[Grok-dev] Re: My feedback on the new Grok website

[Sebastian Ware]

4 jan 2008 kl. 19.12 skrev Tres Seaver:

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> Sebastian Ware wrote:
>> 4 jan 2008 kl. 15.25 skrev Martijn Faassen:
>>
>>>> "Grok - a powerful web framework for cavemen or cavewomen"
>>> I need to ponder that. It becomes a bit less catchy. "Cavepeople"
>>> would do, but is less
>>> instantly recognizable and therefore also a bit less catchy. Here we
>>> have an almost poetic challenge. :)
>>
>> Seeing as "man" by definition means both "adult male" and "people of
>> either sex", I think it would be misguided to add "cavewomen" in the
>> name of gender equality.
>
> While historically true, that usage is *not* widely accepted,  
> precisely
> because it marginalizes those who don't fit both definitions.  As a
> group, we are hardly qualified to assess that effect (I don't know  
> of a
> single woman activily involved in developing Grok);  Kevin's feedback
> here is therfore particularly valuable, as he does here from that  
> group.
>
>
>> In Sweden this debate became rather absurd for a while, with feminist
>> extremists crying foul whenever there is a remote chance that you
>> could interpret names, titles etc. this way.
>>
>> If we really want to address the gender equality in our communication
>> I would like to ask where Grok's twin sister is hiding :)
>
> I would argue that "for cavemen" (in the plural) is actually the  
> issue:
> the framework is supposed to be easy enough that even the made-up Grok
> character can use it:  we aren't trying to make our potential users
> envision *themselves* as paleolithig, are we?  If so, "I'm agin it" (I
> despise the "Foo for Dummies" / "Bar for Idiots" meme).
>

Aren't we overanalyzing this? If one is hell bent on missunderstanding  
the catch phrase, I think one will regardless of what it is. The  
difficult part is to stand out in order to generate interest.

mvh Sebastian