> The PostgreSQL project is changing the official name of
> the project from "PostgreSQL" to "Postgres". Postgres has
> been a recognized alias for many years, and is the preferred
> usage by many in the community. The use of PostgreSQL will
> still be used in many places, but over time will be replaced
> by Postgres. Again, both names are acceptable, but Postgres
> is the preferred usage.
Nice attempt at a compromise. However, it ignores several points around
a name change:
(1) JPUG, our single largest user community representing at least 25% of
PostgreSQL users worldwide, opposes a name change.
(2) "Postgres" is really not that much better of a name. WTF does it
mean? If we're renaming, how about "AdvancedDB"? "AllYouEverNeedDB"? Or
"EnterpriseDB"? Oh, wait. ;-)
(3) Our project continually suffers from insufficient volunteer effort
for marketing to do simple nuts-and-bolts things with proven ability to
improve adoption: website overhaul, case studies, howto guides, news
articles, blogs. Where are we going to get the time to do the kind of
marketing campaign a name change requires? "I have a regex" doesn't cut it.
(4) When Neil said back before 8.0 that it was our last chance to change
the name, he was right. And we determined we couldn't do it without
holding up the release. I still stand by that decision.
--Josh Berkus