New Names
From Linux Australia
A place to put possible new names for Linux Australia.
Linux Australia
Reasons to Keep
- Short and specific
- Sponsoring other events could be used to show how supportive Linux users are of other open technologies
- Name has been in use for 10 years and is known and recognised
- Could just strengthen byline
Reasons to Change
- LA's focus has changed beyond just Linux, and now covers many Open Source interests
- Difficult to explain the relationship between 'Linux Australia' and non-Linux conferences ("PyCon is sponsored by Linux? Does this make it a Python on Linux conference?")
- How is this different to say HP sponsoring a conference? ("HP sponsors linux.conf.au? Does this make it a Linux on HP conference?") Maybe this is more of a problem with the way the sponsorship is promoted than the name.
- Linux Australia is not a sponsoring organisation, it is the parent organisation of these conferences. See this post for a detailed explanation of this issue --Christopher Neugebauer 15:03, 24 April 2012 (EST)
- How is this different to say HP sponsoring a conference? ("HP sponsors linux.conf.au? Does this make it a Linux on HP conference?") Maybe this is more of a problem with the way the sponsorship is promoted than the name.
- Can keep "Linux Australia" as a subcommittee of the new name, which can be focused on Linux advocacy on a national basis (like the current SLUG and LOGIN subcommittees do on a local basis).
Australian Association of Free and Open Source Societies (AUS-FOSS)
- Alternatively, "Australian and New Zealand Association of Free and Open Source Societies" (ANZA-FOSS)
- Tagline: Representing Free & Open Source Software / Hardware Development and Promotional Organisations all over Australia
Pros
- Descriptive, not overly generic, but broad enough to be suitable for an umbrella organisation
- Inclusive of hardware, software and other things based on similar ideals
Cons
- ?
Liberty Technology Australia / Australasia / Oceania
Pros
Cons
Open Technology Australia
opentech Australia
Technology Liberty Australia
techlib Australia
freetech Australia
A federation of Australia's free and open technology communities.
== The Australian Federation of Free and Open Source Software and Open Hardware clubs, societies and associations. == tAFoFAOSSaOHCSaA
Open Technology Society of Australia
fanzfoss communities
Federation of Australian and New Zealand Free and Open Source Software communities
FOSS Events Australia
Software Hardware and R? E? (SHARE) Technology
sharetech
Open Source Australia (OSA)
Pros
- Encapsulates the current focus of LA as an organisation representing Open Source projects in Australia.
Cons
- Easily confused with "Open Source Industry Australia", a pre-existent body.
- Too close to OSDC
- Does not mention Free Software - risks community split
opensource.org.au
Pros
- Encapsulates the current focus of LA as an organisation representing Open Source projects in Australia.
- Open source easily expands to cover software, hardware, community stuff
- "org" and "au" cover both the "community" and "Australian" aspects
- Using a (non-dot-com) domain name hints that it's a geeky/technology group
- Using a domain name as the actual name ties in with linux.conf.au
- Using a domain name is different from OSIA, OSDC, OSI, etc
- LA already has the domain name
Cons
- Does not abbreviate easily (ooa? osoa?)
- Same as "OSA", particularly "Does not mention Free Software - risks community split"?
Free Software Australia (FSA)
Pros
- Avoids confusion with OSIA
- Encapsulates focus of LA
Cons
- Does not mention Open Source - risks community split
- Would be mistaken for free beer, not free speech by some
Open Source Communities Australia (OSCA)
Pros
- Encapsulates the current focus of LA as an organisation representing Open Source projects in Australia.
- Has a pronounceable acronym
- No known namespace clashes
- Complements the pre-existing "Open Source Industry Australia" body, representing LA's focus on user and developer communities
Cons
- Doesn't include the entire community that the new organisation aims to represent
- Potential alientation of the 'Free Software' folks
- Doesn't mention anything about hardware
Free and Open Source Communities Australia (FOSCA)
Pros
- See OSCA
- Includes Free Software too
Cons
- see OSCA
Free and Open Source Communities Australia NewZealand (FOSCAN)
(name space availability TBD)
Pros
- Encapsulates the current focus of LA as an organisation representing Open Source projects in Australia;
- Inclusive of NZ in line with longstanding activity (LCA speakers, delegates, hosting Dunedin, Wellington)
- Has a pronounceable acronym, even contains fun marketing potential (FOS CAN)
- Complements pre-existing "Open Source Industry Australia" body, representing LA's focus on user/developer communities
- Inclusive of Free (Software)
Cons
- Doesn't mention hardware and open standards specifically
- you can only fit so much in a name... technically software isn't mentioned either as it relies on the word source carrying a specific interpretation -- by Arjen Lentz 12 Jul 2012
Open Communities Australia (OCA)
Pros
- Portrays how broad LA is
Cons
- Sounds like a government housing scheme
Open Technology Australia (OTA)
Would "Open Technology Australasia" be more appropriate, given the organisation's focus on New Zealand as well as Australia? --Christopher Neugebauer 13:59, 23 April 2012 (EST) Yes
Pros
- Indicates the current focus of LA, whilst allowing for expansion beyond software; e.g. representing Hackerspaces etc
Cons
- Namespace clash with Open Technology Foundation Australia
Open Technology Association Australia & New Zealand (OTAANZ)
Pros
- Similar arguments in favour of "Open Technology Australasia"
Cons
- Long and unwieldy, not a very nice acronym imho.
Open Technologies (Australasia) Group
Pros
- Encompassing everything
- Acronym is OTAG, which is OK
Cons
- ?
Community Software Australia (CSA)
Pros
- 'Community Software' can mean both software written by and to benefit the community, two things the organisation supports
- Avoids 'open source' vs 'free software' arguments
Cons
- Focuses on software, making it harder to include open hardware
Linux and Open Source Australia (LOSA)
Pros
- covers all (except hardware!)
- keeps linux in there and could serve as a stepping stone to another name change
Cons
- Mentions Open Source and not Free Software
- Acronym will be pronounced "loser"
Free and Open Source Technologies Alliance/Australasia (FOSTA)
Pros
- Mentions both Free and Open Source
Cons
- ?
Australian Open Software And Systems (AOSS)
Pros
- ?
Cons
- Suggests the focus is on Australian-written software rather than all open source software
South Technology in the Public Interest (STPI) (as an umbrella org)
Pros
- ?
Cons
- Very broad and vague
Libre Australia
Pros
- Short (3 letters difference). Same acronym.
- Embraces free and open without being too specific
Cons
- Sounds like astrology or feminine hygiene (didn't hurt iPad)
Australian Open Association
Pros
- Indicates the current focus of LA, whilst allowing for expansion beyond software; e.g. representing Hackerspaces etc
- Focus is on Open.
- Encompassing everything
Cons
- Long
Australian Open Source Council
Pros
- Sounds like a meta body
Cons
- Sounds like a meta body
Open Source Culture APAC
Pros
- covers all (hardware and communities included)
- Mentions Open Source and not Free Software
- sounds like a meta body
- OSCA could be a mascot
Cons
- OSCA.com.au is taken by an ironing service ;-)
- Mentions Open Source and not Free Software
- sounds like a meta body
Name Suggestion Comparison Table
Joke names
(to avoid cluttering the real suggestions)
- Libre Open and Linux Conferences Across the Tasman (LOLCAT)
- Libre Open and Linux Communities Across the Tasman Sea (LOLCATS)
- The.Org.au - Pros: Inclusive, Cons: None
- Open Sauce Australasia (OSA): the perfect mix of software and hardware :)
