Brand Name Selection

[waynebeaton]

We need a new brand name for the set of specifications that will be created by the new community process. This brand name will also become a certification mark in the industry for compatible, independent implementations. The open source projects that fall under the Eclipse EE4J top level project will be one such implementation. In short, we need a new name to replace “Java EE”. Much like the OpenJDK project implements the Java SE Platform specification, the EE4J projects will provide implementations of a set of specifications that we today call Java EE: we need a brand name for this set of specifications.

With this in mind, we are initiating a community process to select the brand name. This process will be managed by the EE4J Project Management Committee (“PMC”) with assistance from the Eclipse Management Organization (“EMO”). The name that is selected by this process must pass legal and other trademark searches to ensure that the names are available for use. As a result, it is possible that the favoured selection will not be the ultimate choice. The final decision will be made by the EMO Executive Director (“EMO(ED)”) in consultation with the PMC.

The process is described in greater detail below.

Nominations

Names can be nominated by anyone in the community via this GitHub Issue record.

Nominations will be open from November 15 until November 30, 2017 (UPDATED; note that the date had been incorrectly specified as November, 2018)

Naming Guidelines

All suggested names must conform to the following:

• They must conform to Oracle’s trademark usage guidelines. Amongst other things this means that the name cannot start with the word “Java”.
• They must conform to the Eclipse Foundation trademark guidelines.
• They must not be obscene, sexist, racist, controversial, etc., and they must not be frivolous (e.g. we’re not going to choose Boaty McBoatface or the like.)

Any suggested names which fail to meet the above criteria will be rejected.

Name Selection Process

The process will be executed as follows:

1. Members of the community will be invited to enter their nominations into the specified channel;
2. At the end of the nomination period, the names suggested by the community will be reviewed by the PMC to identify those which meet the criteria specified in the by the naming guidelines (depending on response, the PMC may decide to further reduce the list to a manageable size);
3. The PMC will then initiate a community vote using the CIVS system (which will produce an overall ranking of the choices); and
4. The results of the vote will be delivered to the EMO(ED) who will engage in the required legal and other trademark searches to ensure that the names are available for use, and consult with the PMC to make the final decision.

Since we have no idea what sort of community response to expect, it is difficult to time box anything other than the initial nomination process. But this will be an open and transparent process, and we invite the community to engage in all aspects of it. There is a great deal of legal, marketing, and community thought that goes into selecting an industry brand, so it’s important that we get this right. This may take a little time.

[smillidge]

ZEE

From Zetta raising EE to the power of 10^21 Also easy to say and keeps the EE sound either pronounced literally ZEE or "ZEE E E" or "Zed E E" if you are British. Also slightly recursive for American speakers.

[arjantijms]

@keilw

I'm afraid in a time of "serverless" anything with "Server" in its name does not work that well either

Ironically though, the "servers serving serverless" themselves have to be build with something. Just as eventually the "cloud" is not an actual cloud either where computing power just magically appears out of thin air ;)

[dinolupo]

JOSE - Java Open Standard Extensions

[michaelranaldo]

+1 for ZEE, nice potential logos

[keilw]

JOSE starts with Java again.

[keilw]

ZEE sounds even more weird than how Google got its name.

[irobins]

The brand name needs to be relatable to Java EE and trip easily off the tongue. My vote is for OpenEE. My 2nd favourite is OpenJEE but, while that looks good written down, its a tongue twister when spoken out load. Too many syllables.

[kjjaeger]

I still kinda like Jaffa Enterprise Edition.

[irobins]

While I wouldn't personally vote for JOSE, anything that starts with J is still OK so long as it is never expanded and we state it is not actually an acronym.

[YoshiEnVerde]

@smsilva

Open Enterprise Specs for Java (OpenESJ or OpenES4J)

Like in JSR-366 JavaEE 8 first page: Java™ Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) Specification, v8

I like this one. Outside of the common name we will all use on our daily lives, we need this name to reflect the product itself: The set of specifications that will govern the new Non-JavaSE Approved Java APIs.

I do agree with other commenters that we should try to drop the Enterprise label now that we can.

So, my proposal would segue from Silvio's, et al, as: Full Standard Name: Open Extensions Specification for Java Full Name with Versioning: Open Extensions Specification for Java # (where # could align with the corresponding JDK version number, or follow our own versioning) Abbreviations: OpenESJ, and OpenESJ#

I would also, however, agree that we could have (besides the more officious naming) some catchy codename to bandy around. Maybe go the way of the Eclipse IDE and Android, and follow an alphabetical naming scheme, following some coffee theme?

[kjjaeger]

We could just make J stand for Jay and use a bird for a logo.

[ccristian]

Project FenEEx or PhoenEEx (regenerates from ashes and associtated with SUN :)) (In Greek mythology, a phoenix is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or born again. Associated with the Sun, a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor)

[keilw]

"JEE" is unlikely to work either. As the phrase "Enterprise Edition" is also a no-go, "EE" likely would have to stand for "Eclipse Enterprise" after all. Although some with a strong Apache background and sympathy have problems, you already got plenty of Apache projects implementing Eclipse "standards" or let's say APIs for the sake of clarity. Geronimo Config, Tamaya and a few others (forgot the name, but either in the IoT or Big Data space based on an Eclipse project)

[smillidge]

The brand name needs to be something you can create a brand from i.e. logos, memorable etc. Otherwise go with the project name EE4J. I would suggest 1 noun or 1 noun and an adjective.

[keilw]

Why not "FenEE" or "FanEE", but of course from US to British or Australian cultures this again stands for different parts of the human body ;-)

[Persi]

SaphirEE or just Saphire, to find a more... Sellable.. Name.

[dmatej]

I am not afraid of the Enterprise word in the name. The current reality is not that enterprise = heavy and expensive (and only for big companies) as it seemed years ago, but that it is sofisticated, consistent, safe and useful for sustainable professional systems.

Java EE is now used even by small companies, ten years ago they used Tomcat or Jetty but now there is Payara, still Glassfish, WildFly, Tomcat ... and maybe soon there will be more implementations because the quality of components is better and better (sources, API, documentation, examples, usability, compatibility).

I prefer Open JEE; I think it will always be taken as the synonym for Java EE somehow ... and personnel agencies still search for J2EE developers so this would not make so much mess, we all know who are they looking for.

Btw "Jéééé" is what czech people call when they are pleasantly surprised (f.e. when you give them some nice gift) ;)

[keilw]

@smillidge Aside from the Java logo (which is protected by Oracle) or Duke (which is not protected, in fact at least JNoSQL or Yasson also use it in the context of an Eclipse projects) there have not been real logos for the Java EE standard or Spec either. Glassfish would be the RI mascot/logo while Jersey and a few other sub-projects use logos of their own.

[rmpestano]

Thinking in terms of search engine (a.k.a google) JOE is quite bad, will be hard to find a "JOE Rest example". On the other hand "Open EE" already relates the searches to Java EE.

[YoshiEnVerde]

@smillidge I truly think we could come up with branding for any conceivable name we end up with. Even if we chose a dozen random letters strung together. I'm more interested on choosing a name that will be useful for the brand, then assign it some catchy codename for any extra branding and presentation.

[keilw]

With so many other suggestions, let me throw in something I briefly used a long time ago for a few Java and EE-related frameworks like ORM before those got superseded by standards like JPA/Hibernate. OdyssEE. Given the long journey Java Enterprise has taken so far and an even longer that lies ahead with the whole transition, I would consider it an interesting option.

[dinolupo]

@keilw JOSE starts with J not with JAVA. It is not JavaOSE but it is JOSE. Is this forbidden?

[YoshiEnVerde]

@dinolupo JOSE would not be forbidden, so long as the J meant something different to "Java" in the extended name (if JOSE is an acronym), or the name was just "JOSE", without further meanings.

[dinolupo]

EJA - Extended Java Api Seja - Standard Extensions Java Api

[mmilinkov]

At least a few people have been assuming that the name will contain "Eclipse". e.g. "Eclipse OpenEE".

If the community really wanted to include Eclipse in the name, that would be fine. However, since this is actually not a project name, there is no rule that it must contain Eclipse.

HTH

[manikmagar]

@smillidge ZEE might mean the news media channel NSE:ZEEMEDIA :)

[YoshiEnVerde]

I feel like not many people are reading those required docs about trademarks that were given in the original post. Oracle won't allow us to use the word Java, unless we specify our product has no direct relation to Oracle's product. Even then, we must follow some guidelines to show the difference.

For example, with the Java trademark, we couldn't use the word Java by itself, or at the start of a product name, or even at the end. We need to specify our product (the specs) are related to Java, or for use with Java, or to add things to Java, but we cannot identify them as being part of Java.

And then, if we get permission from Oracle to use it that way, any header or logo with our product name must have the tagline (that has Java in it) in a smaller font size, different font type, and/or different colors (except red, which is a big no no).

So, if we are going to use the Java name, we are under the obligation of using some tagline, like: for Java/Oracle Java for use with Java/Oracle Java extending Java/Oracle Java etc.

[smillidge]

@ccristian I would refine that to FEENX pronounced Phoenix. Would be a good name for branding and imagery also contains the EE in there.

[fernandor777]

Open Enterprise, or LibrEE = free in Spanish

[ccristian]

Why not to have EE ? Iam still proud to have on my CV J2EE and Java EE.Thanks to this technology I fed my family for years like hundreds of tousands of others.

[zieshen]

Open Enterprise Edition - OpenEE

[smillidge]

@YoshiEnVerde you can't brand any number of random characters. It has to be pronounceable and memorable. People need to want to wear the t-shirts and get the stickers. We are discussing a brand for EE4J. We have a descriptive project name EE4J.

[Daniel-Dos]

EJA - Extended Java Api Seja - Standard Extensions Java Api

here in Brazil this name is used to: Youth and Adult Education (EJA)

[jaapcoomans]

Sunrise. I think it's a nice name, with a positive connotation. Referring to the new era Java EE is going into. Also it provides a nice little pun to Eclipse, which in the end was of course a play on Sun. Eclipse Sunrise :)

[rhuan080]

Eclipse Open Java Enterprise - Eclipse OpenJE. I think the name "edition" is unnecessary, because the name "Eclipse Open Java Enterprise" already explains your purpose.

[ccristian]

@smillidge thats a good one FEENX ! Has the meaning of the rebranding the history in it (sun reborn ..)

[DominikMohilo]

Eclipse JxEE (EJxEE) --> Eclipse because it can not start with Java --> JxEE because obvious play on J2EE

Eclipse SundaEE --> Java is one of the Sunda Islands --> Anything starting with Sun would be a fun turn of events --> Everyone loves Ice-Cream ;)

Eclipse JaxEnter ;-) --> Short for Eclipse Java x Enterprise Edition --> If I could only get my head around where I heard this word before... coughs

[YoshiEnVerde]

@smillidge

We are discussing a brand for EE4J. We have a descriptive project name EE4J.

No we are not. Please read the OP closely. We are discussing a brand for the specs. EE4J is the name of the project that will produce implementations for these specs we're branding here.

It's not the same. As stated in the OP, we're trying to find the equivalent of Java EE and Java SE, when EE4J is the equivalent of OpenJDK.

And I was pretty sure my comment on a dozen random letters was perfectly understandable as a ridiculous case. I was just illustrating that, besides the catchy brand name, we actually need a USEFUL brand name.

[kjjaeger]

So to be clear, Java cannot be used at the beginning but can be used at the middle or end of a name? Oracle's trademark rules seem a bit arbitrary on that.

[YoshiEnVerde]

@kjjaeger It's not exactly as clear cut. Oracle's trademark rules forbid Java (and any other Oracle trademark) from being used in any way that would tie the product to the trademark in a way that doesn't make it clear the product is not part of the trademark itself.

For example, you cannot use Java at the end of the name either.

[rhuan080]

Eclipse EE is a good name, because Java cannot be used, but Java EE is very popular. Then the people will link Eclipse EE with Java EE.

Other good name is Eclipse Open Enterprise Application Eclipse OpenEA or Eclipse OEA. I prefer Eclipse OpenEA.

[johnhogan]

How about eJava? The e could be for eclipse or enterprise ... or enigma for that matter. This would simple, recognizable and the meaning is understood.

[rhuan080]

Eclipse OpenEE

[kjjaeger]

Is it MicroProfile, Eclipse MicroProfile, or are those two separate things? My reading of Eclipse documents seems to indicate those are in fact distinct from each other. MicroProfile being the standard and Eclipse MicroProfile being the project and reference code. Shouldn't there be some consistency in the naming? I notice IBM, Payara and others never say Eclipse MicroProfile. They just use MicroProfile. Just an observation.

[dimovelev]

JEE which of course stands for "JEE Enterprise Edition". That is in no conflict with the previous name which was officially JavaEE. It also does not contain Java. It would make the transition smooth as many people already (wrongly) used JEE to refer to JavaEE.

[manikmagar]

@kjjaeger @Daniel-Dos AFAIK MicroProfile was launched at JavaOne 2016 by IBM and few others, and later it was moved under Eclipse and so became Eclipse MicroProfile. So now both should mean the same -https://developer.ibm.com/wasdev/blog/2016/10/26/what-is-microprofile/

[kjjaeger]

@manikmagar Perhaps they are suppose to be equivalent, but I notice a preference by many to steer clear of the Eclipse name and just use MicroProfile. Perhaps for simplicity, or perhaps because they don't feel like promoting the Eclipse Foundation in their products.

[marlonpatrick]

+1 for Open Enterprise Extensions for Java (OEEJ).

-1 for any "Eclipse" in the name. Should be a name without other brands, and Eclipse is a very knowladge brand. For me, to put "Eclipse" in the name will cause confusion.

[psgrove]

After reading all the comments here there are 2 things that I feel should not be in the name that is "Eclipse" and "Enterprise". Basically these are a bunch of API/SPI that support common use cases people have to solve when building applications, with that in mind my suggestions are;

• Open API Extensions for Java (OAEJ)
• Open API Extensions for Java Applications (OAEJA)

[ccristian]

JEESUS how many options we have :)