About the Knowledge Base

Question

Why was The Knowledge Base originally called Hermes?

• Why was it called Hermes?
• What's the Knowledge Base?

Answer

Hermes was the project name of our open IT Knowledge Base, which combines IS&T answers to common IT questions along with informal contributions of technical and contextual information on a variety of topics from IS&T staff and other IT experts in the MIT community.

The name Hermes was chosen based on MIT's affinity for Greek mythology names for IT projects and services, and the role of Hermes the mythological character in Greek mythology:

Hermes, in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them.... As a translator, Hermes is a messenger from the gods to humans. (See also Hermes)

Just as its namesake, the goal of the Knowledge Base is to ease the crossing of the boundaries between internal and public IT knowledge, supported and unsupported services and activities, and the often artificial boundary between contributions from inside and outside of IT.

The name Hermes has since been retired and it is now simply called The Knowledge Base.

See also

• How do I become a contributor to the Knowledge Base?