Re: Welcome to SLUG mailing list

[Paul Pangaro <pan@athena.pangaro.dialnet.symbolics.com>]

    Date: 29 Sep 88 15:13:22 GMT
    From: gt-eedsp!jensen@gatech.edu (P. Allen Jensen)


    In article <591482385.0.TYSON@IU.AI.SRI.COM>, TYSON@IU.AI.SRI.COM (Mabry Tyson) writes:
    > There is also a national users group SLUG, Inc. that is loosely related to,
    > but distinct from, this mailing list.

    I thought that Sun Microsystems already had taken the name SLUG for
    their Sun Local-area User Group (SLUG).  Is there a potential problem
    here ?
    -- 
    P. Allen Jensen
    Georgia Tech, School of Electrical Engineering, Atlanta, GA  30332-0250
    USENET: ...!{allegra,hplabs,ihnp4,ulysses}!gatech!gt-eedsp!jensen
    INTERNET: jensen@gteedsp.gatech.edu

I would like to respond in a friendly way to this friendly query,
which would sound less contentious except for the use of the word
"already". As human beings we speak in absolutes, while all that
we know is limited by our own perspective.

The name SLUG was adopted by the Symbolics LISP Users' Group as
early as 1983; I first heard it then.  Those involved in its
invention for this use should respond specifically about a date on
this point to establish evidence as to whether we have prior
claim.

However, I am not aware that anyone has laid more than informal
claim to the acronym, and this simply by using it.

We (the National Board of Symbolics SLUG) have been aware of the
use of the acronym by SUN for some time, and have discussed the
issue internally. Short of suggesting combat (code-to-code battles
across ethernet? GC Jousts?) to bestow the right on one side or
the other, we have not pursued the matter. We have also tried not
to conclude this is merely another attempt to obscure better
technology with what is merely better marketing.

Best,
PANgaro