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The current name of the site - "Ask Different" doesn't make sense for most of people except of some people who remember history of Apple campaigns.

When I first time have seen the reference to the site, I decided, that it's like miscelenious, and didn't understand, why apple related questions do not have designated site. I've spend  an hour finding and reading different discussions about how/why the name was chosen( including  Official Site Title, Domain name suggestions, Write an Elevator Pitch / Tagline )

They didn't convinced me that the name is obvious for most of users.

On http://stackexchange.com/sites page most site names are self- explanatory, except of Ask Different ( and StackOverflow itself). It shows just "Ask Different" and a meaningless for me sign. User has to select the box to see subtitle, explaining what the site is about.

There is currently no explanation of the name on https://apple.stackexchange.com/about neither on https://apple.stackexchange.com/faq.

 (Can the  explanation be added, if rename of the site will be postponed/ not implemented?)

I am fully agree with reasons  described in

Ask Different, really? Surely Ask Apple, why the current name is incorrect.

However the suggested name "Ask Apple" was not good, because the site does not a support from Apple company.

I am suggesting  to rename the site  as "Apple User " (similar to Super User). I understand that it's sounds like a major change, but re-branding often a good thing. It was wise to leave URL unchanged, when change of the name was done.Please change name of site from "Apple" to "Ask Different".

When voting for my suggestion, please consider that the name should be meaningful for thousands of new users, not only for people, who familiar with the current site and Apple history.

Name is confusing for NEW members, for people, who do search or wants to ask the first Apple related question and don't know, that Apple related site exist. I agree, that once I learn the purpose of the site, i can accept the name. But this learning exercise for every new person could be easily avoided just by having more intuitive name.

My suggestion is to folow KISS principle, avoid extra step of translation (in particular for new users) that Different means Apple.

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    You've been a member of the site for five days, you haven't asked or answered a single question on the site, and you're proposing renaming it? A proposal to rename "Ask Different" might be appropriate someday, but the proposal and name need to come from the community. I'd invite you to participate in the community for a while, and then revisit the question of how the name is working out.
    – Daniel Mod
    Jun 24, 2012 at 14:54
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    There is a clear explanation of what the site is for virtually everywhere the name is shown. In the logo, which is on every page in the site, Ask Different is followed by 'Answers for your Apple questions'. The very first line of the About page describes the site as 'Q&A for power users of Apple hardware and software.' That description is also shown on the SE sites page. Since the topic of this site is abundantly obvious from those descriptions and the site's content itself, I believe that having a unique, memorable name is more important than having an obvious, forgettable one.
    – Nathan Greenstein
    Jun 24, 2012 at 16:30
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    (cont.) It doesn't matter if everyone remembers the Think Different campaign; it just matters that they understand what the site is for, which they will (see above). It does matter that they remember our site specifically, and a unique name helps with that. Plus, 'Ask Different' will be a nice nod to the old pros who have been Apple users for a long time. I really don't see the downside of the current name.
    – Nathan Greenstein
    Jun 24, 2012 at 16:33
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    I have more problems with the strap line that the name. This place is most definitely not just a place for power users, there are heap plenty off the street Joe Bloggs who ask the most basic of questions with incessant regularity. Besides, how can an iPod have a "Power User"?
    – stuffe
    Jun 24, 2012 at 17:53
  • @stuffe Jailbreakers ;). Daniel: Nathan: Surely those should have been answers.
    – Jason Salaz
    Jun 24, 2012 at 19:49
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    @DanielLawson, I am a member of the site for 5 days, and it's my main point. Name is confusing for NEW members, for people, who do search or wants to ask the first Apple related question and don't know, that Apple related site exist. I agree, that once I learn the purpose of the site, i can accept the name. But this learning exercise for every new person could be easily avoided just by having more intuitive name.
    – Michael Freidgeim
    Jun 24, 2012 at 21:30
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    @NathanGreenstein, stackexchange.com/sites shows just "Ask Different" and sign, that is meaningless for me. I have to select the box to see subtitle. My suggestion is to KISS, avoid extra step of translation, that Different means Apple
    – Michael Freidgeim
    Jun 24, 2012 at 21:38
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    Just as a side note, I didn't get the Think Different joke until many months after I joined the Ask Different community. When I found Ask Different, it was not hard to know that it was about Apple products. There was no confusion as to what the topic of the site was for me.
    – daviesgeek
    Jul 6, 2012 at 17:04
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    @MichaelFreidgeim Not anymore. i.imgur.com/JXgnk.png
    – daviesgeek
    Jul 6, 2012 at 17:09
  • No more obtuse than "SuperUser" (this isn't common language for regular computers users) or "ServerFault" (why would I associate that with asking questions about server administration) or "StackOverflow" (again, not straightforward that it's a site for programming questions). The meta-data guides search results sufficiently well, I don't think we need to muck with the name. But maybe drop the "power users" from the byline.
    – Ian C.
    Mar 11, 2013 at 18:47
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    @IanC. You can guess from the name that Super User is for power users and Server Fault should be fixed by system and network administrators. StackOverflow has become a recognizable name, and is not associated with particular program error.The site is known because it's useful, not because it has the StackOverflow name, that some people consider non-boring and catchy. You can't quess why Different means Apple without knowing particular slogan
    – Michael Freidgeim
    Mar 11, 2013 at 20:31
  • @MichaelFreidgeim I think you're applying 20/20 hindsight vision when you call them "guessable". I'll argue they're not guessable until you've explored the sites to understand their charters. Similar to Ask Different.
    – Ian C.
    Mar 11, 2013 at 22:17
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    It's a good point. It's an example of not being friendly to new users.
    – historystamp
    Jan 26, 2019 at 18:46

4 Answers 4

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I wanted to step in and just say "Hi" and thanks for making a suggestion. I've read your post three times and I don't know what to make of it.

Mostly - it's "I don't like the name since it made my experience here bad at first".

Setting aside the mechanics of the branding as an idea gets implemented all across the site in hundreds of places (which would affect how a change once there were consensus might take place) and the legal trademark issues (that would likely quash your request outright even if everyone wanted this change) that make it hard to name a large site Apple whatever in relation to the company.

I'm missing the details from your journey and scratching my head how the current name was bad for your experience. (or a different name would make it better).

We get new users three ways by far:

  1. They have a problem and google it - the search engines work marvelously to index this site.
  2. Someone posts a link to twitter, facebook, a blog that provides all the context needed to know this place is for Apple questions.
  3. Serendipity in clicking a link from the Main

All of them see this:

Ask Different home page

Based on the problems I see helping new users get used to the site, I would say we already have problems where people find the site and come here for "HELP! My [iPhone contacts are gone|Mac won't boot|iCloud is storming], what now, HELP FAST PLEASE?" type user support questions that are more about triage / troubleshooting / consumer education. We're shooting for a bit more than a site of "here's the support article covering your situation" so making it both easy to join and having enough support to educate is a hard thing to make "one size fits all".

If you changed that big "Ask Different" to "Apple", my inclination would be to think we would have more confusion about what the site's goals and focus. The name we have says, this isn't Apple Support Communities but instead literally something different.

Having been around stack exchange a bit - the site overall (and our little corner of it) is moving away from the internal use of Apple (despite the URL remaining) and towards the Ask Different name and branding. I'm not saying this is right for everyone, just be aware that the momentum currently is towards more "Ask Different" and branding of sites with made up names that is both a homophone and a clever play on letters.

So - back to your suggestion to rename the site. Would you perhaps add an answer here explaining some more of what you were trying to do and how a name change would help? It's clearly a suggestion that goes against the grain, but let's bang it around and see if the plusses could outweigh the negatives. I'd love to hear criticism of the new user process in the event we can shape things or make it easier to get new users to ask great questions or benefit the most from the content here - no matter how we get there. Oh - be ready to get lots of votes up and down, but they don't affect your reputation on the main site so do expect people to vote down questions and answers that they disagree with. (Meta is a bit different in this manner and scope than the main site)

As it stands, I appreciate the benefits that having a name/brand distinct from Apple bring to the site and the community.

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I apologize for continuing to stir the pot (... kind of), but here's why I figure that the suggestion of the new name is silly:

Programming User
Admin User
Super User
Android User
Apple User
Parent User (User Parenting?)
Math User
Database User
Game Player
Ubuntu User
English Speaker
Wordpress User

That's pretty much what I feel the chain of logic being employed here, is, and it's really nonsensical. Not to even mention that the name Super User doesn't come from etymology similar to "Power User", the name Super User comes from the unix command su which escalates your privileges to root, the "super user" of the system.

The name Super User was a cute play on words that iconifies talented (unix) system administrators. I'm sure there are plenty of Windows users, admins, etc., in the world that miss the point of the joke ENTIRELY, but that's ok. Windows questions to the extent their FAQ describes are still completely on-topic and relevant for Super User.

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    I don't worry much if suggested name "Apple User" will be changed to something else, if it would be a word Apple in the name. What's about "Ask about Apple"?
    – Michael Freidgeim
    Jun 25, 2012 at 12:19
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    In addition to the comment I just left on Nathan's answer which applies here as well, why should we switch to a direct (yes) but boring and forgettable (so much yes) name? Frankly, hearing people reference learning about something on "Ask Different" just feels better than hearing "I learned on Ask About Apple that you can create a [...]". Compare: "I learned on Ask Different that you can create a [...]". Apple has their name for their community forums, Apple Discussions. I feel we should avoid the word 'Apple' for this and many other reasons.
    – Jason Salaz
    Jun 25, 2012 at 21:36
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    @R.M. "Apple questions" will be good.
    – Michael Freidgeim
    Jul 3, 2012 at 21:50
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    Super User may be a play on su but as I don't view MacUser as nonsensical or silly, I can't view Apple User as nonsensical or silly.
    – Graham Perrin
    Jul 30, 2012 at 12:14
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Horrible. Respectfully, I can't get past horrible as a descriptive word. Why?

First the argument. Ask Different is a bad name because new users... If someone is a new user, they found this board (just like you did). There are affiliated with the board (just like you are). What about renaming the board improves the experience for people that are already here? If the board name was suddenly changed to "rubber baby buggy bumpers," how would that effect people being able to use it, do things on it, ask questions, and get answers?

Next, what's in a name? If we use the word Apple in our title WE WILL BE SUED! Imagine, someone calls Apple and says, "look, I tried the remedy on that board of yours, Ask Apple, and it didn't work..." How many seconds do you think it would be before an attorney had the place shut down? If ANYONE confused this boards ownership as Apple's that would be trademark infringement.

Last, a new name. Okay, "Ask Newton?" Oh wait, that doesn't make it clear that this is an Apple board and not a physics board. "Ask Granny Smith?" Then you just have to know that Granny Smith is a stand in for Apple, instead of it being an exchange about the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Kind of like you have to know that Ask Different is a play on Think Different. Look, you are attacking a lot of peoples interest with a VERY bad idea. Just consider it.

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    Why would we be sued? There is appleinsider.com
    – mmmmmm
    Mar 10, 2013 at 21:00
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    1. If the board name was suddenly changed to "rubber baby buggy bumpers," it will be bad. If it will be changed to "Apple user", it will reflect the content, which is a very good thing. 2. "If we use the word Apple in our title WE WILL BE SUED!" is a myth. E.g. I don't think that ACT Apple User Group actapple.org.au was sued for the name. Does anyone from SE tried to contact Apple to find a name that descriptive and acceptable by their lawyers? Note that URL of the site still have an apple inside.
    – Michael Freidgeim
    Mar 10, 2013 at 21:32
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    3.your suggestions about "Newton" "Granny Smith" are funny, but more relevant to the current name. Don't play on the associations, that are not obvious for many people. Remember that many Apple users do not have English as native language
    – Michael Freidgeim
    Mar 10, 2013 at 21:34
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Just a thought, as I do agree that "Ask Different" continues to become more and more obsolescent.

Years ago, I had a consulting company was called "...and Oranges, LLC". Kept me out of trouble with Apple, but people knew what I did, that's for sure.

I'd gladly had over the trademark if people wanted to use it here. :)

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    Like you say, 'people know what it does'. Changing a well-established name now makes less sense than 6 years ago, even for people with no clue as to the history of the phrase.
    – Tetsujin
    Dec 19, 2018 at 11:48
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    Yeah. This answer was mean as more toung-in-cheek support for keeping it than anything else. And really there's definitely something to be said for sparking that curiosity in those who want to learn.
    – Geoff Nixon
    Dec 19, 2018 at 13:05
  • Nice. Is your LLC Apples plural or singular?
    – bmike Mod
    Dec 22, 2018 at 15:18
  • No, actually, the name was, literally, "AND ORANGES LLC" (as registered, I used the ellipsis in marketing). But the point was to avoid any trademark infringement, but still to imply the focus on Apple. So, neither. ;)
    – Geoff Nixon
    Dec 22, 2018 at 15:24

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