From: Peter Dimov [mailto:pdimov@mmltd.net]

...

You can always shorten it in your code with an alias.

This is precisely what makes it dangerous. Design mistakes that have a trivial workaround are the worst, because you will never get the feedback that will set you on the right path. Everyone just patches around it locally.

I agree. If a name "works", programmers will use it. If it's too long, it'll be aliased or removed with using declarations/directives. If it's too cryptic, it'll be aliased or removed with using declarations/directives. I think that two equally valid points have been made in this thread: 0) If the name is too long, people won't use it as-is. This diminishes the information that the name carries. 1) If the name is too short/cryptic, people won't even know what it's supposed to mean. If one agrees to the above, it seems reasonable to search for a short name with lots of expressive power (oh yeah, why didn't I think of _that_...). I'd say that for boost::filesystem, Dave's suggestion "files" would be a great compromise. I'd say that for algorithms, a special name isn't actually needed; it doesn't add any information, because anyone who calls sort, trim, hash, or whatever, understands that somewhere an algorithm is involved. boost::, std::, you_name_it::, will get the job done. [Note: Some libraries (Spirit and MPL come to mind) are sexy enough to handle a non-related word/acronym as their name, without sacrificing informational value. Now that's good branding!]

No we do not. The abbrv anlgy is flwd. It's more like English::this English::kind English::of English::writing versus en::this en::alternative en::style.

What's "en"? ;-)

...

Also a global search is easier if the letters to be searched for are more or less a unique set.

Of course it isn't. Your global search for 'filesystem' will only find using directives and namespace alias directives. A global search for 'fs' will stand a better chance to point you to the lines that actually use something from 'fs'.

Good point. Bjorn "Put the bicycle shed next to my office" Karlsson