liberation Linux.

  174. Biblical origins by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Finger? Well, sorta, but in medieval times it was used as a totem because some mandrake plants look like little people (homunculi) and other look like human genitals.

    Jacob's wives Rachel and Leah got into a dispute over mandrakes that one had collected to induce fertility. (It was their superstition that the mandrake would cause them to conceive.)

  175. Re:They're just trying to filter out the females.. by 0siris · · Score: 1

    Could that be because "alady" isn't Hebrew?

  176. Mandriva sounds like a warrior name ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A new Warrior enter the scene ....

    Son of two Glorious hero of GNU/Linux ...

    He as the heritage and speak the same language ...

    Everyone on the scene already fear its name !!!

    Like the phoenix , it cannot die , and raises from is ashes ...

    true champion like MUHAMMAD ALI it too is going to be The Greatest after everyone get is new name ...

    This warrior as a good heart , you can share it with everyone close to your heart.

    This warrior is a hard worker , he can do way more then just the desktop.

    This new warrior will protect your right and liberty as did is ancestry.

    there is something GNU about this new warrior ...

    this warrior include tools to develop it and work on it ...

    this warrior is Cheaper , better , faster , better looking , secure.

    He is the greatest GNU/linux warrior the world as ever seen!

    Mandriva ! Mandriva ! Mandriva ! Mandriva ! Mandriva !

    is Name is Mandriva !

    because Linspire whas taken ;-)

  177. They're Show Boating by isdnip · · Score: 1

    Old Mandriva,
    That Old Mandriva,
    He don't say nothin', but he must know somethin'
    That old Mandriva, he just keeps rolling along....

    (Apologies to Hammerstein and Kern)

    1. Re:They're Show Boating by Baron+of+Greymatter · · Score: 1

      Elderly Mandriva,
      That Elderly Mandriva,
      He don't say anything, but he must know something
      That elderly Mandriva, he just keeps rolling along....

      (Apologies to Stan Freberg)

      --
      Microsoft's VP of Customer Service is Helen Waite. If you are having problems with their products go to Helen Waite.
  178. how about mangina by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    sorry, i had to say it

  179. HahahHA ahahahaa by ThoreauHD · · Score: 1

    HAhahaAhah

    Ohhh.. Ohh.. that' hurts...

    Mandrival .. ohh.. Oh crap. HAhahahhhhhhahhahaa

  180. april fools... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This would have made a great post on April Fools Day.. Mandriva lol.

  181. Not a flame or a troll. by rice_burners_suck · · Score: 1
    Mandriva? This name doesn't really strike a chord. Couldn't they come up with something a bit more... innovative?

    At least make it sound high-tech, easy to use, shiny... What the heck is this Mandriva? Man? Drive? What is this, a German car company? This is not a flame, flamebait, troll, or other crap. I really think this name sounds dumb.

  182. Mnnnnn... by Starraisin1 · · Score: 1

    Mandrake hard? No, they are soft. That's they are Mandiva!

  183. All I can say is... by vile7707 · · Score: 1

    Take me, Mandriva!

  184. guess which ones.. by sl4shd0rk · · Score: 1

    1) Manware | Manslack
    2) Manhat | Manrhat
    3) Mandows | Mandlin
    4) Manuse
    5) Manpede
    6) Manebian
    7) Mandoo
    8) Mandora
    9) Mandog

    So you see.. linux distros should not interbreed..

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  185. How much work would it be to recompile Mandriva... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...from the ground on up, so as to eliminate any reference to the truly horrid name "Mandriva"?

    Oh wait, that would be Mangentoo...

  186. How about "Manssiere" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Should they change their name to "The Bro", or "Manssiere"?

  187. Mandrivians by ylikone · · Score: 1
    Can Mandriva users now be called Mandrivians? Is there a list of names for users of distros out there?

    Slackware - Slackers
    Fedora - Feds?
    Debian - Debianites?
    Ubuntu - Ubunites?
    SuSE - Suxes?

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    Meh.
    1. Re:Mandrivians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mandrake - Mandroids, of course!

  188. April Fool six days late? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or, rather, maybe the PR firm gave this name April 1st as a joke and they accidentally went with it? I dunno, just trying to explain this awful choice...

  189. Darn by joebutton · · Score: 1

    I was going to suggest a "muffdiva" product, but it seems that niche has already been filled