From: Akinori MUSHA <knu@...>
Date: 2006-11-10T17:18:43+09:00
Subject: Re: [OT] the name of Matz

Hi,

At Fri, 10 Nov 2006 02:09:54 +0900,
Byung-Hee HWANG wrote:
> > |I saw the full name of Matz, ruby creater, on the web [1]. However, I
> > |don't know what is family name in his full name. AFAIK, CIA uses all
> > |capital letters for family names because the factbook users are faced
> > |with a world of different cultures and naming conventions [2].
> > |Therefore, I suggest that the full name of Matz might be mark from
> > |"Yukihiro Matsumoto" to "Yukihiro MATSUMOTO" if his family name is
> > |"Matsumoto".
> >
> > FYI, My family name is Matsumoto.  I don't see family-name-capital
> > convention much in the English speaking countries, I hesitated to do
> > so in public.  Just call me Matz.
> 
> Of course I know that almost all speakers using English as mother
> language do not use all capital letters for their family names as above
> you mentioned. Also I agree about your way, using just nick name.
> However, Akinori [3], a developer of FreeBSD Project, use all capital
> letters for family name. Why do Akinori do so?

It is just a local convention and I spell my name so just because I
like it.  It gives non-Japanese speaking readers a soft hint that
MUSHA could be my family name, and helps me being called more in a
friendlier form "Akinori" rather than excessively formal "MUSHA-san"
with a deep stiff bow in English speaking places. :)

Although passports and other formal documents may have restrictions,
one should be allowed to spell one's name as one wants, so long as it
is used consistently and serves as social identification.

-- 
                     /
                    /__  __            Akinori.org / MUSHA.org
                   / )  )  ) )  /     FreeBSD.org / Ruby-lang.org
Akinori MUSHA aka / (_ /  ( (__(  @ iDaemons.org / and.or.jp

"Different eyes see different things,
    Different hearts beat on different strings --
       But there are times for you and me when all such things agree"