I believe it's named after a guy who likely influenced the direction of the macOS UI such that this app's development was necessitated in the first place.
My understanding it's a reference to Steve Coogan, who played Alan Partridge, who in one episode sees a friend called Dan, and starts shouting his name, but Dan doesn't react. Alan proceeds shouting: Dan! Dan! DAN! and eventually gives up. This scene was later parodied in a BBC programme about animals, where one animal shouts Alan! Alan! ALAN! and then realises the name's wrong: STEVE!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Border Is a pretty famous cricketer.
That was my first thought too! but then realised Allan Border has a double L, while the app's name is "Alan"
In reading more from this guy's blog, he also wrote a game called "Steve".
https://stevethegame.com/
Has he also written a Dan?
I believe it's named after a guy who likely influenced the direction of the macOS UI such that this app's development was necessitated in the first place.
Maybe derived from “a line”?
As an Aussie, I assumed it was a reference to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Border
My understanding it's a reference to Steve Coogan, who played Alan Partridge, who in one episode sees a friend called Dan, and starts shouting his name, but Dan doesn't react. Alan proceeds shouting: Dan! Dan! DAN! and eventually gives up. This scene was later parodied in a BBC programme about animals, where one animal shouts Alan! Alan! ALAN! and then realises the name's wrong: STEVE!