Should they really be called "Solar Panels"?

[99jeeptj]

I was sitting here on my computer when I thought about this. The Solar panels in the game are actually mis-named, and this is actually relating to the actual Gigantor XL Solar Array. Because you see they are not Solar Arrays or Solar Panels.

The name SOLAR is derived from the name of the source that gives the panels power, our Sun. Much like the Moon is called Luna, and its objects are Lunar (Lunar Excursion Module) our Sun, or Sol, has its objects named Solar. In the game, the Sun isn't the Sol. Its Kerbol. So shouldn't the panel be named a "Gigantor XL Bolar Array"? Or "Kerbolar Array". I know it's a small detail and even a mouthful, but it's more accurate.

Just sayin.

[Johnno]

As far as I'm aware Kerbol is a fanmade reference, ingame the sun is named sun.

Stuff are named as they are so there won't be confusion, if you continue your argument nothing should be named in english as kerbals don't speak english...

[Brotoro]

Photovoltaic panels.

[Superfluous J]

Solar panels shouldn't be named as such here. They work with any light, as anybody who had a solar calculator in the 70s and 80s knew. We didn't call them "flourescental calculators" just because we were inside.

[ShooManFu]

I still call it all witch craft.....

[Monger]

As far as I'm aware Kerbol is a fanmade reference, ingame the sun is named sun.

So is "Mun", and SQUAD adopted the name. I was pretty sure that the Sun is actually named "Kerbol" in-game, need to look that up when I'm home...

[nhnifong]

Kerbol is not the name used or preferred by squad, but hey I like it

Troubling thing is, there's only so many endings you can put on "kerb" to make it sound like an english adjective, and Kerbal is already taken to describe the beings of Kerbin, and their Space Program.

It would have to be something else:

kerbish panels

kerbly panels

kerbadelic panels

kerban panels

kerbolic panels

kerboid panels

[Superfluous J]

I'm actually not a fan of "Kerbol." It looks too much like "Kerbal" to me.

Personally I prefer Sun. Maybe with implied umlauts, like Mun.

[Starwhip]

Could be pronounced Soon. Or it could be called the Suun.

[Whirligig Girl]

The Sun or Sol, or the Sun or Kerbol. I wonder why anyone says it's the Kerbol system, it's the Kerbolar system. I don't think they are referred to as solar panels, I think they are just called photo-voltaic panels.

[Garek]

Could be pronounced Soon. Or it could be called the Suun.

Then, if you crash into it, it would be "too soon"

Also, how would you pronounce "Suun"?

[Sirrobert]

So is "Mun", and SQUAD adopted the name. I was pretty sure that the Sun is actually named "Kerbol" in-game, need to look that up when I'm home...

I always thought Mun is the name Squad gave it, and some people adopted the variation Mün, which makes it sound exactly like moon

[Ferrit]

Much like the Moon is called Luna, and its objects are Lunar (Lunar Excursion Module) our Sun, or Sol, has its objects named Solar.

Tiny point of pedantry, the Moon's correct name according to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) (who are the recognised people who name things outside of Earth) is... the Moon. The 'the' is important but still a very dull name.

Likewise the Sun is the Sun, not Sol. Heck, the Milky Way is correctly called the Galaxy! So very, very dull names...

Article here which includes linkage to the IAU:

http://www.fromquarkstoquasars.com/the-moons-real-name-and-others-too/

[mach1]

Photovoltaic panels.

not true. by the same logic of the starting post Photovoltaic derives from the greek photos ( light ) and voltaic from volt wich derives from Alessandro Volta who realized the first battery.

as we all can imagine on Kerbin greek never existed and Alessandro Volta was never born. so the word photovoltaic cant' be used :D

we should use the kerbin language wich is backward spanish so we should call them " seralos selenap" :D

Edited November 20, 2013 by mach1

[GROOV3ST3R]

Photovoltaic panels.

+1 to That ^^

[Wallace]

So is "Mun", and SQUAD adopted the name. I was pretty sure that the Sun is actually named "Kerbol" in-game, need to look that up when I'm home...

Nope, if you tab to the sun, it says Sun. Also part description for the small panels refer to 'sun-tracking'.

I personally think Kerbol is a terrible name, it's too close to Kerbal, and I think making up every name just by adding a K or Ker on the front of things is lazy and lame. You may as well put a Kerpsule on your Kocket, in the Kehicle Kersembly Kuilding, Kignite the Kengines, Klaunch into Kerbit, Klot a Kerjectory to another Kernet, enter the Kermosphere, Kerploy the Kerbachutes and Klanding Kergs, Klutch Klown on the Klerface, and then plant a Klag.

[Kilmeister]

Marklar?

10char

[Smidge204]

Photovoltaic panels.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

=Smidge=

[DisarmingBaton5]

Photovoltaics.

[Danish_Savage]

The Sun or Sol, or the Sun or Kerbol. I wonder why anyone says it's the Kerbol system, it's the Kerbolar system. I don't think they are referred to as solar panels, I think they are just called photo-voltaic panels.

And we have a winner

[Trux]

not true. by the same logic of the starting post Photovoltaic derives from the greek photos ( light ) and voltaic from volt wich derives from Alessandro Volta who realized the first battery.

as we all can imagine on Kerbin greek never existed and Alessandro Volta was never born. so the word photovoltaic cant' be used :D

we should use the kerbin language wich is backward spanish so we should call them " seralos selenap" :D

And by the same logic all of the text in the game should be unrecognizable to us as Kerbals do not understand English, but that isn't the case because this is a game for humans. Call them what you like.

[Sapphire]

Could be pronounced Soon. Or it could be called the Suun.

I like this. Soonâ„¢.

[csiler2]

The Sun or Sol, or the Sun or Kerbol. I wonder why anyone says it's the Kerbol system, it's the Kerbolar system. I don't think they are referred to as solar panels, I think they are just called photo-voltaic panels.

Not necessarily. Alpha Centauri is the Alpha Centauri system, not the Alpha Centauriar system. Just look at wikipedia's list of the closest star systems. Sol is unique in that we call it the Solar system, not the Sol system, which is more technically correct.

[mach1]

And by the same logic all of the text in the game should be unrecognizable to us as Kerbals do not understand English, but that isn't the case because this is a game for humans. Call them what you like.

that was exactly my point

[jsfalconero]

I don't know, man, I've clearly seen at least one rocket with English words written on the side, "Mun or Bust!"

On the other hand, there's likely a mod out there that changes everything into unintelligible jibberish -for, you know, realism or something...