Palm Infocenter is reporting that the codename being thrown around internally in reference to its Linux based next-gen operating system is "Nova." The phrase "no va" in Spanish literally translates to "not going," but wait -- it gets better: we're also hearing that Nova is being tested on the
Zeppelin device, a type of airship with a reputation for crashing and burning back in the day. Now look, we'd love to see Palm pull out of its tailspin just as much as the next guy and wow us with some hot, new software on top of hot, new hardware, but this naming convention isn't doing it any favors, now is it?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Malatesta @ Jan 11th 2008 5:15PM
Good lord that's being superficial...I had no idea that simple project names were so prescient and important for judging the product.
Malatesta @ Jan 11th 2008 5:24PM
I should also point out the "urban legend" of "No va" vs "Nova" in Spanish...
Quote:
First of all, the phrase "no va" (literally "doesn't go") and the word "nova" are distinct entities with different pronunciations in Spanish: the former is two words and is pronounced with the accent on the second word; the latter is one word with the accent on the first syllable. Assuming that Spanish speakers would naturally see the word "nova" as equivalent to the phrase "no va" and think "Hey, this car doesn't go!" is akin to assuming that English speakers woud spurn a dinette set sold under the name Notable because nobody wants a dinette set that doesn't include a table.
http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp
Malatesta @ Jan 11th 2008 5:24PM
I should also point out the "urban legend" of "No va" vs "Nova" in Spanish...
Quote:
First of all, the phrase "no va" (literally "doesn't go") and the word "nova" are distinct entities with different pronunciations in Spanish: the former is two words and is pronounced with the accent on the second word; the latter is one word with the accent on the first syllable. Assuming that Spanish speakers would naturally see the word "nova" as equivalent to the phrase "no va" and think "Hey, this car doesn't go!" is akin to assuming that English speakers woud spurn a dinette set sold under the name Notable because nobody wants a dinette set that doesn't include a table.
http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp
Bad Test @ Jan 12th 2008 7:07AM
The REAL question is why you consistently find a need to defend PALM under all circumstances on all forums even when, as in this case, there is no defense since the entire topic is totally silly.
Zale @ Jan 11th 2008 5:24PM
My Treo 650 just shivered!
Taylor @ Jan 11th 2008 6:10PM
Yeah... Just as Malatesta mentioned, "No va" doesn't even mean "not going", it's "doesn't go". Aside from the fact that it's an urban legend, you got your Spanish wrong... I'd just suggest it's bad practice to claim you're giving a literal translation when really you're working off of a rumor you've heard, since you run a good chance of not being strictly accurate (and that's a big no-no from a journalistic point of view...)
-Taylor
JAmerican @ Jan 11th 2008 6:11PM
Palm OS 5.2.1 is still the best version because it is quick and less likely to crash on you. I miss the CLIE days :(. At least UMPCs seem to be coming in to replace my CLIE UX50... finally.
Legodude522 @ Jan 12th 2008 3:44AM
The Tapware modified version of Palm OS 5.2 was even better on the Zodiac. :)
MasterCKO @ Jan 11th 2008 6:52PM
The product is useful, fast, stable, cool, etc etc: Important.
It's named 'Shitty-McCrap' internally: Completely and totally UNimportant.
robinsmad @ Jan 11th 2008 7:02PM
Codenames are always goofy. Big whoop.
youngcalihottie @ Jan 11th 2008 9:23PM
omg calm down guys! lol.
i found humor in it and see where chris is coming from.
but your guys' reaction is almost as funny
Mog @ Jan 12th 2008 2:57AM
Nova is Latin for "new."
For an OS in desperate need of the OS X treatment (and I'm a Palm *fan!*), I think "Nova" is an excellent codename. :)
Andresn @ Jan 12th 2008 6:07AM
Just to put my swedish nose where it doesn't belong (in the spaninsh argument). Isn't it possible that "no va" could well mean both "not going" and "doesn't go".
Examples:
The new Palm is not going to be a great success.
El nuevo Palm no va a ser un exito muy grande.
Jobsie doesn't go that way.
Jobsie no va por alla.
Neither spanish nor english is my mother language though so I might be totally wrong. :)
joey @ Jan 12th 2008 8:32AM
The comments on this (not so bright) post are really funny, looks to me like the Lemmings all following their (not so bright) Alpha Leamming. Sometimes it's funny to translate things wrong on purpose and not everybody has learn Latin but this post is just a bit too stupid...
By the way does "Nova Scotia" also translate to "Scotland not working" for you?
tamoghno @ Jan 12th 2008 9:36AM
is there any other advancement except naming ? i think thats what's important !
Gideon @ Jan 12th 2008 12:31PM
Nova means new in Portuguese, too, as well at Latin. That's probably what they were referring to with the code name. Not no va or the car. Or a space nova.
Girt @ Jan 12th 2008 10:57PM
OK, guys, I am a die-hard Palm fan. I am offended often by the anti Palm bias here.
"Nova" means a sun that it about to shine really bright, and then go ballistic and burn out.
Oh, wait, that didn't come out right either.
Gib @ Jan 12th 2008 7:27PM
I don't know, I named my cat Nova so it could possibly mean that too.....
Craig Brown @ Jan 14th 2008 8:17PM
anybody here thinking the obvious?
"Oh the HUMANITY!!"