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GIMP 3.0 Enters String Freeze, Inching Closer To Release (www.phoronix.com)

submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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GIMP 3.0 has been more than one decade in the making as the port from GTK2 to GTK3, also transitioning away from Python 2 to Python 3 support, and a wealth of other improvements from the UI to lower down into enhancing this open-source Photoshop alternative.

The GIMP project announced on X/Twitter today that they have entered the string freeze for this much anticipated release.

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[–] [email protected] 68 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Do you have evidence of that? That's not what I saw: https://www.gimp.org/docs/userfaq.html#i-dont-like-the-name-gimp-will-you-change-it

I don’t like the name GIMP. Will you change it?

With all due respect, no. We’ve been using the name GIMP for more than 20 years and it’s widely known. The name was originally (and remains) an acronym; although the word “gimp” can be used offensively in some cultures, that is not our intent. On top of that, we feel that in the long run, sterilization of language will do more harm than good. GIMP has been quite popular for a long time in search engine results compared to the use of the word “gimp”. So we think we are on the right track to make a positive change and make “gimp” something people actually feel good about. Especially if we add all the features we’ve been meaning to implement and fix the user interface. Finally, if you still have strong feelings about the name “GIMP”, you should feel free to promote the use of the long form GNU Image Manipulation Program or exercise your software freedom to fork and rebrand GIMP.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 3 months ago (3 children)

This seems like a good official message to have, and personally I think they are making the right call. As someone in my early 20s, I can say that at least in the area I grew up (pacific north west of USA) “gimp” as a derogatory term is not widely used or known among my peers. In fact it didn’t even occur to me that I knew a second usage for the word until I read a comment on reddit a few years ago. My response then was “Oh yeah I guess I’ve heard that word used in that way before, maybe in a movie?”, and to be honest I feel the same way now. I believe “gimp is on its way out as a term to put down others, and I’m much more familiar with the term GIMP in reference to the useful program that this post is about.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago

100%

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago

Most people here (who didn't grow up in the US 50+ years ago) wouldn't give negative connotations to the software's name. I'm on the side that it is well divorced of an ableist meaning but that's where the disagreement lies and some people are making a big fuss over.

Should we stop using words like taser and amok as well for having historically racist associations despite being divorces of those meaning? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Swift_and_His_Electric_Rifle

Our language is littered with more "land mines" that we realize if we want to make land mines out of them.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I think they are leaving out the part where they called it "The GIMP" in the 90s. They clearly chose the name to be edgy, and they are now trying to justify it after the fact. Complaining about the "sterilization" of language is just out of touch and leaves out the fact that if they stopped using the word, it might just completely fall out of use.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The first public version of "The GIMP" was released in 1995.
Pulp fiction, with a character called "The Gimp" was released in 1994.
I'm pretty sure it's not ableist, just a movie reference.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago

That is probably where they got it, but the word definitely had multiple uses at the time. It may not have been explicitly ableist, but it is and was an ableist word. It also invalidates their claim that they are trying to reclaim usage. Again, they named it that because they thought it was funny, not some grand scheme.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

This is just post-hoc justification, coupled with "PC culture is censorship" type of bullshit.

although the word “gimp” can be used offensively in some cultures, that is not our intent

Intent is irrelevant. In this case, if you didn't mean to offend, then you apologize and then change the fucking name. You don't get to say "sorry you were offended, but I don't care" and still expect people to take you seriously. Change "gimp" in that sentence to any other slur and try to make that same kind of justification.

I does not matter if the name was

based on a Pulp Fiction character because the devs thought it was funny
was a genuine reference to kink culture
an abelist slur

Who tf thinks a piece of software should be named after any of that? It's 1) offensive 2) wildly unprofessional and 3) a massive barrier to adoption.

The devs have the mentality of "edgy" 14 yo teen boys, have refused to ever grow the fuck up, and just throw tantrums whenever anyone tries to have a rational conversation with them about it