Advisory Vote on Re-Naming the "Nation"

[bongo_x]

banish the unicorn.

1. It's just plain silly. Unless you're a 10 year old girl.
2. VERY dated, that's why MOTU is embarrassed by it and is trying to distance themselves from it. It's hard to take anything seriously with the word unicorn in it. There's a shop in Tucson called Rainbow Guitars. I bet they wish they had chosen a different name now.
3. If MOTU drops it then it means nothing. It will just confuse people, and probably already does. I bet most people (who aren't hardcore MOTU fans) wouldn't know what MOTU stands for. ESPN doesn't mean "entertainment and sports programming network" anymore, because they say it doesn't.
4. unicornation is a really awkward name, doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.
5. My wife likes to tease me, saying "are you reading about unicorns again?" or "are you looking at your unicorn club page?".

It seems like some people are very enamored of the cliquish aspect of DP and Unicornation. In that case, I'm sure the unicorn thing helps keep people away.

That's obviously just my opinion, but I also thing Digital Performer is not a great name. I'm sure it made sense at the time, but now no one even knows what Performer is, so the distinction of "Digital" Performer doesn't meant anything to most people. Someone younger does not look at it as the audio version of Performer (which also made sense a long time ago since it played MIDI performances). They think of it just as a product with a weird name, like Mark of the Unicorn. Who the hell is Mark? Of course it's digital, what else would it be? And performer? How about "Byte Dancer" or something completely 80's?

You end up just saying "DP" because the name is so awkward, but if people don't know what it is they just look at you weird.

All the bad naming just helps make MOTU look like a small market company stuck in the past. MOTU is a fine word by itself, even if it doesn't mean anything.

bb

[monkey man]

The uniqueness of the name is what makes it memorable.
I for one was always intrigued and curious upon hearing it; I may not even be a Unicorn today otherwise.

If one watches international motor racing much at all, one would no doubt have seen the MOTUL signs that most often adorn the typical semi-circular track bridges we see.
Folks have come here and said "MOTO" on many occasions.
The name means nothing to most, isn't catchy, clever or memorable, and IMHO disappears into the plethora of acronyms mostly driven by tech developments that dominate the business landscape today.

If folks laugh at your company name, at least that's an emotional response, something that more-or-less guarantees the experience will not be forgotten.
Heck, if you chop the corner off your business card, use different language, dress differently (even colour choices), or do or say anything out of the ordinary, folks remember it!
This is so blindingly obvious, I can't for the life of me understand why any company would want to dumb-down and make run-of-the-mill something that's unique.
How many companies rebrand every day simply to try to gain some of that "memorability" MOTU already has (had?)?

BTW, the MonkeyLabs•„• devices' trend poojections are currently being bucked as DP just gained a percent.
This is easily explained - my arguments have proved more convincing than the MonkeyLabs•„• Compoonation Poomangelator's•„• Compoonation module gave them credit for.

[bradswan]

I'm confused, doesn't MOTU stand for Mark of the Unicorn?
So if the Unicorn is banished is it no longer an acronym?

[monkey man]

Good point bradswan, and that would make the name even more meaningless.

IMHO, if there's one thing that's being lost these days at a rate of knots that matters more than most realise, it's... meaning.
Context, if you will.

[kassonica]

The uniqueness of the name is what makes it memorable.
I for one was always intrigued and curious upon hearing it; I may not even be a Unicorn today otherwise.

If one watches international motor racing much at all, one would no doubt have seen the MOTUL signs that most often adorn the typical semi-circular track bridges we see.
Folks have come here and said "MOTO" on many occasions.
The name means nothing to most, isn't catchy, clever or memorable, and IMHO disappears into the plethora of acronyms mostly driven by tech developments that dominate the business landscape today.

If folks laugh at your company name, at least that's an emotional response, something that more-or-less guarantees the experience will not be forgotten.
Heck, if you chop the corner off your business card, use different language, dress differently (even colour choices), or do or say anything out of the ordinary, folks remember it!
This is so blindingly obvious, I can't for the life of me understand why any company would want to dumb-down and make run-of-the-mill something that's unique.
How many companies rebrand every day simply to try to gain some of that "memorability" MOTU already has (had?)?

BTW, the MonkeyLabs•„• devices' trend poojections are currently being bucked as DP just gained a percent.
This is easily explained - my arguments have proved more convincing than the MonkeyLabs•„• Compoonation Poomangelator's•„• Compoonation module gave them credit for.

Big ditto to this Nicky.

Although i must say that the young/new user in there 20's may have a point with the name 'digital performer' but it's still revelant and the key word really is performer.

The word Unicorn I love for it is abstract and mythical qualitys all at the same time if you get the/my point.

[monkey man]

I think I do Mark: It's... aspirational.

[bOing]

banish the unicorn.
1. It's just plain silly. Unless you're a 10 year old girl.

Them's fightin' words! I think we all here look at this symbolism through adult eyes, not through those hypnotized by myth and fantasy.

2. VERY dated, that's why MOTU is embarrassed by it and is trying to distance themselves from it. It's hard to take anything seriously with the word unicorn in it.

The company still exists today and continues to grow because people have taken the MOTU name and logo seriously.

3. If MOTU drops it then it means nothing. It will just confuse people, and probably already does.

In fact the "U" in MOTU would be confusing without the unicorn. However, "Mark On The Underwear" or "Mobsters Of The Underworld" works pretty good too.

5. My wife likes to tease me, saying "are you reading about unicorns again?" or "are you looking at your unicorn club page?".

If you learn not to give in to peer pressure, can we keep the name?

It seems like some people are very enamored of the cliquish aspect of DP and Unicornation.

Or of Christianity, Republicanism, Poker, Dungeons and Dragons, Ferraris, or their local hockey team (insert b-ball if your not Canadian).

You end up just saying "DP" because the name is so awkward, but if people don't know what it is they just look at you weird.

We all abreviate. That's why we - and even MOTU refer to it as "DP". Nuendo - now that's a stupid name.

All the bad naming just helps make MOTU look like a small market company stuck in the past.

Is that why DP was rated the #1 DAW on a recent online poll? It's a good thing that all five of us came out to vote.

---------

Not ragging on your opinions, Bongo, but I needed some mental exercise in weeding through rhetoric to look for the grains of truth. I feel your response is more emotional than rational. Like I said, that Unicorn was there side by side with the MOTU name as it became a major player in the audio industry. That's nothing to be ashamed of, IMO.

It's true that about every 10 years a corporation will "refresh" its logo and perhaps revisit aspects of its identity which may no longer pertain to modern enterprise, but the unicorn has an association with mystery, magic and rarity, which is something that I don't mind being associated with at any age.

Peace B. Thanks for the morning stretch.

[kassonica]

Mmm 'PRO' tools there's a dumb name

[monkey man]

Yikes! My arguments are continuing to prove convincing:
UN's gained another 1% and stolen it from MOTUNATION.COM, no less!

What? My arguments have nothing to do with it?
Wow. The lessons I learn here never cease to amaze me; I've always thought that the world revolved around me - the Monkeycentric theory, I believe it's known as.
S'pose I'd better hold a gas sale; there's gonna be a whole lot released in a moment...
Initiating deflation sequence...

Crikey! I just checked the poll and UN's lost the gain.
Deflating...

[Shooshie]

On the other hand, let's just be glad the name isn't Mark Of The HOrned Pony. (MOTHOP)



As I've said before, I've always liked the name and would be happy letting things be as they are, but I must agree with Bongo that the Unicorn is dated. Plain old MOTU is nice, too. Either way will be fine.

Now, if I were asked, I'd change the name of Digital Performer itself. I have a hard time pronouncing it. "DP" to me means "Done Pronouncin'" as in "I'm done pronouncin' Digital Performer, and will call it DP instead." Saying Digital Performer to a group of people who don't know what you're talking about is an exercise in concentration as my mouth feels like I'm chewing marbles. Meanwhile, Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Acid, and Vision all have a nice trochaic 2-footer. Maybe we should officially rename DP as "DeeP" which describes it well, and certainly makes more sense than "logic" or "acid" or "cubase???" (what the hell is a cubase?) And Logic has to be one of the great one-word oxymorons, like "freeway" (ever get on one at 5 O'clock?), Parkway and Driveway (which seem to be backward).

I've never figured out whether Nuendo is supposed to be pronounced "Innuendo," or "new-END-doh." Do you enunciate the "N" as a syllable of its own? If not, then I agree that it's a dumb name. Even if you're supposed to pronounce it "Innuendo," it's dumb that they don't let us know.

Well, these are just passing comments, meant to entertain more than anything else. I'm not really complaining about MOTU, Digital Performer, or Unicorns. (not even horned ponies) But all this talk about renaming things kind of gets one's mind to examining the possibilities.


Shooshie

[zed]

5. My wife likes to tease me, saying "are you reading about unicorns again?" or "are you looking at your unicorn club page?".

If you learn not to give in to peer pressure, can we keep the name?

LOL.

If we change the name, does it mean that I'll have to put away my collection of little pink unicorns which are scattered all over my desktop in honour of this forum?

[bOing]

...but I must agree with Bongo that the Unicorn is dated. Plain old MOTU is nice, too. Either way will be fine.

You need some symbol to anchor the name. I always thought an ear of corn would be cool. Or a middle finger for attitude.

Maybe we should officially rename DP as "DeeP" which describes it well...

Then we can go with what I'd suggested and call this place "DeeP People." Woohoo! Actually, 6 syllables is a bit much when you're trying to compete with all the short, hip names of the day, nomsayn? Ayt.

I've never figured out whether Nuendo is supposed to be pronounced "Innuendo," or "new-END-doh."

It must be the latter because no one's ever corrected me on it.

I'm not really complaining about MOTU, Digital Performer, or Unicorns.

You just did. :p

[bOing]

If we change the name, does it mean that I'll have to put away my collection of little pink unicorns which are scattered all over my desktop in honour of this forum?

I would be very worried as to what they would have to be replaced with. Say, for instance, that the new logo has the picture of a mushroom cloud. Now you have to fill your desk with warheads.

I say, stick with the name, or name a hybrid of what I'd suggested and James Steele's name:

DeeP Steel (with a clenched fist as the symbol, rising out of blue water)

(hmmm, maybe unicorns aren't that bad after all...)

[dubaifox]

My wife calls the site..."Unifornication"



But she uses Pro Tools and I have been using DP.

I like Unicornation. KEEP IT!!!

[monkey man]

Just curious: How is the Unicorn dated?
To me, it doesn't say '80s, '90s, naughties, or any date for that matter.
In fact, I'd have thought the name somewhat immune to the dating game.

Names with the "i" prefix and those that substitute "k" for "c", on the other hand, although sickeningly popular, are... dated.