The Name XnView

[Phred.]

I've searched for the base word and for the past tense of the word, but I've found only three but unrelated threads.

How is the name of the program, the word 'XnView', pronounced? In English.

Is it 'ex-en-vyoo', or 'zen-vyoo'..? '[sound of 'ex' across the tongue without the initial plosive]-vyoo'..?

It's a hard program to talk about.

IrfanView is hard enough ('in-fra-vyoo' or 'in-fran-vyoo'. 'ir-fan-vyoo'), but XnView...

Does it relate to xenophilia, or xenophiles, being the multi-lingual program that it is..?

[XnTriq]

Hi Phred.

The name XnView derived from Pierre's first programs NView & Nconvert.

When it was started?

The first line of code was in the format's library used by XnView, XnView pocket, NConvert, GFLSDK, ... on an Atari , perhaps in 1990. A first version of nconvert & nview was ported on Silicon workstation. And a first version of a nview with GUI (motif) was written in 1995. And finally on windows.

What was the first operating sysytem it worked on?

SGI Irix + motif

Perhaps Pierre chose to call the GUI version X-Nview because of X Window (XBiff/XClock/XEyes/XTerm).

I liked the idea of naming the next generation of XnView (XnViewMP) Xeno-View due to the vast number of supported formats (some obscure).

I must say that the new logo mirrors an issue I have with the name: XnViewMP. Two abbreviations? It isnt a "smooth" name for a program that handles images. Is it that the name XnViewMP is ... I dunno... too technical? Like a molecule or computer term. Dont want to sound too whiney, its just because I care I would consider another name when getting closer to a future 1.0 release.

There have been several discussions about the name since Pierre announced his plans for a cross-platform edition (suggestions ranging from XnPhoto to XnView-Qt to XnViewMP).
I was hoping a new name would reflect that it's not just another ordinary photo organizer, because XnView has always been many things to many people.

Xeno- is a prefix based on the Greek word “Xenos”, meaning stranger. In biology, it is often used to designate species-difference, such as xenotransplantation (transplantation between organisms of different species). In science fiction it has been used to refer to extraterrestrial life.

nConvert
nView
XnView
XenoView

I never said that Xn- stands for Xeno-. All I did was to outline how Pierre's programs evolved over time from nConvert to nView (to View2) to XnView.

The first line of code was in the format's library used by XnView, XnView pocket, NConvert, GFLSDK, ... on an Atari , perhaps in 1990. A first version of nconvert & nview was ported on Silicon workstation. And a first version of a nview with GUI (motif) was written in 1995. And finally on windows.

• Internet Archive Wayback Machine: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/pierre.g/html/d ... .html#view

Based on the notion that he was looking for an alternative to the name “XnView MP”, I then suggested “XenoView” (already taken BTW), because the prefix would have...

1. provided continuity with the nomenclature of MP's predecessors.
2. reflected one of the software's most prominent features: its capability to “decipher” all kinds of file formats and metadata (» xenophilia).

[Phred.]

Interesting story, XnTriq (ha ). Thanks.
Only by understanding history do we know where we are.

¿How do you say the word?
It's looking like ex-en-View..

[XnTriq]

¿How do you say the word?
It's looking like ex-en-View..

Yes, I think that's how it's supposed to be pronounced (YouTube).
On Forvo, I only found Aix-en-Provence

(Welcome to the forum, by the way.)

[helmut]

It's 'ex-en-vyoo'. The initial program was called just 'nview'. Later, an extended version of 'nview' was developed by Pierre, which was named 'XnView'. So XnView is actually 'eXtended NView'.

[XnTriq]

From a 15 (!) year old Readme.txt:

Code: Select all

                       Nview, Nconvert & View2 v2.63
                              Xnview v1.05b

                   Copyright (c) 1991-98 Pierre-E Gougelet
                           All Rights Reserved.



DISCLAIMER
==========

  You are granted the right to use and to make an unlimited number
    of copies of the freeware version of this software.

  Commercial use and distribution is not authorized without agreement.

  Use this program at your own risk, I do not provide any warranty 
    about it.


  This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.
  This software is based in part on the work of the Group 42 Inc.



HomePage
========

EMail: 	        pierre.g@wanadoo.fr
		pierre.g@mail.dotcom.fr

Web site :	http://www.cloe.home.ml.org
		http://perso.wanadoo.fr/pierre.g
		http://latour.univ-paris8.fr/~pierre

Download :	ftp://latour.ipt.univ-paris8.fr/pub/pierre
		http://perso.wanadoo.fr/pierre.g/download



Platforms
=========

  ATARI ST, STe, Falcon, TT and compatible
  PC 386 and more (DOS & Windows)
  PC x86 with linux (X Windows & Lesstif)
  SILICON GRAPHICS IRIX v5.2 and more



NVIEW
=====

Nview is a multi-format viewer. 

  Type nview -help for available option. 


About Nview for PC under DOS:
-----------------------------

  Nview is VESA compatible and works in 8,15,16 bits and truecolor mode.
    The only mode available is 320x200x8 if your video card doesn't 
    support Vesa mode. 
  
  For a complete description of the available mode on the display, type
    nview -help (and use it with -d option's)
  
  For example with my Diamond S3 864, "nview -d3 back.gif" use the 640x480x15 display.
  
  With the -p<width>x<height>x<bits>, you take the best display who match arguments. 
    (Example: nview -p640x480x24 back.gif)
    -p0x0x0 choose the best display for the bitmap. 


About Nview for X Windows (Linux/SGI):
--------------------------------------

  Nview take the default visual for displaying the bitmap. You can use 
    -visual id (id is the visual number seeing with nview -help).
  
  By default, nview display the bitmap and wait for a mouse click or Escape. 
    With the -w, Nview create one window per bitmap. 

  Nview works with pipe, in this case the input format must be specified: 
    cat img.tga | nview -f2 stdin

  You will need to set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable with 
    the path where the libraries are. 
    By default 'install' put the libraries in /usr/local/lib. 
  

NCONVERT
========

Nconvert is the multi-format converter. 

  Type nconvert -help for available option. 


  To convert files in a specific format, type for example :
    nconvert -s5 file1.pic file2.jpg file3.tga
  With a resize :
    nconvert -s5 -w480 -R *.jpg
    nconvert -s5 -w640 -h480 *.jpg
  
  The input format is not necessary. If a problem occurs, use the -f option. 
  
  Nconvert is able to change the color format with -C (Binary->Colors, 256Colors->TrueColors).
    When you convert GIF files to JPEG files, use it. 
    (Example: nconvert -s0 -C2 *.gif)
  
  You can use it with image's sequence. 
  For example, we take the file00.pic, file01.pic, ..., file10.pic and 
    we convert in jpeg format with the form res0.jpg, res1.jpg, ... type :
      nconvert -s0 -o res#.jpg file##.pic


XNVIEW (Extended Nview)
=======================

About XNview for X Windows (Linux/Silicon):
-------------------------------------------

  XNview requires OSF/Motif 1.2 or later. 
  
  You will need to set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable with 
    the path where the libraries are. 
    By default 'install' put the libraries in /usr/local/lib. 
  
  Type XNview -help for available option. 
  
  XNview take the default visual for displaying the bitmap. You can specify 
    an X visual id (in hexadecimal) with '-visualid id'.
  
  
  Linux Version:
  --------------
  
    XNview requires Linux 2.0.18, XFree86-3.2 and Lesstif 0.82
    
    Lesstif is available from the following URL's

	http://www.lesstif.org/products/lesstif/
	ftp://ftp.lesstif.org/pub/hungry/lesstif/


About XNview for Windows (x86):
-------------------------------

  XNview for windows requires Windows 3.11 with Win32s, Windows NT or 
    Windows 95. 


  Windows 3.1x users note:
  -----------------------
    You'll need the last release of win32s for Microsoft Windows 3.1X 
      and Windows for Workgroup 3.1x. 

    If there is a file called 'win32s.ini' in the directory \windows\system, 
      you already have win32s. This file contains the version information. 
      If the version number is equal or greater than 1.30.172 (v1.30c), 
      you don't have to reinstall win32s. 

    Win32s v1.30c can be downloaded via 
      ftp://ftp.rmc.edu/pub/windows16/win32s13.exe



Supported formats
=================

  JPEG
      Extension   : jpg jpeg jif jfif J
      BitsPerPixel: grey, 24 bits
      Compression :

  TrueVision Targa
      Extension   : tga pix bpx vda icb vst
      BitsPerPixel: grey, 256 colors, 15 bits, 16 bits, 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression : Packbits (1)

  Softimage bitmap 
      Extension   : pic si
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression :

  RGB Silicon
      Extension   : rgb bw iris sgi
      BitsPerPixel: grey, 256 colors, 16 millions
      Compression : 

  TIFF Revision 5
      Extension   : tif tim tiff
      BitsPerPixel: binary, grey, 16 colors, 256 colors, 24 bits
      Compression : Packbits (1) Lzw (2)

  Vista
      Extension   : vst
      BitsPerPixel: 256 colors, 15 bits, 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression :

  Sun Raster Images
      Extension   : ras sun
      BitsPerPixel: binary, grey, 256 colors, 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression : 

  Macintosh Pict
      Extension   : pic pict pct
      BitsPerPixel: binary, 16 colors, grey, 256 colors, 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression :

  Alias
      Extension   : pix alias
      BitsPerPixel: grey, 24 bits
      Compression :

  Windows 3 Bitmap
      Extension   : bmp rle dib
      BitsPerPixel: binary, 16 colors, grey, 256 colors, 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression : Packbits (1)

  Amiga IFF
      Extension   : iff blk lbm
      BitsPerPixel: binary, grey, 16 colors, 256 colors, 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression : Packbits (1)

  Portable Network Graphics
      Extension   : png
      BitsPerPixel: binary, 16 colors, grey, 256 colors, 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression :

  CompuServe GIF
      Extension   : gif giff
      BitsPerPixel: binary, 16 colors, 256 colors
      Compression :

  Zsoft Paintbrush
      Extension   : pcx pcc
      BitsPerPixel: binary, 16 colors, grey, 256 colors, 24 bits
      Compression : Packbits (1)

  Portable Image
      Extension   : ppm pgm pbm pnm rppm rpgm rpbm rpnm
      BitsPerPixel: binary, grey, 24 bits
      Compression :

  Wavefront file format
      Extension   : rla rlb
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits, 32 bits
      Compression :

  Sun TAAC file format
      Extensions  : iff vff suniff taac
      Type        : 256 couleurs, 24 et 32 bits
      Compression : 

  ImageMagick
      Extension   : mif miff
      BitsPerPixel: grey, 256 colors, 24 et 32 bits
      Compression :

  YUV Secam
      Extension   : yuv qtl
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits (720x486)
      Compression :

  YUV Interlaced Secam
      Extension   : yuv qtl
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits (720x486)
      Compression :

  YUV Pal
      Extension   : yuv qtl
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits (720x576)
      Compression :

  YUV Interlaced Pal
      Extension   : yuv qtl
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits (720x576)
      Compression :

  Digital Research (GEM Paint)
      Extension   : img
      BitsPerPixel: binary, 16 colors, grey, 256 colors
      Compression :

  DKB Ray-tracer / Qrt
      Extension   : dis qrt
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits
      Compression :

  Cloe raytracer
      Extension   : ima
      BitsPerPixel: 32 bits
      Compression :

  Vivid
      Extension   : img
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits
      Compression :

  MTV / Rayshade
      Extension   : ???
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits
      Compression :

  DBW Render
      Extension   : ???
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits
      Compression :

  CP8 256 gray scale
      Extension   : cp8
      BitsPerPixel: grey
      Compression :

  ImageSpeeder
      Extension   : ish
      BitsPerPixel: grey
      Compression :

  Degas / Degas Elite
      Extension   : pi1 pi2 pi3 pc1 pc2 pc3
      BitsPerPixel: binary, 16 colors
      Compression :

  Neochrome
      Extension   : neo
      BitsPerPixel: 16 colors, 256 colors
      Compression :

  ZZ Rough
      Extension   : rgh
      BitsPerPixel: 16 colors
      Compression :

  Dali raw
      Extension   : sd0 sd1 sd2
      BitsPerPixel: binary, 16 colors
      Compression :

  Stad
      Extension   : pic
      BitsPerPixel: binary
      Compression :

  Handy Scaner Cameron
      Extension   : pic
      BitsPerPixel: binary
      Compression :

  GFA Raytrace
      Extension   : sul
      BitsPerPixel: 512 colors
      Compression :

  Spectrum 512
      Extension   : spu
      BitsPerPixel: 512 colors
      Compression :

  X11 bitmap
      Extension   : xbm bm
      BitsPerPixel: binary
      Compression :

  X11 pixmap
      Extension   : xpm pm
      BitsPerPixel: colors
      Compression :

  Stardent AVS X
      Extension   : x avs mbfs mbfavs
      BitsPerPixel: 24 bits
      Compression :

  AIM Grey Scale
      Extension   : ima
      BitsPerPixel: grey
      Compression :

  Mac Paint
      Extension   : mac mpnt
      BitsPerPixel: binary
      Compression :

  Art Director
      Extension   : art
      BitsPerPixel: 16 colors
      Compression :

• NVIEW
  • Nview for PC under DOS
  • Nview for X Windows (Linux/SGI)
• NCONVERT
• XNVIEW (Extended Nview)
  • XNview for X Windows (Linux/Silicon)
  • XNview for Windows (x86)

XnView time capsules:

• XnView.com (v1.06)
• OldApps.com (v1.05b)
• FileHippo.com (v1.80.3)

[oops66]

Hello,

"How is the name of the program, the word 'XnView', pronounced? In English."
... In my opinion, XnView is simply pronounced in English "Xn - view"


I think the "xn" signification is only the mathematical term, xn means "term number n"
( example: xn = n(n-1)/2 + 1 )

http://math.stackexchange.com/questions ... r-curve-xn
...Or maybe: the modular curve X(N) ?

...Pierre???

[budz45]

Is it 'ex-en-vyoo',

Yes this is how I pronounce it in English