Honest to gods, this conversation happened today, and it may have cost me a job opportunity. The customer was super impressed with my menu design and animation, and wanted to know who we got it from. When I said I did it, their face lit up! Too bad as soon as i said GIMP, they weren’t interested anymore. Has anyone else experienced this? What do you say in similar situations?

  • ssfckdt@lemmy.blahaj.zone
    171·
    2 days ago

    Somebody had a cosmetic fork at one point called Glimpse.

    The GIMP devs are downright fucking fascistic about never ever changing the name. Just suggesting it will get you unholy hellflame.

  • m4xie@lemmy.ca
    7·
    2 days ago

    “like the suit?”

    “I wouldn’t know, I’m not into men’s formal wear.”

  • abigscaryhobo@lemmy.world
    10·
    2 days ago

    I’d just follow up in the same sentence with “it’s an Adobe alternative”. People tend to fix on the last thing in a sentence so they’ll just ask why you don’t use that instead.

  • mvirts@lemmy.world
    6·
    2 days ago

    Gotta whip out “The GNU Image Manipulation Program” or just say “an open source image editor like Photoshop” or just say Photoshop of you are speaking to the wrong audience.

  • Zacryon@feddit.org
    13·
    2 days ago

    I once searched for “gimp mask”, as I wanted to learn something about the masking features in the software. Well, as a non-native english speaker, I was quite amused about the results.

  • onnekas@sopuli.xyz
    11·
    2 days ago

    I know it’s not easy for everyone but I think if one would say “GIMP!” with bit more confidence it would already help a lot.

    Instead of doing the awkward:
    “I-I use G-Gim…” sweats nervously “uummm Gimp… It stands for GNU Image…” ÜwÜ

    Alternatively just say “I edit/create the images myself and use Canva to animate it”

  • Hanrahan@slrpnk.netEnglish
    171·
    3 days ago

    I pronounce it Jimp… for this reason …and there’s precedent with Gif.

    “Creatives Opensource Creat Kit” would be better

  • VitoRobles@lemmy.todayEnglish
    503·
    3 days ago

    Anyone who tried to bring GIMP into nonprofits and schools dealt with this problem. I cannot explain how many uncomfortable conversations I had with non-technical people.

    And the defenders will continue to say GIMP’s name is fine and still be shocked of the low adoption rate.

    • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
      6·
      2 days ago

      That has to be a US thing there’s no way anyone else is like that.

      I work for a pretty button-down organisation and frankly they’re ridiculously obsessive about corporate stuff but even they wouldn’t blink at Gimp.

    • p0358@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      255·
      3 days ago

      Maybe in America? I can tell you in most of the world, nobody would even think to give a fuck about the name, it doesn’t mean anything. The word “gimp” isn’t even popular enough.

      This sounds like some weird copium: surely the app would take off and replace Photoshop long ago, if they just changed that damn name! There was one fork that thought that, with a different name, died shortly after creation. Because in reality nobody cares about the name.

      • VitoRobles@lemmy.todayEnglish
        117·
        3 days ago

        I’m literally explaining to you the challenges I’ve had.

        In many schools, I brought libre office and ubuntu into the classroom. I taught a whole generation of kids about open source.

        Rather than recognizing that maybe there’s something off here, you shrug and say nobody really cares.

        You’re part of the problem.

    • ptu@sopuli.xyz
      41·
      2 days ago

      I’m reading the comments here and still have no clue what’s offensive about the word

      Edit. Why don’t you just come back with ”what suit?”

    • A_norny_mousse@piefed.zipEnglish
      91·
      3 days ago

      …in English-speaking countries.

      I experienced no such problems recommending GIMP to people/organisations.

    • ITGuyLevi@programming.dev
      92·
      3 days ago

      I’d say it says more about the listener in that situation. GIMP is a great name for a GNU Image Manipulation Program, just like Fanny Pack perfectly describes a bag worn around the waist but you’d be surprised the looks you get in the UK for not calling it a “Bum Bag” instead.

      The people the immediately assume it must have to do with sexual fetishes (or make that connection) just aren’t as familiar with what the rest of the world has been up to.

    • plyth@feddit.orgEnglish
      41·
      3 days ago

      It’s GNU software. Fork it and name it however you want. That’s the freedom that the G in GIMP offers.

      • thesmokingman@programming.dev
        10·
        3 days ago

        Yes. That is a freedom.

        It’s also a big reason why it’s not taken seriously. If you want to get into the orgs comment OP mentioned, your deployment solution can’t be “vendor this forever by creating a downstream build pipeline that only changes the name.” All of the documentation and internet coverage is also going to be using the wrong anyway. Comment OP is talking about adoption, not software freedom.

    • dustyData@lemmy.worldEnglish
      74·
      3 days ago

      Honestly, how do they know the negative connotation of the word gimp?

      Because if you go to the dictionary definition it is the most inoffensive word. At its worst it means weak, an insult barely worse than dweeb and dork. It’s synonym with gumption, it comes from references to fabric, FFS. If you know what a gimpsuit is, or know gimp only as slang or an insult that’s on you and your ignorant perversions.