NewName

We need a new name

I agree with everyone who has suggested a name different from "AltSlashdot".

So far, none of the suggested alternatives seem to be popular (I considered "ForkSlashdot" and discarded it :-).

I think the best course is to get things up and running and then hold a name contest. A community effort should make this task easy.

We don't have to do this immediately. "AltSlashdot" is significantly different from "Slashdot", and we won't be poaching any of their stories or (as much as practical) style.

If things go very well, the new site might be up and running by Monday (Feb 10). Giving some time to settle in, we could have the contest in two weeks or so. If everything goes well...

Name change discussion

I propose "no beta" as a name, ensuring that this new site never forgets its roots. It's a name with an [ongoing] story behind it, has all sorts of 31337 connotations, etc etc.

-SGT CAPSLOCK

killbeta.org? diebetadie.org?

unitron

• Really, I'm sold on AltSlashdot, but I just want to make sure that there will be enough Natalie Portman.

If we turn a profit by the end of the year, I'll put a Natalie Portman link on the front page.

• Can we somehow get Cowboyneal back? Can we plan some evil way to get him fired from his current job and desperate enough to come back reestablish the Slashdot community as its tribal leader?

New Name

SlashUsr as in /usr

SlashHome as in /home

SlashVarLog as in /var/log

Name it "DotDotSlash" as in cd ../

I vote for hashbash as in #!(/bin/zsh)

On similar lines to the above, hashdot, abbreviated #.

BinBash as in /bin/bash

SlashNot? How about HashNot? As in #!. Nevermind, I saw crunchbang linux.

bangslashdot.com .net .org (!/.) Reference from /. article: Re:Boycott (Score:2) by somenickname (1270442) on Wednesday February 05, 2014 @08:47PM (#46169131) Just registered bangslashdot.com/net/org (!/.) in case Slashdot needs to be forked to a new site. Will happily sell the domain to a more capable web-type for the exact price I paid (with the stipulation that I get a low UID).

• Consider a name change. If you're serious about this, then the name "AltSlashdot" will run you into legal trouble down the road, since Slashdot/Dice/etc. will sue for Trademark infringement (and will have a solid case). Slashdot user tpaudio suggested "Plusdot". Another idea (mine) is to call it "divergence" or "divergence operator"... the logo would be the mathematical form of divergence, i.e. nabla symbol followed by a dot (which looks like an augmented "slash dot"). --Slashdot user JustinOpinion.
  • I agree with JustinOpinion, any name with "slash" or "dot" in it will put us in the crosshairs of Dice's lawyers, and we do not want that. "Divergence" is nice. --User:Sir Garlon 16:36, 2014-02-06 (EST)
  • Perhaps altslash.org? Sounds far enough from slashdot to avoid problems, but close enough to clue in any refugees. Max Hyre (talk) 08:34, 6 February 2014 (MST)
  • I'm gonna vote for divergence, I think the name along speaks to the community as to why we want something different/better than the aim of SlashFail Beta. (keick)
  • Vote for divergence also for the same reasons as mentioned above (Qwade)
  • I also vote for divergence anything that comes out of this will probably be eyed by Dice legal. (Nightbrood)

• I agree that AltSlashdot is hard to pronounce, but wasn't that the idea behind h-t-t-p-colon-slash-slash-slash-dot-dot-o-r-g (that is should be hard to pronounce)? Dotancohen (talk) 08:41, 6 February 2014 (MST)

• The name "AltSlashdot" does not "mouth" well. May I suggest "Slashfork"? --Koen (talk) 08:52, 6 February 2014 (MST)

• How about betterthanbeta.org or similar? After all, we all know what created this. Another option would be some meme-based thing, like frostyhotgrits.org. Actually, frostyhotgrits.org would be both unique, and make most Slashdotters feel right at home. Greets, Iskender (1040286) 86.50.93.164 09:39, 6 February 2014 (MST)

• backslashdot.org. Backslash. Back to basics. Back to the old school. Hell yea.
  • Alternatively - why not a more elegant backslash.org ? --kell

• can we get one of those new top-level domains, like .bank, except instead get .dot? Then name it SlashSlash.dot ;-)

• I second the person who suggested dot-dot-slash (../). Going up a directory is like going "back", which is the purpose of the new site - going back to how things used to be.
  • This does seem to be the clear winner. Though backslash.com (which appears to be a parked domain) would work well too, since it's not *immediately* obvious legally that we stole the name (back slash dot com) from slashdot. Too bad dashdot.com and slashdotdash.com are both real in-use sites. slashdotdashdot.com appears to be parked, though.
  • I second backslash.com if the domain can be obtained. ../ would be the subtler option, and I'm in favor of it.

• May I suggest HashBang (#!), I think it has a slightly better ring to it than hashbash
  • I think anything with "#!" is probably going to be too close to Crunchbang Linux. They use that exact shorthand symbol. - Cactus

• Some fantastic ideas: SlashStar (/*), SlashSlash (//), ShebangShebang (#!#!), HotGrits, SovietSlashdot, DotSlash (./), DotSlashDot (./.), GNU/Slashdot (GNU//.), GNS (GNS = "GNP's Not Slashdot", and GNP = "Grits on Natalie Portman"), CowboyNeal.net, RoblimosOrphans.org, BangBangBang (!!!), CarrotSlashSlashSlashDot (^\/\.), YoungPastyHonkies.net, NoDiceSlashdot, SlashReset (/Reset), Carrotdot (^.), SlashHash (/#), PurpleTaro, CowboyNealOption, DennisRitchieIsGod.com, Ctrl-H (^H), Ctrl-C (^C), HGNP (Hot Grits on Natalie Portman)
• *.onion

• altslashctrl -- sort of gets the point across

• nodice.org and no-dice.org are unfortunately not available. -- Stderr dk (talk) 12:00, 6 February 2014 (MST)

• dicetoss.org is available

How much would dice holdings sell the classic slashdot.org site for? They can keep SlashTV, SlashBI, etc.

• I think the name should be kept to two syllables or less. Some of my favorites: dotdot (..), notdot(!.), backslash (\). Although it may be better to define the site based on what it is (is there any vision here other than 'slashdot classic'?) rather than what it isn't (slashdot beta). If this gains traction, it will be on its own merits and not because it forked slashcode. Maybe something like hashtech (#tech)? Works for old school IRC nerds and twitter hashtags.
  • Not that I'm a particular fan of social media, but I do like #tech.
  • +1 for backslash. Sounds like backlash, refers to Slashdot, and still a keyboard character. Apparantly, the domain BACKSLASH DOT ORG is for sale: [1] (Moderator - 189749)
  • +1 for backslash here..

• How about BangDot or KillDot? It sounds similar, but it is different enough than nobody will be able to claim it leads to confusion.
• How about Tildedot? h-t-t-p-colon-slash-slash-dot-tidle-dot-dot-org? (keick)
  • Or maybe !|.org? BangPipe :) (keick)

• Can we stick these in a table please? With a column that indicates their status (taken - in use / taken - parked / available)? It also makes sense to group them into classes like: anti-dice, recognisably-similar-to-slashdot, novel. FatPhil (talk) 14:07, 6 February 2014 (MST) (FatPhil)

• I vote for hashbang.com unfortunately it seems that someone is parked on it. (Githaron)

• I think it has to be of the same spirit as slashdot. Taco wanted it to be confusing for people to type into a browser after hearing it h-t-t-p-colon-slash-slash-slash-dot-dot-org. I suggust something in that vein, tuned to the current mobile app store. I'd suggust something like the PlayAppStore. You'd sound like an idiot trying to explain it to someone else: go to playappstore

• Or we could go really go back to chips & dip, the previous name of slashdot,

it looks like the domain name has expired when i did a whois search. I liked the idea of using hashbang but like someone else pointed out it is used...

• I second both "chips and dip" and "dotdotslash" as clever alternatives. Divergence is second tier but I will also support it if no other alternatives gain traction.

• Is something like slashplusplus or something similar available? I like it because it is an increment of the past variable. Only downside is the slash in the name might not sit well with Dice legal. Trying to stay true to Taco's original naming convention is going to be difficult. (Nightbrood)

Name Options

Please add ideas to these tables. Where possible, note if the URL is available. Consider adding your username to the 'votes' column.

References to Slashdot, Beta, Dice, etc.

Name	Rendering	URL	Comments/Votes
AltSlashot	Alt/.	altslashdot.org (registered by us)	Trademark issues!
AltSlash	Alt/		Trademark issues?
AtSlash	@/		.org appears open. "I read it at atslashdotorg"
ForkSlashdot
SlashFork
SlashNot	/!
BackSlash	\		Slashdot actually has a subsection called 'backslash'.
KillDot
KillBeta
DieBetaDie
BetterThanBeta
NoDice
DiceToss
NoDiceAllowed			Domain Available
ColonSlash			Because it looks funny (suggested on reddit)
SlashDash	/-
CandyCrushSlashdotSaga
NoCountryForOldDevs

Typographic/Computer Puns

Name	Rendering	URL	Comments/Votes
DotDotSlash	../		As in "cd ../" ... also implies going back or up a level
HashBash	#!(/bin/bash)
HashBang	#!	URL taken (parked domain)	Possible confusion with Crunchbang Linux?
HashDot	#.
DotDot	..
NotDot	!.
BangDot	!.
BackDot	\.
BangSlashDot	!/.	Available to us (registered by Slashdot user somenickname (184564)).
TildeDot	~.
BangPipe
SlashStar	/*		Used in C to comment code, in recognition that the focus is on comments
SlashSlash	//
ShebangShebang	#!#!
CaretSlashSlashSlashDot	^\/\.
CaretDot	^.
SlashHash	/#
PlusDot	+.
BinBash	/bin/bash
SlashUsr	/usr
SlashHome	/home
SlashVarLog	/var/log
divergence			The name represents how we're going in a new direction. Also, the symbol could be the mathematical divergence operator: a 'nabla' followed by a dot, which looks like an 'augmented' version of a slash followed by a dot.
HashTech	#tech		Has dual IRC and hastag meanings.
AtNot	@!		Short
PlayAppStore			"Slashdot" was meant to confuse neophytes reading it aloud; the modern equivalent would be calling a site something like "PlayAppStore".

Memes

Name	Rendering	URL	Comments/Votes
CowboyNeal			Trademark issues?
Natalie Portman			Trademark issues?
HotGrits
FrostyHotGrits
Cyborg Bill			Was this the right term?