Why Are Operating System Version Names So Absurd?

jfruh writes "Apple's spent more than a decade on version 10 — or, rather, X — of its flagship operating system, with .x versions named after big cats (and many of them, it turns out, after the same big cats). Ubuntu Linux is scrambling to find ever more obscure animals to alliteratively name its versions after. And let's not even talk about Windows, whose current shipping OS is sold as Windows 7 but is really Windows NT 6.1. Why is this area of software marketing so ridiculous?"

And what's the deal with names anyway?

[Anonymous Coward]

My friend Peter is not a rock, and my friend Thomas isn't even a twin.

Or Fifa 98

[Mr. Kinky]

Can you believe that Fifa 98 [youtube.com] was really made in 1997?! WOOOHOO!

Re:Marketing

[0racle]

Not very faithful then are they.

Absurd?

[3vi1]

Absurd? I don't know what you're talking about.

[posted from Quantal Quetzal 12.10b1]

If they avoided numbers...

[msauve]

...the might end up with something like:
OS
OS:The Animated Series
OS:The Next Generation
OS: Deep Space 9
OS: Voyager
OS: Enterprise

Re:Marketing

[Dogtanian]

Probably true, but they're going downhill on the feline names already.

I hope they don't change before we get "OS X Domestic Cat".

Re:Marketing

[thePowerOfGrayskull]

Probably true, but they're going downhill on the feline names already.

I hope they don't change before we get "OS X Domestic Cat".

OS X Kitty has a better ring to it.

Re:Newsworthy?

[Nimey]

Pfft. They'd abuse it like the "story" tag that gets put onto non-stories all the time.

Re:Marketing

[Anonymous Coward]

OS X Kitty has a better ring to it.

How about OSX Dangerous Pussy?

talk about it on /.?

[udachny]

Yeah, names. Like /.

http:///..com [..com] gotcha.

Re:Marketing

[crazyjj]

Well, for some reason, they already rejected my suggestion: "OS X Pussy"

Re:Easy

[Anonymous Coward]

Which came first, Debian Potatoe or Debian Sarge?

Which came first, Debian Chicken or Debian Egg?

Re:Easy

[Anonymous Coward]

If they were really smart, the would release every six months. Like maybe in April and October. Then they could follow a year.month format for their releases. So 11.10 could be released October 2011, and 12.04 could be released April 2012, maybe a 12.10 in October 2012.

Re:And what's the deal with names anyway?

[Beardo the Bearded]

I've been shaving since 2004.

Re:Marketing

[Ralphus Maximus]

OS X Hello Kitty

Re:Easy

[RaceProUK]

We at ACME Products Ltd apologise for the fault in your Sarcasm Detector, and have shipped a replacement for immediate installation. Please dispose of the old part responsibly.

Re:Easy

[EGSonikku]

Newer iPad. Followed by Newest iPad & Shut Up And Take My Money iPad.

Re:Marketing

[PixetaledPikachu]

OS X Kitty has a better ring to it.

How about OSX Dangerous Pussy?

That would be OSXXX Dangerous Pussy

Re:Marketing

[acid_andy]

Well, for some reason, they already rejected my suggestion: "OS X Pussy"

or vagina.

Re:talk about it on /.?

[OhSoLaMeow]

A site about proctologists???

Re:Marketing

[AragornSonOfArathorn]

Mac OS X Cringer.
Then they can license "By the power of Greyskull! I have the POWER!!!!" as a marketing gimmick to promote the following release, Mac OS X Battle Cat.

Re:Marketing

[Hotawa Hawk-eye]

OS X Soft Kitty
OS X Warm Kitty
OS X Happy Kitty
OS X Sleepy Kitty

But those are bug fix releases ... for a computer program, having a bug is kind of like being sick, right?

Re:The real reason Windows has the version number.

[SteveFoerster]

To get around this issue, Windows internally names it 6.1, so the offending software thinks it's on some Vista service pack.

Correctly, many would say.