AMSO: Accelerated Monte-carlo - Soma Optimized

SOMA has been a success, and with this refactoring, we aim to build upon that foundation. While naming this project SOMA version 2 might seem obvious, it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue and SOMA2 looks somewhat awkward.

Issues with the SOMA Name

We didn’t conduct a thorough search when initially choosing SOMA as a project name, which led to several issues:

1. It’s the Latin transcription of the Greek word σῶμα (body).
2. Used in biology to describe the cell body of neurons.
3. Abbreviation for “South of Market,” a San Francisco neighborhood.
4. Name of a popular video game.
5. Has numerous other uses.

These factors make SOMA a challenging brand name, potentially hindering search engine visibility. Most critically, “soma” is already taken on readthedocs.org, preventing us from hosting documentation there under that name.

Given these considerations, I decided to rebrand SOMA version 2, this time with more thoughtful name selection.

Choosing a New Name

To maintain a connection with the original SOMA, I opted to rearrange the same four letters: S, O, M, and A. This approach preserves brand recognition and allows for minimal logo redesign.

Criteria for Selection

1. Pronounceability: Ruled out combinations like “MSAO” or “AOMS”.
2. Uniqueness: Avoided names with strong existing brand associations (e.g., “MOSA”, “OMAS”, “MASO”).
3. Availability: Checked search engines, Wikipedia, and readthedocs.org for conflicts.

Note: This conflict analysis is not comprehensive. A more thorough investigation would be necessary for commercial use or projects expecting a large audience.

AMSO: The Chosen Name

“AMSO” emerged as the best option, being pronounceable, using the four original letters, and having minimal existing associations. The closest conflict found was “American Shell Oil,” which primarily uses “AMSOIL” as its abbreviation.

While I won’t be purchasing a domain, I’ve reserved the readthedocs address for future documentation hosting.

The new logo simply swaps some letters from the original SOMA design:

Acronym Selection

After brainstorming with AI assistance and personal consideration, two potential acronyms stood out:

1. Accelerated Monte-carlo - Soma Optimized (AMSO)

   • Maintains a close connection to SOMA
   • Explains the class of algorithms (Monte Carlo) for a broader audience

2. Assembling Macromolecules - Soft Objects (AMSO)

   • Precisely explains the scientific problem being solved
   • References the “yes, soft matter” slogan and new object-oriented approach

Ultimately, I prefer the first option for its clearer connection to SOMA and broader appeal.

Origin of the SOMA Name

The original SOMA name was chosen for multiple reasons:

1. Team Name: “Soft matters” was our TU Dresden/Nvidia Hackathon team name, highlighting the project’s use of soft, coarse-grained potentials.
2. Scientific Distinction: Emphasized the difference from hard potentials like Lennard-Jones.
3. Social Commentary: Played on challenging toxic masculinity’s emphasis on “hardness”.

The original SOMA logo, designed by Max. M. Schneider, reflected these ideas:

For scientific publication, SOMA became an acronym: SOft coarse grained Monte-Carlo Acceleration. An alternative, recursive acronym was also considered: Soma Offers Monte-Carlo Acceleration, though it wasn’t used in the official publication due to its lack of specificity.

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