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Comment by Kelamir | Hacker News Reader

It's made by the same people here https://github.com/nomic-ai/gpt4all who initially distributed a LLaMA based model finetuned for conversations over torrent. I think you're overly critical. GPT4All naming is fine in my opinion, it's literally "GPT for all", but I can see why people would dislike it.

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GPT4All is obviously capitalizing on the hype of GPT4, it's very unlikely to just be a coincident that it's has GPT4 in the name while GPT4 is receiving a lot of attention. They could have named it GPTForAll, but chose a 4 instead of "for" for obvious reasons.

It is not capitalizing so much as responding in a suggestive way. This project was started as a response to GPT-4, it is true. When OpenAI came out with version 4 and then refused to release any technical information whatsoever that was a wake up call for the founder. He correctly saw openai straying from its original goal to serve humanity by making a landing strip for safe AGI. The name was suggestive of what OpenAI has forgotten... that this foundational technology should be open to everyone. 4all. That is why we've released everything we've done under Apache 2.0 or MIT licenses. We're not being cynical.

I don't disagree with any of that, but if a project is started in response to something, and then you use their very name for a thing they launched, while not having anything to do with that thing, then that's a bit misleading for the users.

For example, if I don't like what Microsoft is doing with Windows and I name my own OS WindowsPro while it being a Linux distribution, I'm clearly trying to mislead people into believing it's something it's not.

The front page was changed to state this is not affiliated with other popular internet based gpt's in first few sentences. I get why people are cynical but the project really is trying to do the right thing.

As long as the project is actively trying to mislead people with a incorrect project name, I don't see it as them doing the right thing.

OpenAI mislead people. Where do you draw the line?

OpenAI is on the wrong side of that line. That doesn't mean this project has to also do that.

People affiliated with openai have privately stated they are appreciative of this project.

Yes, OpenAI's name is also misleading. When they moved from doing Open Source, Open research and being non-profit, they should have changed the name as it's no longer accurate.

But we aren't actively trying that is why the frontpage was updated to respond to exactly this criticism. There is no active deception going on here. You don't like the name, that's fine, but it clearly states it isn't affiliated.

The website domain is still gpt4all.io, the project is still named "GPT4All Chat" and the GitHub project's title is "gpt4all-chat". Not sure how that is responding to the criticism that the project name is misleading. It's not that I don't like the name, is that it seems you're trying to make people believe the project is something it's not.

Making things clear on the very first page that this is not chatgpt is not "actively trying to mislead people"

Now serving Coca-Cola!*

*(not Coca-Cola)

Except this isn't coca cola. This is a term of art that is widely used in the industry and a number. OpenAI is welcome to rebrand on something that isn't so generic.

It widely used in the context of OpenAI’s model specifically. It is also a trademarked term.

Doesn’t matter what the front page says, you’re still using the GPT4 name.

I saw the project name and my first impression was gpt4 based. Having a pun or wordplay with an appeal to virtue doesn’t make it not misleading. It’s misleading. Rethink.

How about calling it GPTJ4All which is more honest, or if you think you will transcend GPTJ, GPTForAll? Or GPT”4”All?

If you want to target people who care about Apache 2.0 licensing, you should listen to the same people who tell you the name is offensive and scammy-seeming. Otherwise you alienate half your initial target market before you even start. It is not too late to accept feedback and change the name. My 2 cents.

When the name was chosen it wasn't based on GPTJ. Now it is. There is no deception and the website was updated to respond to this criticism. It isn't affiliated and it clearly states that.

> When the name was chosen it wasn't based on GPTJ

> if you think you will transcend GPTJ

The comment you're replying to already addressed the possibility that you don't want to be tied to GPTJ in name. That's fine and understandable. The comment suggested other ideas to do a slight name change that will help you sound less deceptive while still getting to keep a similar idea in the branding. You haven't responded to the main point of the comment.

My 2¢: I saw the title on the front page and thought this was some version of GPT4 running locally. A lot of people are going to think that based on the name. I get why the name is clever but I agree with those saying you should consider a variant that is less misleading. Or, you know, just go with a brand new name. If Leela Zero was called Alpha Zero 4 All it would be weird.

Your name is much more misleading than analogous projects like "Open Office". It's clear Open Office has nothing to do with Microsoft Office just by looking at the name. "GPT4All" does not provide a clear enough level of understanding that it is not GPT4.

>it's literally "GPT for all"

It wouldn't have even occurred to me to read it any other way.

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