Being an early name adopter has mixed benefits

By Brian Clegg

Someone asked for a piece of information the other day. I didn’t have a clue and responded ‘Consult the oracle’ meaning look it up online. It struck me as I said it that it was a real shame that the database company Oracle grabbed the name before search engines or generative AI, because it would be a far better label for either of those possibilities.

I also have one early adoption benefit with mixed benefits. A long time ago I set up a company called Creativity Unleashed Limited, originally to give creativity consultancy to businesses but it continues as my company as a writer. As I got in early, I managed to get a gold dust URL – just three letters – cul.co.uk. The most entertaining aspect of this was that in the early days I received an email pointing out to me that this was a bit rude in French. I’ve never been sure if the email was a spoof or a genuine attempt, as claimed, to correspond using a very early online translation tool, which was quite poor. It read:

Please allow the transfer, I use a mechanical software because I very English of cannot. On the 14éme, in the porque one, I slap a search with the form returned www.cul.co.uk.

Then to say to you, cul is a bad French word? It average rest-on the flesh of the rectum of anybody. Since this, cannot think you the need to want the nation French with the arrangement of creative. Thus I give to help in all fraternity, to think please for the change.

Familiar the most pleasant 

Henri.

I expressed my concern (also using an automatic translator), pointed out it was the initials of the company and that I used an umlaut on the logo, which hopefully meant it wouldn’t be misunderstood – and got another amusing reply:

Brian Estimable

The considerable thanks of you answer. You software for the language is improved much that my kind of shareware – where is to be found.

It is now possible to include/understand the reason of the bad word. Internet is problematic with much pornographique available if the button supported on danger pressed. I do not require to see the French bottom of erotic principle of Alta-Vista that www.cul.co.uk accidental gives. Families with the small particular person in danger.

Since the text of slit into type is vanilla, umlauf nonvisible. Is very the easy error in time forwards with the European of the trade unions.

Better to speak friends than the argument of the football which recent English have.

pleasantries 

Henri

For those who are not so ancient, Alta Vista was Google’s predecessor as the go-to search engine. So for a long time I had a Frence apology on the site, but in the end decided it really wasn’t a huge problem that the French nation would read cul.co.uk as arse.co.uk – after all, many of us in the UK live in a cul-de-sac – which must sound pretty worrying in French too…

Now Appearing is the blog of science writer Brian Clegg (www.brianclegg.net), author of Inflight Science, Before the Big Bang and The God Effect.

Source: http://brianclegg.blogspot.com/2026/02/being-early-name-adopter-has-mixed.html