Re: Why does Debian have code names for releases?
On Mon 03 Jul 2023 at 10:42:15 (+0200), Roger Price wrote:
> On Sun, 2 Jul 2023, David Wright wrote:
>
> > Perhaps more people remember the A5 is the Holyhead Road, rather than
>
> Exactly my point that inanimate objects of which there are many examples
> are best known by numbers. Numbers so well known that songs are written
> about the number: historic US 66 [1], and in France the historic N7 [2],
> a vacation highway.
You asked me to justify that names are more memorable than numbers,
(and Stefan had stated that numbers can be easier to remember than
names). So far, we've put our heads together and come up with three
possible counterexamples, so I don't see how you can say I've made
/your/ point.
As for examples, I already mentioned your login and computer names,
supplied by the OS in preference to your having to use numbers like
1000, 127.0.1.1 and so on. Are there people who don't bother to put
names of people and institutions in their mobile phones when they're
cslled?
You brought up ships; last month I would have wondered which ship was
alongside in Southampton if it had carried only its number, 9241061,
rather than its name, Queen Mary 2.
I think many Britons of my age would remember that Mallard holds the
world speed record for a steam locomotive. How many could give you its
number, 4468, or that of a previous holder, Flying Scotsman (4472)?
It's hardly surprising that railway companies gave their locomotives
memorable names for publicity purposes, rather than using their
numbers. They also named particular train services for the same
reason.
Why do Met Offices name storms, rather than using numerical
coordinates as they used to do in the past: so that the public will
recall them and take note when warnings are issued.
Why do people give nicknames to pieces of music, sometimes even
against the wishes of the composer: to make them easier to recall,
to buy them, to discuss them, to attract people to concerts, and
so on. Publishers and impresarios want to make money, and names sell.
I'll leave it there.
Cheers,
David.
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