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Mandrakesoft Changes Name to Mandriva

Posted by Zonk on from the shiny-new-namespace dept.

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!"

4 of 458 comments (clear)

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

    --
    What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  3. 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.
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  4. 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 :)

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    "" How about taking the safety labels off everything, and let the stupidity-problem solve itself? """