Software-y-Ddraig
(Dragon Software)

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The name 'Software-y-Ddraig' in the Welsh tongue means 'Software of the Dragon' or 'Dragon Software'. I've lived in Wales (part of the United Kingdom) for around 20 years, but I was English born and cannot speak more than a few words of the Welsh language, so I hope that any Welsh speakers who discover this site will not mind too much if  I have combined English and Welsh in a clumsy way. I did not want the name to be too much of a tongue-twister for non Welsh speakers.

The Welsh double D consonant is pronounced very much like a soft th as in weather. The ai vowel pair is pronounced much like the y in dry. If that's all too much, you can just call us "Dragon Software" and we'll be very happy with that.

Our name and logo, a splendid red dragon, were chosen because of several coincidental connections with dragons:

• Draco (used in the logo) is my pet dragon. He is a 12" tall model, hand cast and hand painted. I acquired him many years ago at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells, from the artist. He has adorned my mantelpiece ever since and now takes pride of place on the Software-y-Ddraig web site and in all our products. Draco is something unique and personal to me and was a very convenient model for our logo.
• The Welsh flag comprises a background of white and green overlaid by a rampant red dragon. Software-y-Ddraig is located in Wales UK and I wanted a local flavour, so we adopted the Welsh dragon idea.
• My family name, Long, is the name of a mythical Chinese dragon.
• On the Chinese theme, I was born in 1964, the Chinese year of the dragon.

I think you can understand why I've ended up with a dragon as my mascot and how Dragon Software, Software-y-Ddraig was created.

Tim Long (Software-y-Ddraig founder and software architect)
December 2004