M
mike
Guest
I think goto.com made a major mistake by changing their name to Overture.com! It is a fine example of a big company making a big mistake. Here's a few reasons why.
1. Like millions of other hunt and peck typists out there, I like short urls for sites I use alot. It doesn't get any easier than typing goto.com! Overture is 4 more letters to type, giving me 4 more opportunities to make a mistake. Not good.
2. Alot of newbies to the web have asked me how /where to search for whatever interests them. My stock answer used to be "Start at goto.com and then type what you are looking into the lttle box." I made it a point always to follow-up with questions next time I saw them and was quite satisfied that ,in fact they often remembered and used goto.com as I suggested.
3. Overture.com is much harder to say and hear correctly than goto.com! How do I know?
Because after the name change, I continued trying to steer newbies to Overture.com! My observations of the difference behavior of newbies I told to go to oveture vs. goto were startling.
4. Overture, as a word, has nothing to do with their business, whereas goto fit perfectly.
First off, after the name change,I'd say "Visit overture.com and type what you are looking for in the little box." Always, their first response would be "What, could you say that again?", I'd say "Overture.com!"
Their next response would be "How do you spell it?" I'd spell it for them. Then they'd ask what it meant, like one newbie I remember said "Isn't that a music term" I said "yes it is" he said "why would you send me to a music site to find motorcycle parts?" It like cost me credibility, like I didn't really know as much as he thought I did . Also, My followups revealed NOT ONE ( out of about 6 or 7 people) remembered Overture.com and never got there. Now I recommend Google.com to newbies. They may ask to spell it once, but my follow-ups show they remember google and actually get there.
So, in short, I say that GOTO.COM made a blunder changing their name to OVERTURE.COM!
If you think they made the right choice and they made the right move, vote for Thunder.
1. Like millions of other hunt and peck typists out there, I like short urls for sites I use alot. It doesn't get any easier than typing goto.com! Overture is 4 more letters to type, giving me 4 more opportunities to make a mistake. Not good.
2. Alot of newbies to the web have asked me how /where to search for whatever interests them. My stock answer used to be "Start at goto.com and then type what you are looking into the lttle box." I made it a point always to follow-up with questions next time I saw them and was quite satisfied that ,in fact they often remembered and used goto.com as I suggested.
3. Overture.com is much harder to say and hear correctly than goto.com! How do I know?
Because after the name change, I continued trying to steer newbies to Overture.com! My observations of the difference behavior of newbies I told to go to oveture vs. goto were startling.
4. Overture, as a word, has nothing to do with their business, whereas goto fit perfectly.
First off, after the name change,I'd say "Visit overture.com and type what you are looking for in the little box." Always, their first response would be "What, could you say that again?", I'd say "Overture.com!"
Their next response would be "How do you spell it?" I'd spell it for them. Then they'd ask what it meant, like one newbie I remember said "Isn't that a music term" I said "yes it is" he said "why would you send me to a music site to find motorcycle parts?" It like cost me credibility, like I didn't really know as much as he thought I did . Also, My followups revealed NOT ONE ( out of about 6 or 7 people) remembered Overture.com and never got there. Now I recommend Google.com to newbies. They may ask to spell it once, but my follow-ups show they remember google and actually get there.
So, in short, I say that GOTO.COM made a blunder changing their name to OVERTURE.COM!
If you think they made the right choice and they made the right move, vote for Thunder.
