Changes between Version 6 and Version 7 of PidginCommunity

Timestamp:

Dec 1, 2007, 10:57:00 AM (16 years ago)

Author:

kstange

Comment:

explain our names!

PidginCommunity

@@ -71 +71 @@
 
 ''(Yes, that's a joke.)''
+
+=== What's with the name Pidgin, anyway? ===
+[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pidgin|Pidgin] is not, in fact named after so-called "rats with wings," but rather it refers to a special type of "broken" language used by speakers of different languages to communicate.  We thought this name fit well with the purpose of Pidgin.
+
+Of course, Pidgin is a [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homonym|homonym] for pigeon, so we couldn't resist taking advantage of the pun to create a cartoon mascot.
+
+Many have subsequently pointed out that the use of carrier pigeons for transmission of messages fits nicely with Pidgin's functionality as well.
+
+== What's with the name libpurple, anyway? ===
+The use of the term purple is another [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homonym|homonym] of sorts.  Long ago, we started referring to protocol plugins by an abbreviated name "PrPl" which we would pronounce in the same manner as the color.  Since libpurple provides primarily an interface for using protocol plugins to access a variety of IM networks, it seemed reasonable that we name the library after the pronounciation.
+
+=== What's with the name Finch, anyway? ===
+In keeping with bird theming for IM clients based upon libpurple, including Adium (the Duck client), and Pidgin (the Pigeon client), Finch was chosen as the name for our text-based client.