When I first catalogued pieces alternating between steps of two moves I distinguished heavily between Crooked, Curved, and Switchback ones. There was thus every sense in describing a Rhino as alternating between steps of a Rook move and a Bishop move, a Rhinolf (suffix derived from Wolf) between those of a Rook and Boyscout, a Rhinox (suffix derived from Fox) between those of a Bishop and a Girlscout, and an Ambfinch something else again. Thus definitions were along the lines of "Rook-Bishop alternator", "Rook-Boyscout alternator", et cetera.
Then I reached the decision that a Crooked, Curved, and Switchback alternator really were manifestations of the same piece - a view reinforced by John Savard's use of "Rhinoceros" for the curved version of Peter Aronson's Rhino pieces. At the same time I was starting to feel that the Amb- names were both too highly contrived and not inclusive enough as they covered only alternators between moves wiht SOLL ratios of 2. I had devised one ad hoc name - Yaffle for the one alternating components of the Waffle move - but did not fancy devising any more. Thus I decided to get rid of the Amb- names and simply term them Curved versions of the Crooked pieces - Curved Rhino for Ambfinch, Curved Alpaca for Ambapostle, Curved Quagga for Yaffle, Curved Okapi for previously unnamed piece alternating Ferz and Trebuchet moves, Curved Hippopotamus for the Ambrose from which the other Amb- names were derived, et cetera. Eventually I decided that the likes of Rhinolf and Rhinox were also unnecessary and overcontrived, and replaced them with, for example, Short-Switchback Rhino and Long-Switchback Rhino.
This left one name for each pair of steps or leaps regardless of whether they were stages of a Straight, Crooked, or Curved non-alternator's move. Thus all pieces alternating Wazir moves with Ferz ones are Rhinos, all alternating Ferz with Dabbaba Alpacas, all alternating Wazir with Elephant Quaggas, all alternating Knight with Camel Hippopotamuses, et cetera. As a result I now feel that, for example, "Wazir-Ferz alternator" would be a better definition of a Rhino than "Rook-Bishop alternator". As so many existing definitions currently include the suffix -rider a bonus would be a net shortening of definitions. Can anyone see an objection to this change?
Then I reached the decision that a Crooked, Curved, and Switchback alternator really were manifestations of the same piece - a view reinforced by John Savard's use of "Rhinoceros" for the curved version of Peter Aronson's Rhino pieces. At the same time I was starting to feel that the Amb- names were both too highly contrived and not inclusive enough as they covered only alternators between moves wiht SOLL ratios of 2. I had devised one ad hoc name - Yaffle for the one alternating components of the Waffle move - but did not fancy devising any more. Thus I decided to get rid of the Amb- names and simply term them Curved versions of the Crooked pieces - Curved Rhino for Ambfinch, Curved Alpaca for Ambapostle, Curved Quagga for Yaffle, Curved Okapi for previously unnamed piece alternating Ferz and Trebuchet moves, Curved Hippopotamus for the Ambrose from which the other Amb- names were derived, et cetera. Eventually I decided that the likes of Rhinolf and Rhinox were also unnecessary and overcontrived, and replaced them with, for example, Short-Switchback Rhino and Long-Switchback Rhino.
This left one name for each pair of steps or leaps regardless of whether they were stages of a Straight, Crooked, or Curved non-alternator's move. Thus all pieces alternating Wazir moves with Ferz ones are Rhinos, all alternating Ferz with Dabbaba Alpacas, all alternating Wazir with Elephant Quaggas, all alternating Knight with Camel Hippopotamuses, et cetera. As a result I now feel that, for example, "Wazir-Ferz alternator" would be a better definition of a Rhino than "Rook-Bishop alternator". As so many existing definitions currently include the suffix -rider a bonus would be a net shortening of definitions. Can anyone see an objection to this change?