76

Interview with Liam Quin

top 23 comments
sorted by: hot top new old
[-] TragicNotCute@lemmy.world 28 points 2 days ago

Liam: What I like least about GIMP is the name, because I work in accessibility. So for example, I can’t wear the GIMP shirt at work because there will be people who are upset.

Amen to that.

[-] TeaWithDani@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Honestly, I find it gross and sleazy. Even the FAQ acknowledges it's a reference to Pulp Fiction.

It perpetuates stereotypes about boys club computing for one. But more importantly, it makes it just gross to teach it in schools. Like I wouldn't be comfortable using GIMP in an elementary school or high school as a teaching tool in any way.

I remember encountering the software for the first time in highschool and cringing. I was like nope, this is either made by weirdos or dumb people who dont know what words mean. That impression has stuck.

The logo is peak though, no notes.

Procreate is worse though. I hate that its a pun. 🤮

[-] architect@thelemmy.club 2 points 1 day ago

Oh ffs on procreate. I never thought about that.

[-] Scrollone@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago

My European mind cannot comprehend how a word can upset people.

[-] calliope@retrolemmy.com 2 points 1 day ago

Disabled people were colloquially called “gimps.”

The man being interviewed is from the UK and works in accessibility.

So it’s really not hard to understand why people wouldn’t want a word clearly associated with disabled people on a shirt or something.

[-] calliope@retrolemmy.com 10 points 2 days ago

Holy crap, isn’t that the truth? The worst thing about GIMP is its name.

[-] ThorrJo@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 17 hours ago

No, it's the UX.

[-] asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

I cannot comprehend why it hasn't been renamed yet.

[-] jlow@slrpnk.net 5 points 2 days ago

No one except for the devs that could change it can (I think the usual reason is "too much work" which I can imagine it is but ...)

[-] Seimhe@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Yes. It also seems obvious, to me at least, from the very awkward ~~Graphics~~ Image Manipulation Program phrase that someone went to pains to achieve the acronym. Very unpleasant and petty, in my opinion.

I would never mention the existence of or my use of this program in a professional setting. But I tend to not mention it at all now because accessibility is in our communities too.

[-] TeaWithDani@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

"It was then renamed to the General Image Manipulation Program, and then to the GNU Image Manipulation Program. They referenced a character from the movie “Pulp Fiction” which was trendy at the time."

From the FAQ on the GIMP website someone else posted. It was a reference to bdsm or specifically the Pulp Fiction character.

[-] Seimhe@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Is that similar to, “When I say the N word, I’m not being disrespectful. I’m quoting an Ice Cube song which was popular at the time.”

[-] orlyowl@piefed.ca 12 points 2 days ago

from the very awkward Graphics Image Manipulation Program

I hate to be the Well ackshully guy, but for the record it's GNU Image Manipulation Program

[-] Seimhe@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

You’re right to correct me, I’d forgotten over the passage of time. Not sure if that changes my mind as such but it’s well worth correcting.

[-] TragicNotCute@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

Add an R for “rebuilt”, bump a major version, call it GRIMP. You’re so welcome GIMP team.

Bonus: on Kagi, GIMP is the 2nd of 16 total results for “GRIMP”. It’s right here people.

[-] black0ut@pawb.social 4 points 2 days ago

It's so sad that USA centrism and prudism has done such a number on that name, and that every time GIMP is mentioned there's always a USian complaining about it. The name is perfectly fine, and nobody in europe or asia finds it bad. In fact, I quite like it myself.

Instead of arguing about a name, we should really be focusing on more important things.

[-] TragicNotCute@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

This is not exclusively a “USian” thing. This is an English thing. It’s not a very nice word.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gimp

[-] black0ut@pawb.social -3 points 2 days ago

Yet all of the people I've seen complaining about it are USian.

The origin of the name is also the character from pulp fiction, not that definition of the word.

[-] calliope@retrolemmy.com 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

…Did you read the interview? The guy even works in accessibility in the UK. He’s complaining he can’t wear a shirt to work because it’s also a reference to disabled people.

Your lack of empathy is horrifying. Tell us more about bias while chanting “USian.”

The origin of the software’s name doesn’t matter. It’s the impact it causes.

Yikes.

[-] architect@thelemmy.club 2 points 1 day ago

If you have to explain a name to one of your major target audiences to make them understand what it really means and refers to its a bad name. Like what is even the argument? Go hate on America in a more worthwhile thread.

[-] MrOtingocni@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

Gimp is one of my all time favorite programs!

[-] muzzle@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 days ago

You're not fooling me, that's Gandalf!

this post was submitted on 17 Oct 2026
76 points (98.7% liked)

Opensource

6884 readers
159 users here now

A community for discussion about open source software! Ask questions, share knowledge, share news, or post interesting stuff related to it!

CreditsIcon base by Lorc under CC BY 3.0 with modifications to add a gradient

⠀


founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS