7 ms·
This looks like an interesting project but has a poor name choice. If it's targeted at non technical users, it may actually prevent them from using it, out of f
by cdnsteve 10y ago
This looks like an interesting project but has a poor name choice. If it's targeted at non technical users, it may actually prevent them from using it, out of fear that just using it is illegal.
- mrmondo 10y agoYeah was thinking this too, as a techie I like it, but to the general user or business it screams IM DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL! Question: what's the memory usage like A) at idle, B) after some using and left running for a day or two?
- henryboldi 10y agoIt's not targeted at entirely non technical users. That's why it's on Hacker News ;)
- menzoic 10y ago"Felony is the first PGP app that's easy for anyone to use" How about calling it "Freedom"
- henryboldi 10y agoWow, I like this a lot!
- saidajigumi 10y agoI agree that Freedom is a nice choice, but "Freedom" is already in use by a somewhat well-known website/social media blocker (as in "freedom from all those distractions"): https://freedom.to/ https://freedom.to/ Still, other suggestions are coming up in this thread that may be of use. I really like the idea of a name that, for a non-technical user, cab be a lead in to answering "why do I want this app? what does it do for me?"
- x1798DE 10y agoI would consider naming it something other than a common English phrase, honestly. I know it's the big trend these days, but it's making things incredibly hard to search for. Try searching for the messaging service "matrix" and the matrix client "vector". Insane amount of namespace collision there. Best to go with something like Freechain or something so at least people can search for it.
- mortenjorck 10y ago"Freechain" is great. It passes the cognate test (sounds like "keychain," which it is), and the "free" part gives it the multiple meanings of both FOSS and freedom from surveillance. Euphony is pretty high, and it looks fairly low-noise on Google, too.
- e12e 10y agoAnd chain even retains some connotations to "felon" ... ;-) Seriously, though, "freechain" strikes a nice balance between being a new term, and hinting at what the use-case is.
- Fenntrek 10y agoChucking my naming idea, call it rights. Everybody wants rights and nobody sane is against having rights when rights means their right the free speech, their right to a fair trial etc.
- anotheryou 10y agogood idea!
- zouhair 10y agoJust change the name man. Just today two of my non tech savvy friends refused to use it, they were scared by the name.
- sixothree 10y agoHow about "Constitution".
- bwghughes 10y agoI think folks should chill on the name. It's just a word which makes it stand out as a product. Good job !!
- rimantas 10y agoIt is also bad PR. And encryption now needs more good PR than ever.
- Esau 10y agoI disagree. Associating cryptography to a criminal term is not wise.
- imron 10y agoExactly. How many future whistleblowers would consider using a tool named 'felony'. I'm guessing exactly zero.
- madgar 10y ago"It's just a word which makes it stand out as a product" So you think calling a product "nigger" is a good idea? It's just a word and it would certainly stand out. (Before responding directly to my comment, please consider that I'm criticizing your logic, and don't actually want anyone to create a product with a hateful name)
- jameskegel 10y agoThat is a needlessly crass example. I get your point, but that's not the best way you could have made it.
- madgar 10y agoI disagree. If someone has deactivated their own humanity enough to say "It's just a word" then they probably need a shocking reminder of the power of words. Making an abstract argument about words won't move the needle for a wet robot.
- vog 10y agoSee also the other discussion thread on that topic: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12030492 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12030492
- slacka 10y agoHow about "The Fourth"? The name denotes privacy and won't scare off people by sounding illegal.
- iheartmemcache 10y agoI immediately know what you mean since I was born and raised in the US, but most people will be left scratching their heads unless they're really well versed in the historical legislation of other countries. (I consider myself fairly well versed in international relations, but if someone made an app referring to a specific UK Act of Parliament I'd be confused.) But I agree, Felony isn't the best name.
- tokenizerrr 10y agoIt would make me unwilling to use it, due to being clearly pro-American. While it's the american government that is most likely to be spying on me. Awful name, felony is better. I'm not an American, by the way.
- tripzilch 10y agoI'm sorry but as a non-US person it's been made very clear to me that I have zero rights, zero laws to depend on and zero expectations of privacy. Calling it "the fourth" is like rubbing that in my face, leaving a rather bad taste.
- tommis 10y agoFeline - everyone loves cats
- userbinator 10y agoMeanwhile, a large percentage of the population is quite happy to play a game named Grand Theft Auto...
- danso 10y agoBut that's a video game that purports to celebrate grand theft auto (among other lawlessness). Is the OP's purpose to simulate the commission of a felony? Because those who believe in encryption for everyone believe that encrypted chat should not be a felony.
- crucialfelix 10y agoM.Y.O.B. - Mind Your Own Business
- esafwan 10y agoI think in era of state being the public enemy names like this has a political purpose. :)
- tripzilch 10y agoThen call it "Rightstarter" :)