Fun: what does "CSLA" stand for?

RockfordLhotka posted on Thursday, October 29, 2009

CSLA was named in 1996, under time pressure as I wrote the first Business Objects book. The framework-like thing I'd created as part of the book needed a name.

At the time, acronyms were "in", and so having an acronym made sense. My publisher and I went through many iterations and ideas. My only real regret is that we couldn't fit an "X" into the name... :)

Thus the Component-based Scalable Logical Architecture came into being.

Of course shifting from COM to .NET meant that the "component-based" part of the name had no real meaning. So "CSLA" switched from being an acronym to being a word.

This is much like "SOAP" which started out as Simple Object Access Protocol until it quit being simple, and so they decided it was now a word, not an acronym.

So now I have an albatross around my neck - an unsexy acronym-become-word. But reality is that changing the name would be challenging now, because (for better or worse) there's real brand equity around CSLA .NET...

At VS Live Orlando, Richard Hale-Shaw suggested that I reinterpret the CSLA acronym.

So there's the fun idea - what do you think "CSLA" should stand for? :)

rasupit replied on Thursday, October 29, 2009

Cal. State LA ;)

I always get mixed of both topics when subscribing CSLA on twitter. Hey at least it give the impression that CSLA crowd not just know coding but know how to party ;).

dlambert replied on Thursday, October 29, 2009

Come See Lhotka's Albatross

Canadian Silver Light Architecture (requires relocation, but not by much)

Contemporary Shared Logic Array (sounds like a high-end stereo, or maybe something that's towed behind a submarine)

Common Structured Logic Architecture

skagen00 replied on Thursday, October 29, 2009

Actual uses of CSLA Acronym from the following which were less than ordinary:
http://www.acronymfinder.com/CSLA.html

Church of Scientology, Los Angeles Organization
Ceskoslovenska Lidova Armada (Czechoslovak People's Army)
China Sports Lottery Administration
Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984
Coupled Sectorial Loop Antenna

ajj3085 replied on Thursday, October 29, 2009

dlambert:
Come See Lhotka's Albatross

Thank you, that one REALLY made me laugh. Big Smile [:D]

tiago replied on Thursday, October 29, 2009

dlambert:
Common Structured Logic Architecture

Common Structured Layer Architecture

Common Scalable Layer Architecture

cdkisa replied on Friday, October 30, 2009

Central Standard Library Architecture

tmg4340 replied on Thursday, October 29, 2009

Well... if you want to get all fancy (and, IMO, more than a little absurd):

Componentized Set of Layered Algorithms

Or, in a nod to the recent spate of "learning curve" complaints (careful - this one is not all that family-oriented, nor is it grammatically correct):

Can Someone Learn my A**?

FWIW, when I worked for the military, nothing was anything until it had an acronym, un-sexy or otherwise...

HTH

- Scott

Henrik replied on Thursday, October 29, 2009

Well until you find a new meaning for the acronym it could be an acronym for:

Currently Searching for a Lovely Acronym

Seriously, I don't think that Component-based Scalable Logical Architecture is such a bad meaning for the acronym, after all.
I still explain the acronym as this to my customers and the non-technical of them (those that make the decisions) like the component part of the name, since it gives them the feeling that they are buying a system build up of interchangable component, which in fact they are.

I, myself view my EditableRoot classes as individual components that fit neatly into their spot in the overall architecture.
The word "component" covers whatever you want it to cover.

Wikipedias definition of a component is: "A component is any smaller, self-contained part of a larger entity".

I vote for keeping the current meaning of the acronym.

mbblum replied on Thursday, October 29, 2009

In the late 80's I was working a project with some very sharp people at Sandia and Los Alamos Nat. Labs. At a large review meeting, 50+ people, the presenter was asked what the colomn heading TLA was. One of the few times I saw them embarrassed.

Many now will recognize TLA as Three Letter Acronymn, but that was not commonly known 20 years ago. They had used what had been an inside jest making fun of the use of acronyms without defining it.

With that in mind, and Rocky's initial posting in mind:

CSLA - Cause Somone Likes Acronyms.

tiago replied on Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Hi Rocky,

Did you pick any nice suggestions?

RockfordLhotka replied on Wednesday, November 04, 2009

This was more for fun than anything - not that I want to change the (very nice) signal to noise ratio on this forum, but sometimes it is nice just to have a little fun :)

Wbmstrmjb replied on Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Coders Sometimes Lack Acumen

tiago replied on Thursday, November 05, 2009

You mean "acumen" like "aculeus"?

dmnc replied on Friday, November 06, 2009

code smells like a**

;-)