Bug#923153: openssh-server: OpenSSH is not "OpenBSD Secure Shell" /etc/init.d/ssh

[Colin Watson <cjwatson@debian.org>]

On Tue, Feb 26, 2019 at 07:37:10PM +0900, IKEDA Shigeru wrote:
> OpenSSH is not short hand or something for "OpenBSD secure shell", and
> that sentence in README file doesn't say that too.

I didn't claim that OpenSSH was a shorthand for it, merely that it was a
reasonably accurate description.

> OpenSSH is just OpenSSH.  Why can't we call it just OpenSSH?

The *name* of the project is certainly OpenSSH.

However, the text in question is a *description*.  The point of a
description is to *describe*.  Simply restating the name does nothing to
help people who don't already know what it is (I mean, sure, they could
search the web, but we often describe things locally despite that
possibility).  "Secure shell server" would be insufficient because there
are other secure shell servers in Debian.  "OpenSSH secure shell server"
would be possible, but feels ugly and redundant because the "SSH" part
of the name really does stand for "secure shell".

The current text of "OpenBSD Secure Shell server" seems like a
reasonable compromise between explanatory power and brevity to me.  It
attributes the primary developers of the code in question, avoiding
ambiguity with other implementations in the process; it briefly explains
what the service does; and it isn't repetitive.  (I don't see the point
of changing it to "OpenBSD's Secure Shell server", as suggested in your
later patch.)

I don't see the problem here at all.  What problem are you actually
trying to solve with this?  Are you an upstream developer protesting a
misnaming (in which case please identify yourself as such, since I don't
recognise you)?  Otherwise, while this isn't the most important issue in
the world to me, I don't want to make a change without understanding
what the problem is, since otherwise I don't have a good response when
somebody files a bug about whatever the text might change to.

Also, for the purposes of interacting with the Debian bug tracking
system, please pick a name to use in your From: header and stick to it.
I don't care whether it's your real name or a pseudonym, but when you
send three emails to the same bug thread using a different name for all
three, it looks as though you're intentionally trying to suggest support
from multiple people.

Thanks,

-- 
Colin Watson                                       [cjwatson@debian.org]