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Riot is now Element

(element.io)
550 points J_tt | 7 comments | | HN request time: 0.728s | source | bottom
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badrabbit ◴[] No.23843202[source]
No!!! Of all the names in the world why this. "Hey bro, let's chat on Element" ,not quite a ring to it.

The hardest problem in computer science strikes again!

Matrix,Riot and Libolm are epic projects, I wish them all the success but man, even Riot was a hard sell as a brand. I would seriously be dissapointed if it loses popularity over this. I don't think the project maintainers understand that their core users/fans are waiting for a product they can sell to friends,family and coworkers.

People who don't know tech rely on branding/brand reputation and word of mouth reputation to decide if they are intetested in even trying out a product to begin with.

Which of these is unlike the others?

1) Signal

2) Telegram

3) Element

4) Whatsapp

Hint: The theme is messaging and communication.

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teekert ◴[] No.23843237[source]
Tbh, I don't see any problems with the name? I like it.
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badrabbit ◴[] No.23843292[source]
May I ask if you are a native english user and what country? Perhaps the branding works for EU markets?

Element has nothing to do with messaging. In my example,signal has something to do with communication(signaling),telegram is obvious, whatsapp is what you say when you talk to someone like 'hello'(what is up?). Element sounds like something I hear about in a chemistry class.

It also has to be catchy. At least Riot was catchy even if it made no sense. A brand name is not a mission stateme t, it's marketing material, full stop.

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gregoriol ◴[] No.23843385[source]
Does "whatsapp" sound like messaging? or "Skype"? or "Slack"? or "IRC"?
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1. neutronicus ◴[] No.23843539[source]
WhatsApp sounds like "what's up" - it definitely suggests conversation

The other two are meaningless, but at least monosyllabic - "I'll Skype you," "I'll Slack you," "I'll ... Element you?"

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2. Multicomp ◴[] No.23843759[source]
I plan to use a phrase like 'lets connect on Element'.

Element is a much better name than Riot. Lot less of a hard sell to convert normies.

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3. sushshshsh ◴[] No.23844784[source]
"I'll Riot you" is also a non-sequitur at best
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4. neutronicus ◴[] No.23844852[source]
Yeah, I guess the polysyllable "hop on a Zoom call" has already entered the corporate lexicon, and "hop an an Element call" could just as easily displace it.
5. runarberg ◴[] No.23847330[source]
I’ll zoom you also sounds weird unless you know zoom is a telecommunication app, and it sounded weird until people started using it. “I’ll start an Element call with you” won’t sound weird after people start using it.
6. teekert ◴[] No.23851471[source]
Perhaps less confusing than Signalling someone :)
7. vpzom ◴[] No.23853817[source]
You shouldn't say that anyway, since the protocol is called Matrix