Because GIMP has a lot of baggage: a very particular UI, a community of active users (many of whom probably like it exactly how it is thanks), and a terrible name.

So fork it. New name, new UI.

Seashore was a try at this a decade ago.

http://seashore.sourceforge.net/The_Seashore_Project/Screens...

I think the gp's point is they'd rather rewrite than fork. If you fork you lose the other devs esp as you diverge greatly. But you get all the baggage.

A lot of coders doing side projects do it for fun and to learn and that often means making their own architecture decisions (and mistakes) so they can practice that process and learn

Sure. I was responding to the suggestion that the key problems with GIMP are the UI and name. The image manipulation code is surely pretty mature by now.

The name was "terrible" right after the film "Pulp Fiction" was released. Decades later, is that still true?

That word existed well before Pulp Fiction.

From Dictionary.com:

>> Usually Disparaging and Offensive. a term used to refer to a person who limps or is lame.

>> Origin

>> An Americanism dating back to 1920-25; origin uncertain

>> Usage note

>> When describing someone who is lame, gimp is used with disparaging intent and perceived as insulting. But within the disability community, it is sometimes a term of self-reference.

Yes. "Gimp" in UK English is not a word you say in polite company, like calling your software "slut". Sure, it's fine to speak of with a close friend but difficult to even mention to people in certain circles. I don't know what's wrong with calling it "The [GNU] Imp", an imp being like a fairy/pixy (but with a sense of mischief too), like Puck. The mascot could be kept as it fits the description imp as well as it fits anything (I've no idea after c.20 years what it's supposed to be, though I recall looking it up once).

Maybe "Imp" is offensive in other languages? (Nothing other than alternate English meanings shows on Wiktionary).

This GIT thing is never going to take off because it has a lot of baggage: a very particular CLI and grammar, a community of active users (many of whom probably like it exactly how it is), and a "terrible" name.

You could ask the same question comparing your project with Photoshop.