[Freedombox-discuss] How should we translate 'box'?

[Arthur Lutz]

On Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 4:14 PM, Tom Jaster <futur3.tom at googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> Am 19.02.2011 um 15:36 schrieb Osama Khalid:
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > We started advocating the FreedomBox in Arabic. We translated the name
> > to 'Freedom Container' but some have mentioned that it could mean
> > 'Freedom Computer' according to this definition:
> >
> > http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/box#computing
> >
> > On identi.ca, there wasn't an overwhelming agreement in the this
> > thread:
> >
> > http://identi.ca/conversation/64004029
> >
> > Personally, I find the name 'container' better for normal people who
> > may not get the idea that this plug server is an actual computer as
> > they know it since it will do many uncommon tasks in PCs. It also can
> > be interpreted as communication freedom sent in a prepackaged box,
> > once it's opened, it will enable people to gain real-life freedom.
> >
> > --Osama Khalid
> > _______________________________________________
> > Freedombox-discuss mailing list
> > Freedombox-discuss at lists.alioth.debian.org
> > http://lists.alioth.debian.org/mailman/listinfo/freedombox-discuss
> hi,
>
> do you mean that you translated the word Freedombox into Arabic and the backtranslation is FreedomContainer?
> Well, thats a decision only native speakers should do, we can only help you shaping your imagination of the word box.
> So a box for me means sometimes also "black box" or a module. It does some magical things to make something work for you.
> Not needing to know how it works but being able to use it for your tasks in a simply way is essential, mayby there's a good word for that in your language..
>
>
> -tom

Hi tom,

Your argument about the black box is quite good, but let me turn it around.

I might get criticism for this but bear with me, let me use an example
(which some people might not like). FON http://www.fon.com started as
a community thing where you would install firmware on your wifi to
share it and then your account would enable you to use the shared
access of others. One of the ideas was to get internet access
providers to adopt the idea and enable it on all their customer' s
boxes. A few years later, a few companies worldwide joined it (or
stole the idea) and now FON is a (not-so-nice as at the start)
company. I'm not with FON anymore but in France this is pretty big and
you get shared wifi everywhere you go.

Maybe, someday we will have sufficient weight and attractiveness to
inspire internet providers to include debian freedombox distribution
in their boxes ? These are boxes that are always on (usually because
the phone is connected to it) and are growing to be as powerful as
plug computers. And if the internet providers are not willing to
follow the movement, a few projects for flashing the firmware of their
boxes are out there.

I'm sorry if the "box"  model only applies to France... but I'm pretty
sure there are others out there.

Arthur

ps. if some of this needs clarification, feel free to ask