Create user-facing names for the Qubes Client app & Workstation

[ninavizz]

For clarity in documentation, training, and outreach efforts, we should probably give this 'lil app we're building in QT, a name.

• "Client" is techie jargon unlikely to resonate or to mean much to users

In user testing it has also been observed with existing users that a unique name is needed to distinguish the Qubes workstation as existing in its own stand-alone workflow, separate from the JVS/JWS workflow.

• "Integrated Workstation" is a term Erik or myself stumbled upon in trying to explain this to users, and has subsequently remained in our testing script as a useful/effective term to keep mental models straight.

[eloquence]

I suggest we stick with the name "SecureDrop Workstation" for the provisioned device. I'd be OK to just call the client app "SecureDrop", and refer to the server as "the SecureDrop server" in the in-app messaging where relevant. Keep it simple.

[ninavizz]

"SecureDrop" is the name of our product and platform. For clarity, creating a more specific name for the Qubes client-app will be helpful to customers.

"Client" is techie nomenclature that non-technical folks have a different mental model with (eg: I am a client of my hairdresser). While it's not a massive leap for non-technical folks to figure-out what we're talking about, it would make sales, support, and potential product marketing efforts much easier, if a simple name for the client could be devised.

[ninavizz]

Signal-boost @eloquence! I'll post things in here by Monday AM, for our Client meeting.

[ninavizz]

Motivation: SecureDrop is the name of the broader product ecosystem. For at least the first year of the Client's deployment, will be it—and the web UI. Then there's the Client UI, 2 servers, a Tails stick, the user's Safe USB transfer stick, possibly 2 Journalist laptops... and things can (or, will) get messy. For documentation & support conversation needs, and to facilitate user-facing UI messages that speak to client-specific issues in the first person, it is the user-centric recommendation to name the Client something specific, memorable, free of techy-jargon (which Client is), intuitive, while also not being a distraction from the SD Brand.

Candidates

• Reading Room « vetoed
• SecureDrop Desktop « A bit of a tongue-twister, in Nina's opinion
  • Should the SecureDrop name be paired with the appname, for the name to hold clear meaning?
  • Nina feels that defeats the purpose.
• Newsroom
  • Does not need to be paired with the SecureDrop name, to be meaningful as the name of a specific utility.
  • Leaves room for redaction tools and other newsroom privacy utilities, to be added-in Yes, is specific to Journalism—but NGOs use SD as a tool tailored for investigative journalists... so is it a bad thing to be honest with who/what this is?
• Something like "one" or "hub" that can speak to centrality of function/purpose... ??

[ninavizz]

Leaving open, to reconsider naming for a general release. Very likely this will be closed at a later date, with existing naming held to.