Notes: Need a name for the data importers project -> DEX

[jbenet]

The "IPLD/IPFS data importers project" is a group of tools and ipld data structures to represent all sorts of stuff (various kinds of files, archives, databases, datasets, etc.). The general point is to allow "conversion to and from IPLD graphs".

For example, the code importing a .tar file and yielding a ipfs unixfs data structure would be part of this. And include many other kinds of "data importing" things (like Rabin fingerprinting chunking, trickledag file graph layout, custom movie file importers, etc.).

The tooling and data structures from this project will be usable well-beyond IPFS, in other merkle-linked data structures and distributed systems (like git and bittorrent). We want a name close to IPFS and IPLD, but ideally obvious.

This will involve intermediate things (like a format string for uniquely specifying the importer being used).

Possible names:

• IPFS Importers (meh)
• IPLD Importers (meh)
• Grapher (because it's about turning files into graphs)
• Dagger (because it's about turning files into dags, more specifically)
• Transformer (this is too general, and i want to reserve the name for something else -- general data transformations, of which _this_ is a subset).

It may be used like:

• "Use ______ to import it"
• "Does your project use _______ to import data?"
• "Do you support _______ formats (or format strings)?"
• "________ is about importing files or data into IPLD graphs"

[flyingzumwalt]

Definitely don't use Importer -- it invokes too many associations of previous systems that have said "Import your data into our silo. You'll never have to migrate again."

[jbenet]

I like dagger (slices/chunks data, dags, etc), but it's a bit violent.

[flyingzumwalt]

🗡 It's even got an emoji.

[jbenet]

wonder if any merkle tree/forest inspired names may work (i havent come up with any yet)

[jbenet]

testing:

• :dagger: Dagger is a collection of tools for chunking and structuring files or data as IPLD graphs.

[flyingzumwalt]

I like dagger for its non-:dagger: meaning. "to dag" or "to dagify" is a great verb.
What do you use to grow crystals in/on? Lattice?

[jbenet]

• Yeah, i like dagger.
• Lattice is also a great suggestion.

Some more:

• Alloy (combining, recombining, strengthening materials)
• Scope, Lens, or Telescope ("tools for seeing data")
• Prism ("separate and combine data")
• Shuttle ("moves stuff between earth (posix/unix) and space (ipfs)")
• Rosetta ("convers between representations")
• Phaser ("different representations, sci-fi gun-like thing")

[flyingzumwalt]

How lattice could work:

• "Use the ______ lattice to transform it"
• "Does your project use the _______ lattice?"
• "Do you support _______ lattice formats (or format strings)?"
• "________ is a lattice for transforming files or data into IPLD graphs"

[ghost]

I really like "dagger", but dagger is also a dependency injector for Android and Java.

"dagify" works equally well though. "dag" is also australian for "uncool person" so this would have a fun twist, but I suppose you already knew this, j-dag :P

Regarding merkle-forests: how about "forester"?

The others are a bit far-fetched for my taste -- to me they don't convey anything related to data or graphs.

[ghost]

"dag it", or "dagit", might also work, although it invokes "git" depending on how you pronounce it.

[flyingzumwalt]

I like "dagify", "dagifier" and "dag it"

• "Use the ______ dagifier to transform it"
• "Does your project use the _______ dagifier?"
• "Do you support _______ dag formats (or format strings)?"
• "________ is a dagifier for transforming files or data into IPLD graphs"

[jbenet]

I really like "dagger", but dagger is also a dependency injector for Android and Java.

How bad is this clash? it doesn't seem like it would be hugely confusing (different target users), so we probably could coexist?

forester

I like forester. the forest metaphors are more pleasing than the obvious :dagger: ones. What about "ranger"? any other forestry ones?

dagifier

This could work. It may be a bit confusing for people.

[RichardLitt]

You could also use arboreal metaphors. For instance, Grafter, from the idea that you're grafting from one tree to another. (It's a shame graft also means bribery, but that's not a very common usage.) Graphter might work, too.

Obscure names: Dendro, Silva.

[flyingzumwalt]

Or agricultural metaphors like "planter" (plant it in the merkle forest)

[jbenet]

I need to settle on this name soon as this thing will get referenced a lot in coming weeks.

• I think dagger is the best name, but it has off connotations.
• I'd prefer a tree-related term but haven't seen any here that really stick out.
• dagify and dagifier are not great and are a bit awkward to reference in talks.

[hsanjuan]

I'm late to the party. How about treedent. It's like a trident (weapon like and so) but with innocent merkle trees.

[jbenet]

• was considering sed, awk, ed and other tools.
• ded (dag editor) is possible but not that good.
• dag is possible but confusing.
• dagster

---

i like dex a lot.

• dex - Dag Editor and Transformer (trans is usually abbreviated/substituted with x).
• dex works well with cli tools: cat myfile.mp4 | dex >myfile.dag
• dex clashes with a lot of things, it's a 3 letter name and used
  
  
  
  • but this thing doesn't have to be unique, only has to be memorable and good to say
  
  
• possible word plays with "index"

[jonnycrunch]

what about arbor?

it is latin for tree, but has more of a lattice work meaning. In machinery, it is an axle, In metallurgy, it is a reinforcing member of a core of the mold.

[jonnycrunch]

apparently Arbor Cloud is a thing. so, a phonetic variation could be 'rbor', which could be an acronym similar to CBOR, but keeps it root meaning. Remodeled Binary Object Representation?

[RichardLitt]

dagon, pun "get your dag on", but named after a piscine monster and story by HP Lovecraft 1.

[daviddias]

DEX \o/

[flyingzumwalt]

Just remember that @jbenet keeps using the term "datadex" to mean "dataset directory" and talking about the fact that we need to encourage people to build them. If you start using dex to mean DAG importer, you will have to find a new way of talking about dataset directories.

I stay stick with dagger.

[daviddias]

(I've added DEX to the title as it has been used to reference it a bunch of times and so that it gets easier to find in the sea of issues in ipfs/notes)

[Admin-DataRoads]

The dagger option already has merch!

https://shop.geekandsundry.com/products/critical-role-dagger-dagger-dagger-t-shirt
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0818/6129/products/T-CR-DA2.jpg