[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Okay, it's been duly established that there are some of us who like the name. (That's right, I'm not marginalizing anyone around here.) That's okay... MR members have never all been in lock-step with each other.

I'm okay with your reasons for liking the name, as well. Keep 'em coming... if your reasons manage to make someone else okay with the name, that's okay, too.

Phew! You know, knowing that you're "okay" with me not liking the name; that you're not personally using your authority to marginalise anyone; that you're "okay" with my reasons for liking the name...well, like I say...phew. I'm so glad. I don't know if I would have been able go on otherwise, Steve.

All I know is, it's sure not working for me. Nor for more than few others.

Well, what you should probably do, in response to my subjective preference, is to (not?) marginalise my personal differing preference, possibly by conflating your own subjective preference into a reasoned argument as to why mine's a Bad (TM) name, and why B&N are Wrong (TM) to use it, so that, while your preference is justified by good business and marketing practice, the opinions of myself and an apparent minority of others are "okay" for us to have in our little corner, as long as we allow your inclusiveness to arrive concurrent with your well-reasoned dismissal of what you "wouldn't call an "elite" thing":

Oh, wait...you just did:

I guess the reason I don't like "Nook" is because it describes a space, not a thing. Moreover, it is a space that many people never had, vis-a-vis a place to go to quietly and privately lose yourself in a book. People like me learned to read wherever we were, we didn't have established places for reading. I wouldn't call it an "elite" thing (I might if the device was called the "Study"), but it does suggest a designated space that I think a lot of people did not use, or even have, for reading.

The "Book Nook bookstore names" point is well-taken. But today, there are few used bookstores that serve to evoke that name to anyone... people having grown up in the last 20 years may never have seen or heard of that so-called bookstore, or even heard the phrase "book nook" used. In fact, most Americans will probably think of English muffins first...

So, I think the name will probably serve for people who are comfortable with the phrase... but I suspect those people are few these days, and not necessarily the audience B&N is hoping to lure with this device. A name that tied reading with more universal concepts would, IMO, have been better.

Odd how much fun you were having with this, until someone held a contrary opinion.

Cheers,
Marc (wondering how you missed that I've never owned a designated "reading nook", other than my brain and a book...which was kind of the point)