anti-popular

All the three leading contenders for stealing the torch away from CVS as the version control system of choice have names that no marketing department would have ever chosen. Corporations who sell software invest a lot of money either in their in-house think tanks of agencies specialising in branding and only names that are optimistic and positive, names that suggest innovation and aspiration are chosen.

Who would pick the name subversion? The word means an attempt to overthrow authority. It's also a nice pun on its purpose (version, my dear lost reader, version!).

Who would pick the name git? The word has only pejorative meanings.

And then you get mercurial. The word has both marginally complimentary and often uncomplimentary meanings.

Which brings us to ClearCase. Commercial. Bloated. What a deceptive name!

The moral? If it's got a sly name, it's probably better for you.