Roch, NY New Website Name

Hey Everyone

I have about 22 website names that we were kicking around today and I want to get them on here so that we can discuss and vote on what we like the best. There are a couple criteria and questions you need to keep in mind if you want to submit a new name that is not on the list:

• Keep Rochester in name to help identify group?


• Get main names up and then check .org, .net, .com (I used http://www.register.com for the ones that are here)


• Our new site needs to be professional as well as fun. Remember we will have more than just Fan Force members looking at it.

OK - and the list we came up with today is right here. The () are what is available for each name or a variation of the name and the ones with smiles are for giggles only:

1. RochesterRebellion (.com, .net, also available rochester-rebellion.com)


2. RochesterFanForce (.com, .net, also available rochester-fan-force.com)


3. Rebellion (not available)


4. TheRebellion (not available)


5. EvilDave.com


6. FanForceRochester (.com, .net, also available fan-force-rochester.com and .net)


7. RebellionFanForce (.com, .net, also available rebellion-fan-force.com, .net)


8. SumoRyan.com


9. JumpingFairy.com


10. PinkFlamboyantSith.com


11. I?mARebel (not valid ? imarebel.com, .net, also available)


12. JoinTheRebellion (.com, .net, also available join-the-rebellion.com, .net)


13. RebelForces (not available, rebels-forces.com or rebel-forces.net)


14. SithAndRebels (.com, .net)


15. RebelSiths (.com, .net)


16. Sith and Silk- Costuming area (sithandsilk.com, .net )


17. rebels-unite (.com, .net)


18. rebel-one (.net)


19. rebel-1 (.net)


20. rogue-leader (.net)


21. spaceball-1 (.com, .net)


22. spaceball-one (.com, .net)

My Goal is to have the list trimmed down by this Friday - and then next week have the final and deciding vote on what our new website name will be. This way at the next meeting we can discuss logo and layout ideas.

You can definately pick more than 1 name now and throw out new names/ideas for the site. This is a brainstorming thread and it needs to be treated as such.

Discuss Away

Dave

 

Ok - my personal take on the whole name thing is that we don't need a real long name to get our group name out there. The longer the name the harder it is to remember and spell out.

My personal votes are as follows:

• #13 - RebelForces (not available, rebels-forces.com or rebel-forces.net)


• #18 - rebel-one (.net)


• #19 - rebel-1 (.net)


• #20 - rogue-leader (.net)

I also want to add a web host idea - the one I use for my site is Netfirms. I have had little to no down time and no problems at all. They have 2 plans which I think would work for what we want:

1) Plus Package - $4.95 per month, We need to pay for a domain name (we have to look at cost), 50 mgs of space, 2 gigs of monthly transfer, 5 email accounts.
2) Advantage Plan - $9.95 per month, Free Domain Name Registration, 500 mgs of space, 10 gigs of monthly transfer, 100 email accounts

I think the Advantage plan would work better for us - as a perk of being an active member of our group, we could give each member a email account to use. This might not seem like a lot but if you look at all the places (with more doing this all the time) that require a real email address and not a free email address for things - you now would have that.

We could also use this as a picture host for our group - this way we can host pics of our costumes, events, and even workshops for all to see. Best of all is we can then post the pics to our boards instead of putting a link to a free pic host like Yahoo.

I also feel that 50 megs of space will get filled up real fast once we start putting pics up, so the lower cost option might give us problems down the road.

Just a couple things to discuss - lets hear everyones opinions!!

Dave

 

My 4 Fav. are

RochesterRebellion
RochesterFanForce
FanForceRochester

Also maybe RochesterForce

 

I think that since we are the Fan Force chapter for Rochester, something to that effect should be in the domain name.

So I'm going to have to go with the following:

RochesterRebellion
RochesterFanForce
FanForceRochester


It would just make sense if the domain name had something to do with the group. There are a lot of great (and fun) ideas up there, but I think it needs to be oriented towards the group. That way it'll also help people remember both the group and the website but association.

Just my two cents...

 

RochesterRebellion.com (it'd make more sense with the name)
Rebel-one.com
flamboyantsith.com

 

'ello, all.

1. I think we'd qualify as a non-profit group (.org), you may want to consider that, too...
2. As for web hosting, I recommend something local, the one I recommend is Annexa, with their 'advanced' plan, we could get 300 MB storage, 1.5 gigs of transfer, and 50 e-mail accounts for $18.95/month (and because we'd be a non-profit, we could get half off, so it'd only be, er, $9.47/month...), and (not that it'd make that much of a difference, but the load time would be a tad faster than a server in, say, California...)
3. Going along with the .org theme, rebel-one.org, rebel-1.org, rogue-leader.org, as well as rebelforces.org and rebelforces.us are all available.

Other than that, I'm a tad too tired to think at the moment, and, if necessary, I'll post again, to include anything else I might have forgotten...

 

quote: I think we'd qualify as a non-profit group (.org), you may want to consider that, too...

I am not sure on that - we would need to do some research on the criteria for that type of title. I think we are better off sticking with .com's or .net's just to be safe. If you have info on the criteria we need to meet - please bring it to the next meeting or link us to a page where we can read up on the info.

Please remember that we are a fan club and not a business - that may be one of the criteria that we need to meet.

quote: As for web hosting, I recommend something local, the one I recommend is Annexa, with their 'advanced' plan, we could get 300 MB storage, 1.5 gigs of transfer, and 50 e-mail accounts for $18.95/month (and because we'd be a non-profit, we could get half off, so it'd only be, er, $9.47/month...), and (not that it'd make that much of a difference, but the load time would be a tad faster than a server in, say, California...)

I am going to disagree on a few points here:

1. For litterally 50 cents more per month we get more web space (200 megs more), 50 more email accounts, a lot more transfer (8.5 gigs more) per month, and a free domain name registration.


2. Local is cool - but cost is a factor, we need to consider what is the best bang for our buck.


3. As far as the host I suggested - I will testify to their service. I have had my site hosted with them since July 1st and have had only one 6 hr block where service was down. Have you worked with the web host you suggested and can you testify to their up time/service?


4. With the host I suggested we would be submited to every major search engine out there - is that included with the host you suggested?


5. This is all based on us qualifying as a non for profit organization - if we do not qualify then we are looking at $19 a month verses $10 a month - and we get a better bang for our buck at $10 per month.

Not that I am bashing what you have said - please don't take it as that. Choosing a host is going to take research and I, for 1, would rather use a company that has been/is being used by someone from the group or myself than some company that no one knows anything about. Just my 2 cents.

There are a ton of things that need to be discussed, in person, at a meeting when it comes to a major decision such as choosing a host, finalizing a domain name, and getting our site launched and keeping it up to date.

Dave

 

One point of distinction. It would be a NOT-for-profit group. Non-profit status is reserved for those organizations whom have filled out paperwork for charitable status (503C I think) and would regularly be declaring monies to other aid groups and organizations.

Big difference.

My vote would go to FanForceRochester. Or something Hoth related. Don't care if so and so is North Ridge. EchoStationRochester or something would be cool if available. Face it, it's cold and snows a lot in the winter.

Mookie

 

EchoStationRochester.com and .net are available

I kind of like it..........and it could play off Buffalo's name - they are The North Ridge and we could be Echo Station - that could be real cool for a regional relationship

Dave

 

I like the EchoStationRochester too

but other than that
RochesterRebelion

also, instead of rebel forces (cause it may be confused with the many other "rebel forces" groupes) RebelForce.net is available.......

 

Oooo, echostationrochester sounds really cool.

*tosses flamboyantsith.com out the window*

 

About a domain name... I feel we should pick one where people can associate our name with the website address the best. Since we are the Rochester Rebellion, and a Fan Force Chapter, we might want to pick a domain name along those lines.

While 'home-one' and 'rebel-forces' and the like are all very cool domain names for Star Wars Fan sites, they can easily be confused with other organizations and industries. I seriously think that our group name, but most importantly, our city should be conveyed within the domain name.

Also, I would advise going with a domain name with a "-" (dash) in it. This is confusing for most internet users as they usually forget to put dashes in domain names.

So when choosing a domain name, please think about this from an outside person's perspective. If someone first hears that there is a Star Wars group in Rochester, their main keyword for searching will be "Rochester". Therefore if "Rochester" is in the domain name, it will make it easier for them to find our website and easier for them to remember.

With that said, here are my votes:
--RochesterRebellion
--RochesterFanForce
--RochesterForce

 

Hey everyone

Ok - here is how the name suggestions stand as of 1:30pm on Tuesday 11/11/03:

1. RochesterRebellion (.com, .net, also available rochester-rebellion.com) - 4 votes


2. EchoStationRochester (.com or .net) - 4 votes


3. RochesterFanForce (.com, .net, also available rochester-fan-force.com) - 3 votes


4. FanForceRochester (.com, .net, also available fan-force-rochester.com and .net) - 3 votes


5. RochesterForce (.com, .net) - 2 votes


6. rebel-one (.net) - 2 votes


7. RebelForces (not available, rebels-forces.com or rebel-forces.net) - 1 vote


8. rebel-1 (.net) - 1 vote


9. rogue-leader (.net) - 1 vote


10. PinkFlamboyantSith.com ? thrown out the window by Chris

If you haven?t voted yet please do so - this is helping us narrow the large list down quite a bit. Feel free to change your vote if you think of a better name or you decide you like something different better.

We will probably take the top 5 or 6 and use those for the poll next week

This stage of suggestion/voting will end this Saturday and the poll will be put up on Sunday.

Thanks

Dave

 

Ryan is right about Rochester, in my opinion, but one of the reasons I like EchoStation or something specific to Star Wars is the following.

No one outside of the mainstream fan groups even knows what Fan Force is. The general public does not, nor does having FanForceRochester.com do anything to explain it other than it's either in NH, NY or MI or MN (I forget which).

No domain name is going to explain Fan Force to the casual and uninitiated observer unless it's www.fanforcerochesterafangroupforstarwarspeopleinrochesterny.com.

So with that, there is little point in having fan force in the name. To the educated fan for Star Wars, they are 1. most likely to find the link from force.net and would know what it is anyway, and two, know right away that EchoStation is from Empire. So they now know it's something in Rochester related to Star Wars.

Hothlanta doesn't say what it is to Joe Shmoe on the street. But to us fans, and fan force people, it's a funny play on the fact that there's nothing hoth like about Atlanta (save for hot is in HOTH) and it's Star Wars related.

To some Star Wars fans that might not know about Fan Force, they will at least pick up on EchoStation in the domain.

That's what I think and I'm sticking to it.

Mookie

 

But what about those sheltered individuals who have NEVER even seen the original trilogy and have only started getting into Star Wars because of the prequels. Now, don't say those people don't exist because I have run into quite a few of them myself. As strange as it may seem, YES there are people out there like that.

Also, consider that we are not only putting this website up to gain more membership, but also act as a center of information for those working with our club. At charity events, some people (who don't necessarily want to join our group) might want to see where and how much money was donated to the event they saw us working at. Also, we are putting this website together so that the charity organizations we would like to work with can get a better idea of what our group does. These are just all things to consider.

 

My point being, those people into Star Wars for the prequels still would not know what Fan Force meant.

As for charities, it's a point to consider. But most of the time, if you're credible and work with them up front, saying "This is our club, our website is www.thisthinghere.com they don't have a problem. Nost charity work isn't pulled form a website, it's done by networking. For exammple, Make-A-Wish is going to talk to you, not search fanforce in google. They may AFTER you talk to them, but by then they'd have your website. I don't think it's a concern that outweighs anything more than the other.

Mookie

 

Just my two cents, but I'm partial to a combo of the 2 suggestions

RochesterEchoBase
EchoBaseRebellion
EchoBase Rochester


Something to that idea

 

OK Everyone

Please remember to respect each others choices and points of view - lets not have this discussion get out of hand.

Personally I think having Rochester in the name is just bad for the poor schmuck who can't spell it. But on the other hand I like Mookie's suggestion of EchoStationRochester - it still says where are group is from yet allows us to have a "play on words" - instead of Rebellion we have the name of a Rebel Base. Just my 2 cents.

I know our "official name" is the Rochester Rebellion - but that doesn't have to be in the web site domain name - we are allowed to have a little fun with our new website while still remaining professional.

If we use something like EchoStationRochester - someone might ask us "what does your web site name mean?" - then that gives us a chance to talk to them about our group, Star Wars, and maybe even gain new members.

If we use something like RochesterRebellion - there isn't really much to explain and talk about - what are we rebelling from? - as for the point of the "sheltered individuals" - they won't understand the name anyways. So either way we have a chance to discuss our favorite topics, movies, and what we do.

There are a lot of good points being made - but lets leave the decision of the website name to each individuals judgement without trying to win them over to someones side of a debate.

Dave

 

Much thought and planning goes into choosing a website domain name. We are basically trying to "market" our group to others. How we go about it via our website will determine a great many things in the future. Therefore I was just trying to illustrate all aspects so everyone can make a better educated decision.

 

A website is only a small fraction of what goes into Marketing a group - there is a whole campaign that needs to be considered:

1. Website


2. Logo


3. Slogan


4. Stationary


5. Merchandise (t-shirts, hats, jackets, coffee mugs)


6. Fliers


7. Events


8. People

The list can keep going. I think that you might be putting a little too much weight on a Website name being our main source of Marketing. While a name is important - it is not the only thing.

Let me ask this - how many members have we gained by word of mouth as opposed to a web search?

I understand that you guys are trying to provide facts that will help others make an educated decision but there is a fine line between providing facts and pushing opinions.

Dave

 

ok, I usually leave club busines to the clubs but if I may offer a suggestion here........When you are doing your events and you get your name out at charity events etc....people learn who you are , know your name, word of mouth gets out. Its a heck of alot easier to have your site name the same as your group name so people can remember it easier.

In marketing you also want it to be easy for the customer to find you, nothing complex to type or remember. Rochester Rebellion is catchy. Rolls off the tongue. As far as the spelling issue. I think everyone who lives in Rochester can spell Rochester. No worries there.

As far as hosting goes...why pay a ton of money. I have a business website and I went thru Directnic
They are great and inexpensive. Like 15.00 a year.

Also you guys are considered a non profit group. If you are not then you will have issues to deal with Lucas. Fanforce groups should not be in it for the profit. Period. Should be fun and to help others. Not to make a mint.
Anyhow thats just my .02 cents.

Please keep in mind that you all must decide on a group. It should not boil down to one persons decision.

Good luck.

 

Technically we're NOT a non-profit group. We're I'm really not aware that this was becoming a big issue for anyone.

It's almost like every time someone continues a discussion with their point of view, it's almost threatening. I don't have any issues with what Ryan posted. And until I'm hooked up collectively to all your brains, I'm an individual and figured my opinion was okay to post and Ryan was too.

Mookie

 

(This is Darth-Lite -> not Padawan Adri)

Sorry for abusing Adri's account -

My Picks are
#1 - RochesterRebellion.com

#2 - FanForceRochester.com

#3 - FanForceRebellion.com

#4 - Sith-in-Silk.com

8^)

Ty

 

Just one question. What is Echo Station? Is that a made up thing? I thought it was Echo Base or was there both? Just wondering. I am sometimes ignorant of such details like that. Like North Ridge. It took me sometime to realize what that was all about.

The way I see it, people we meet will learn about fanforce if they do not know it already, and a name like Rochesterfanforce will make sense and stick. As long as we put Rochester and star wars in the description we will come up on a browser for all the average fans surfing.

 

Jeff - if you go back and watch Empire and listen to the part where Luke is leading the Snow Speeders against the Imperial Walkers - He says "Echo Station 5 7, we're on our way"

While I can't say definitively who he was talking to - I will speculate that it was the forward outpost that first spotted the Imperial Walkers.

The "Echo" name was carried all the way through the Hoth scenes:

Hoth Base was Echo Base
Luke was Echo 3
Han was Echo 7

If I am wrong someone jump in and correct me on these - but it is definitely a fun play on rebellion words....

Dave