Appstore.. Really?

[Butterman]

why not pandagarage

millions of reasons

 

[Asiyura]

The Box is really awful... I mean it's a term so generic that it doesn't mean anything.
We need something more specific that reflect the fact there are applications available to buy / download.
(Yeah, I'm using the word "application" because my mother tongue is french and in french, we call softwares "applications")

I admit appstore is a bit overused and moreover trademarked by apple.
So, I think the best at the moment are pndshop, getpnd and appwarehouse.

But to be honest, I'll still call it appstore ........ :rolleyes:

 

[laurencevde]

Pandora's Awesome Neat Downloader Of Real Applications

 

[Sphinxter]

So, 'Craig's AppHole', it is.

 

[gthax]

How about : The Drug Store

 

[gruso]

The Box is really awful... I mean it's a term so generic that it doesn't mean anything.

I'm not a fan of it either. To me it sounds like bad marketing aimed at teens (real world examples: The Vine - a youth news site, The Hangout - a youth/community center, The Stuff - a cola drink). I can see the hip/edgy font from here.

I like the idea of a PND reference, but only if the archive won't later be expanded to include Wiz etc (which has been mentioned in the past). Instead of launching into a Pandora or mythology reference right away, we should have a look at what the major players have gone with and why.

• Appstore
• Cydia
• Android Market
• Xbox Live
• Playstation Network
• Steam

"Appstore" doesn't need to be dissected, it's just a logical name that Apple got to first. "Android Market" is a similarly practical choice. Their use of "market" is worth nothing though; it's a softer word than "store" and evokes more of a community feeling as opposed to a retail outlet. XBL just staples a console name to Microsoft's Live brand, not very imaginative but very effective. Sony's PSN is the Android Marketplace of the console world; it came along afterwards, and uses a basic name that doesn't step on any toes.

The only two "creative" names on that list are Cydia and Steam, both of them making use of metaphor. Only insiders know exactly what Steam means, but to an outsider it's an easily palatable name. Cydia is more obscure. It's deliciously clever, but not outsider friendly. A userbase of millions has seen it become part of the vernacular, but to non-jailbroken Joe it still sounds like one of them foreign words.

Weighing all that up, what should be the objective of our appstore's name? Should it be a spin on / alternative to another known brand? A no-frills practical description? Something creative that doesn't baffle newcomers (like Steam) or something creative that does baffle newcomers (like Cydia)? Should it invoke thoughts of retail, or community? Should we just steal the name from Apple? And does it need to be generic enough to cover Wiz, Dingoo etc in the future?

Look at that, a bunch of questions and no bloody answers. Hope this helps.

 

[Kangal]

The Box is really awful...

Weighing all that up, what should be the objective of our appstore's name? Should it be a spin on / alternative to another known brand? A no-frills practical description? Something creative that doesn't baffle newcomers (like Steam) or something creative that does baffle newcomers (like Cydia)? Should it invoke thoughts of retail, or community? Should we just steal the name from Apple? And does it need to be generic enough to cover Wiz, Dingoo etc in the future?

Look at that, a bunch of questions and no bloody answers. Hope this helps.

Agreed.

What is the objective is the real question.

Here's my answers for your questions.

• Generic enough for Wiz etc - Yes
• Baffle newcomers or Not - Not: simple enough for most new-users to understand
• What types of thoughts should it invoke - More Community, less Retail
• No-frills or something with creativity - Creativity
• Unique or Spin off a known brand - Unique

That is my criteria. Its arranged in importance (first is most important, last is least).

I think something that scores the first 3 of the 5 is minimum.
Something that ticks all 5 is perfect. However, remmember this is a subjective decision.
What you find Creative, I may find No-frills.

 

[Patrick R Ludvigsen]

"Download Center/Centre" is fine for me

 

[Gerix]

Someone already suggested a bazaar of some sort, right? Maybe a Pandazaar?

 

[joseluisjazz]

I like "Pandora Bazaar" for the reasons Gruso said.

 

[klikklak]

I have to agree with the genericness, easy to understand bit. People just browse through the page to find what they want so it should 'pop out'. Pandora Bazaar is actually quite good, maybe just Bazaar or open Bazaar if Wiz compatibility is needed. It would have all those neat (for some) Raymond references too. Garage is what Maemo uses and people seem to understand that, even if it's a bit of a leap to find software under 'garage'.

 

[torpor]

The thing about using "The Box" is that its contextually quite simple to remember and communicate to other people .. "we have an app store, its called 'TheBox' and you can go to box.openpandora.com", and so on .. there's no need to tell them how to spell it, its an easy to say word for non-English-speakers and there is very little complexity to the phonetics. My vote goes for the simple, generic, applicable name over "something tricky", anyway .. I don't think it needs to be a 'special' name, because the most special thing about such a service is the service itself ..

 

[zaoin]

I prefer source of fun.

 

[fusion_power]

I like "Pandora Bazaar" for the reasons Gruso said.

"PAZAAR" :lol:

 

[BaDToaD]

I posted "The Appshack" in the other thread.

 

[openthebox]

The thing about using "The Box" is that its contextually quite simple to remember and communicate to other people .. "we have an app store, its called 'TheBox' and you can go to box.openpandora.com", and so on .. there's no need to tell them how to spell it, its an easy to say word for non-English-speakers and there is very little complexity to the phonetics. My vote goes for the simple, generic, applicable name over "something tricky", anyway .. I don't think it needs to be a 'special' name, because the most special thing about such a service is the service itself ..

+1

 

[Butterman]

• Generic enough for Wiz etc - Yes

Wiz forum is ^^ that way

 

[harig074]

If it's names you want.. (sorry about the over usage of pand! Couldn't help it..)

pandopolis
pandominium
pandland
pandacazaam
pandacadabra
pandtry
pots n pnds (or pots and pands)
pandAWE
pandyhose (hee hee)
GREP PANDORA (Great Repository for Pandora)
APP SEASON (Hunt for Apps)
PndHound (Sniff out PNDs)
pandora|more (unix rules)
AppPND (Read APPEND)
what haPND (No relevance, but I like this one)
pandasm (This rhymes with phantasam.. If you thought anything else, you ahem.....)

Let's just say I had a lot of free time
Will post more if I get any new ideas (Hope I don't)

 

[Jourdy288]

Pandopolis... rolls off the tongue easy, I like it!

Also, I stumbled across this, do you think it's of any use?

 

[porg]

To those, who think the name/brand doesn't matter, but only what the thing itself will be:

Cybernatically seen (from a communication/perception POV) you are wrong!
Language shapes consciousness, hence a good linguistic term can help an idea a lot to manifest within a socio reality.
From my practical experiences in project management, I can say that having a good working title can help a lot, as this term will be constantly used for references within a team / community while building up the project. Hence, at some amount, it even contributes to the success/failure of the project per se!

My associations:

getPND : Not a generic enough term. To techy and short sighted. (Acronym of current technology, may be renamed, plenty others may follow)
ThaDSman inquired something Pandora Ancient Greek related ... Maybe: Pagora! (Agora as the place of meeting, trade, exchange)
The Box : Only descriptive in the narrow context. No potential to get a general term.
pBay : Catchy name! But the "p" narrows to the pandora, and ASFAIK the intended "thing" may also include other platforms.

My conclusions and favorite:
I propose something with the prefix "app" as it is already well known, and as "application" is perfectly descriptive!
The second part should emphasise its "not-only retailer" but also "community" attributes.
Somehow it should be possible to imagine as a "virtual place". Terms like: space, site, etc have been suggested! That's my intended direction!
None of the presented terms will catch this second needed word compound perfectly.
"Box" is funny, internationally known, easy to spell, and hence my favorite!


My favorite: AppBox