Posted By Paul Kafasis on November 10th, 2006

After Monday’s article and the enormous amount of feedback we received, I thought we’d switch over to something of a lighter note.

If you purchase our software, in addition to a fabulous sense of euphoria, you’ll receive a license key to unlock the full version with no trial limitations. Each application’s license key has a unique prefix, with a unique meaning behind it. Today we’ll tell you about these meanings.

Audio Hijack
Prefix: IPRT
Meaning: As I once noted, this prefix is a shortened version of Audio Hijack’s code name: iPirate. And as I said way back when, that code name was never intended to be serious – the Audio Hijack products are just lousy pirating tools. The code name was simply an amused reaction to the first reactions some users had when hearing about the software.

Audio Hijack Pro
Prefix: IPRT2
Meaning: This was Audio Hijack Pro’s first prefix, a simple addition to Audio Hijack’s prefix. The interesting thing to note is that this prefix reflects the fact that Audio Hijack Pro originally started out life as an update to Audio Hijack. At some point in the development cycle, we realized we had a whole new application instead.

Detour
Prefix: CFRZ
Meaning: Our now-retired Detour (available free and unsupported for PowerPC users) had what must be our least-relevant prefix. CFRZ was a shortened version of “cheese fries”, a favorite food of the application’s lead developer. Maybe we should have kept this one a secret.

Update (March 26th, 2019): If you’re looking for the per-app audio control once found in Detour, along with a whole lot of additional features, check out SoundSource.

Nicecast
Prefix: NCST
Meaning: Nicecast, meanwhile, has our least interesting prefix. As you’ve likely guessed, this prefix is simply a shortened version of the product’s name: Nicecast.

Audio Hijack Pro 2
Prefix: IPRT3
Meaning: Audio Hijack Pro’s second prefix is just incremented over the first versions. The reason for this is that Audio Hijack Pro was our first (and thus far, only) application where an upgrade fee was charged.

Airfoil
Prefix: SSME
Meaning: Airfoil began a series of humorous prefixes with the SSME prefix, short for “So Sue Me”, the proper pronunciation of the Sosumi system sound found in the Mac OS since System 7 (the fantastic story behind this system sound effect can be found here). We were concerned that Apple might not be pleased with the creation of Airfoil, concerns which proved unfounded.

Airfoil for Windows
Prefix: HLFZ
Meaning: The prefix for Airfoil for Windows is also a joke based around Apple. Specifically, when Apple released iTunes for Windows in October of 2003, their web site declared “Hell froze over”. We borrowed that line for use in Airfoil for Window’s prefix, in addition to parodying the screenshot and headline in our news item for the product release.

Fission
Prefix: KRBA
Meaning: Fission’s prefix relates to its name, icon, and secret About Box. While some have speculated that Fission’s name relates to binary fission used by prokaryotes for cell division (hey, our name is Rogue Amoeba), our focus has been on nuclear fission. KRBA stands for Krypton and Barium, the two elements produced when fission occurs.

Here, in stunning high-definition, is a log of the exact conversation that led to Fission’s prefix:

(Note: The original idea was U235, which was rejected.)
Paul: Could be URAN
Quentin: What kinda particles you get when you smash atoms together?
Mike: Actually, you didn’t reject it
Quentin: You get spare alpha particles or some such?
Quentin: It’s been rejected now =)
Mike: We can pick from a typical reaction
Mike: Like, UBK2
Paul: no numbers
Mike: U-235 splits into barium, krypton, and 2 neutrons
Mike: UBKN, then
Quentin: That’s pretty subtle
Paul: Barium is Ba though
Mike: And krypton is Kr, I’m abbreviating more heavily
Paul: Yeah
Mike: UPuTh, for the three big fissionable elements
Paul: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Nuclear_fission.svg
Paul: There’s your secret about box
Mike: Ah yes
Mike: Except multiplied by a million
Paul: How about just BAKR
Quentin: Too dog-like
Mike: KRBA
Paul: I like it
Paul: Gonna be time for a UTM post explaining all those soon

And so, here we are. Join us next time when we explain some other obscure piece of Rogue Amoeba trivia!