Name of i2 Banished By LSSU

[glen_d]

Since 1975, Lake Superior State University has published a list of banished words every year. This year, anything starting with "i" (like i2) has been banished. See the list at http://www.lssu.edu/banished/current.php.

Truthfully, when the name of the i2 was revealed, I did cringe a little bit at Segway's use of an over-used naming convention that didn't do much to describe the new Segway or distinguish it from other objects.

Glen

[pam]

Yeah, but everyone knows iPod, etc., and even if Lake Superior State "bans" it, it's been used by INC since the very beginning in 2001 (i167, i180) and people "in the know" (the younger, more techy audience?) understands it, so as a marketing ploy, it works.

I wouldn't worry about it. In fact, when did the iPod come out? Could they have "borrowed" their name from the i167? :) That early "p", "i", and "e" had a definite meaning. (probably not the same one that the iPod has LOL)

Pam

[KSagal]

Yeah, but everyone knows iPod, etc., and even if Lake Superior State "bans" it, it's been used by INC since the very beginning in 2001 (i167, i180) and people "in the know" (the younger, more techy audience?) understands it, so as a marketing ploy, it works.

I wouldn't worry about it. In fact, when did the iPod come out? Could they have "borrowed" their name from the i167? :) That early "p", "i", and "e" had a definite meaning. (probably not the same one that the iPod has LOL)

Pam


okay, I'm in the dark. I know what the i, e, & i think p stand for in the segway series...

What does the i in ipod stand for? WHy is it banned in some places?

[JohnM]

The 'i' in iPod, iTunes, iMac, etc, stands for internet.
The iMac, which started it all, was heavily advertised as internet ready.

[byped]

So what is popular opinion on the i/e/p nomenclature for the segway?

okay, I'm in the dark. I know what the i, e, & i think p stand for in the segway series...

What does the i in ipod stand for? WHy is it banned in some places?

[Sal]

So what is popular opinion on the i/e/p nomenclature for the segway?

I = Industrial
E = Enterprise
P = Personal

[citivolus]

"Banish any word that starts with it. i am just tired of it. it's getting old."

iAssume that the iNsult iS the prepended "i" to words that would not normally be iNitialized with that particular letter. So iHave an iDea, iNasmuch as i167 and i2 are not words at all but merely model designations, they would be exempt as would other numerical designators. While iDo understand the frustration, iFeel iT iS just silly to banish iWords because then how would we order iNvoltini when we are on vacation iN iTaly? Should we simply do without iCe cream and iNdian restaurants? iSay iT iS time to take a stand against this iBan!

iAm Spartacus! :p

[Desert_Seg]

"Banish any word that starts with it. i am just tired of it. it's getting old."

iAssume that the iNsult iS the prepended "i" to words that would not normally be iNitialized with that particular letter. So iHave an iDea, iNasmuch as i167 and i2 are not words at all but merely model designations, they would be exempt as would other numerical designators. While iDo understand the frustration, iFeel iT iS just silly to banish iWords because then how would we order iNvoltini when we are on vacation iN iTaly? Should we simply do without iCe cream and iNdian restaurants? iSay iT iS time to take a stand against this iBan!

iAm Spartacus! :p

And just how much time did you take to type that? Very much a difficult task, one would suppose. :p

(notice no word starts with the "banned" letter)

Steven

[KSagal]

"Banish any word that starts with it. i am just tired of it. it's getting old."

iAssume that the iNsult iS the prepended "i" to words that would not normally be iNitialized with that particular letter. So iHave an iDea, iNasmuch as i167 and i2 are not words at all but merely model designations, they would be exempt as would other numerical designators. While iDo understand the frustration, iFeel iT iS just silly to banish iWords because then how would we order iNvoltini when we are on vacation iN iTaly? Should we simply do without iCe cream and iNdian restaurants? iSay iT iS time to take a stand against this iBan!

iAm Spartacus! :p

Me thinks a good job was typed, as well, young patuwan learner....

[Cody2526]

Actually, tecnically i2 stands for i200, meaning it's not the name, it's the model number, i series version number 200, i2 is jsut a shortened version, therefore it wouldn't fall under this rule, as it's only a model name. It's like years and dates are always written in numbers even though grammatically all numbers containing less than 3 digits should be written out.

[SegwayUtah]

"e" in the e167 also stood for Expeditor (sp?) (per the wayback machine)...

Chris

[Timezkware Tim]

While we're on the subject, can anyone tell me what the numbers 133, 167, 170, 180, 200 refer to? Are these actual versions?

Tim

[bystander]

While we're on the subject, can anyone tell me what the numbers 133, 167, 170, 180, 200 refer to? Are these actual versions?

Tim133 & 167 pertain to capacity of the battery packs. 170, 180, & 200 are just series numbers that are "above" the previous model's series numbers.

The story I heard on 133 & 167 is that the prototype PTs ("HT"s at the time, p-series, i-series) were developed with Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) cells. When packs were made of the same physical dimensions as the prototypes for the production models with Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) cells instead, an increase in capacity was realized.

The i-series got a two-thirds increase (aka 167%), and the p-series got a one-third increase (133%). Apparently the i-series on NiCad would have only had a stated range of 7.2 miles, instead of the 12 miles that was touted for the i-167 with NiMH.

Edit:

Dug up this old link:

http://forums.segwaychat.com/showthread.php?t=2993

And this one:

http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=87936&postcount=32

[Cody2526]

I just always looked at them as model numbers, but at least it gives a good reaosn why the Segway wasn't released until version 1.67 and thats where the models start, the i170 was virtually jsut painted differently with newer software, just a new version, and the i180 was a major step up form that, I suppose that step up plus the change in steering got us Segway i2 AKA 1 series model version 200 AKA Segway 2.0 basically.

I've always seen them as models based off of versions.

[drmarty]

The banishment of all things i comes from where? Here is how they describe themselves:

Lake Superior State University is Michigan's smallest public university with an enrollment of 3,000 students. It is known for its academic programs such as fisheries and wildlife management, engineering, teacher education, nursing, criminal justice, fire science and business management.

So I am not hugely worried but it is a good jumping off point for other discussions like this.

I heard that the p model was 80% the size of the 167. If you take 80% of 167 it equals 133.something.

Mine was a rumor from a dealer.

Marty

[Timezkware Tim]

133 & 167 pertain to capacity of the battery packs. 170, 180, & 200 are just series numbers that are "above" the previous model's series numbers.

The story I heard on 133 & 167 is that the prototype PTs ("HT"s at the time, p-series, i-series) were developed with Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) cells. When packs were made of the same physical dimensions as the prototypes for the production models with Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) cells instead, an increase in capacity was realized.

The i-series got a two-thirds increase (aka 167%), and the p-series got a one-third increase (133%). Apparently the i-series on NiCad would have only had a stated range of 7.2 miles, instead of the 12 miles that was touted for the i-167 with NiMH.



God, how boring.

When you are a very large, well known company like Infinity or Mercedez-Benz, you can name your models G5 and SEL500. Their identity is not an issue. Applying the same reasoning to Segways at this point makes me think that their marketing department is headed by software engineers instead of ad people. There's a reason why Apple chose the names "mouse" and "Motherboard" back in the day, instead of technical names like "cursor actuator". If you want the average consumer to get warm and fuzzy with your product, you have to reach out to them in a way that makes them feel comfortable.

I wonder how it would have affected sales if the i version were called the "Commuter" or the "Glider", instead of a convoluted technical series number. Even bikes have cooler names.

JMO, as usual.

Tim

[pam]

But, but, but, a mouse looks like a mouse (or at least, it did - now we have mini-mouses :) ) - and the motherboard - well, it's almost like the "mothership" - everything happens there - :)

Pam

[Timezkware Tim]

But, but, but, a mouse looks like a mouse (or at least, it did - now we have mini-mouses :) ) - and the motherboard - well, it's almost like the "mothership" - everything happens there - :)

Pam

If we had cordless technology back in the '70s, they might have been called "chipmonks".

Tim

[citivolus]

It is a good thing Ford gave his first products warm and fuzzy identifiers like "Model A" and "Model T" instead of something... um... cold(?) and equally fuzzy like "i series" and "p series" :p

Seriously, there is a long tradition of things starting with odd designations and only later getting a memorable moniker. Take Ferdinand Porsche as an example. His first car was the "v1" which was modified to become the "kdF Wagen" and now with iconic status... the Volkswagen Beetle.