[BFG-dev] Discussion: bfgminer name

[Nathanial Woolls]

I've thought about bringing this up several times in the past and, given some of the recent responses and comments I've received recently, figured it was finally time to mention and discuss.

What are your (Luke) and everyone's thoughts on the name bfgminer? I think there are several reasons renaming the project may be beneficial in the long run:

1. The most common acronym associated with "BFG" is a swear word. As Bitcoin and mining gain visibility, so does this choice in naming. I understand there are other things it /could/ stand for. But the overall question is, when people hear "bfgminer", does that call to mind a professional software project?

2. The association with the colored history of the project and its association with cgminer. Honestly I think distancing the project from any drama is a step in the right direction.

3. The association between bfgminer and Luke-Jr's personal statements about different crypto-currencies. As this project grows to involve more contributors, target more algorithms and technologies, I think it would be beneficial to move it away from the close association with the personal comments Luke has made in the past (and will continue to make) about alt-coins and scam-coins.

I don't want the discussion to be about alt-coins or scam-coins - everyone is obviously free to mine what they choose. But I think we have established that these personal opinions will not dictate the technologies involved in, and supported by, bfgminer.

We are already making great strides internally with new changes supporting scrypt and new contributors. This was just another thought along those lines, especially in response to some of my recent inquiries to the sgminer team.

So my proposition would be to choose a new name. In the past when I've considered this I kept gravitating back to "xgminer". I already use this term internally for basically meaning "whatever miner, bfgminer, cgminer, sgminer" when I am writing code against common miners.

But I think it would be a very good name for bfgminer moving forward. The X has lots of decent meanings - multiple platforms, multiple algorithms, eventually multiple block-chains, etc.

I already own xgminer.com and I'd be happy to give that over. And obviously any other name is up for discussion.

Or this can just be shot down for stepping on the toes of a personal project with a history ;)

Fire away!

Nate Woolls

www.nwoolls.com

address@hidden

 

Member – TeamRO & DevExpress MVP