NCASE M1: a crowdfunded Mini-ITX case (updates in first post)

Been lurking this thread for a while... Im really liking the case design and I'm very likely to be in for 2-4 cases.

As for name, considering this may be a small batch run (around 300?), I was thinking of:

-300[H] - in references to [H], the 300 [H]oplites Leonidas led at the battle of Thermopylae against Xerxes' hordes (this case could be argued to hold its own against the hordes of other SFF cases). It's small, compact and very Spartan.

- You could call it Xiphos (Greek/Spartan short sword) and if you make a bigger case, you could call that the Dory (the spear the Spartans used).

Just my 2 cents.
 
Necere said:
So since nobody liked any of the suggestions I tossed out, and nobody liked anyone else's suggestions, we're sticking with the current name. At least people are just underwhelmed by it, rather than actively put off.

Yeah.
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Don't take it harshly. Go with your gut. I eventually stopped listening to committees when I was working at a PR firm and suddenly the quality of the work I churned out doubled. It took some explaining but eventually the account managers understood I knew more about what the client needed than the client, regardless of what the client said (low-end clients often demand control, higher end clients normally have learned their lessons already and trust the firm).
 
Phalkonone said:
... you could call that the Dory (the spear the Spartans used).
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Dory sounds like a woman's name to me, why not give the case a womans name? Since enthusiasts already call their works "my baby", why not a female's name?
Plus be honest, this case turns you on ;)

Cleopatra
Eleanor
Victoria
...Betty?
......Ex-wife?

Or better yet, since this case is trustworthy and personal, you can give it a dog's name. Looking at this list of names, some of them sound like they can fit the role:

Maximus
Rusty
Romeo

This could also work for future branding where a new series would carry a new name, and old names such as Mark can be revived as "Mark I" or "Mark II" ;)
 
Phalkonone said:
Dory
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dPy4E.jpg


M4rk said:
Don't take it harshly.
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Yeah, I'm not. Figured I should at least make an attempt at pleasing the naysayers, if for no other reason than to show them that the original wasn't that bad after all :p
 
Necere said:
Yeah, I'm not. Figured I should at least make an attempt at pleasing the naysayers, if for no other reason than to show them that the original wasn't that bad after all :p
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do what you think it'll look good bro, put it discreet, elegant, i trust you on this, i even doubt that you're capable of fucking it up :)
 
This thread is getting close to 100% ridiculous with all these name suggestions. :rolleyes:
 
Alright, one more possibility. This one is kind of dead obvious, and several people have suggested something similar:

Gex6F.jpg


Hardcase M1. Y/N?
 
Wow, this looks pretty badass. If it's limited I might just buy one for a future build.

M1 Hardcase is fine by me, but I vote to have no prominent logo on the side. I'd prefer to have something small/discrete on the corer of the side panel if it needs to be there.
 
i bet there is a trademark on the [H] so unless there was permission, probably could not use it. maybe he wouldnt mind if you company website (that has yet to be created) gave special thanks to the [H] website or something.
might be nice if it could somehow be incorporated. if you wanted to tell a story, well that symbol is representation of where it all started, yes?
 
why can't it just be M1?

don't really care for *case

anyway most cases don't have their model name prominently displayed on it anywhere. just the manufacturer's name which is the way i like it; and if you're gonna do that i couldn't care less what you call it
 
illli said:
i bet there is a trademark on the [H] so unless there was permission, probably could not use it. maybe he wouldnt mind if you company website (that has yet to be created) gave special thanks to the [H] website or something.
might be nice if it could somehow be incorporated. if you wanted to tell a story, well that symbol is representation of where it all started, yes?
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Wasn't planning on using [H].
 
prometheum said:
why can't it just be M1?

don't really care for *case

anyway most cases don't have their model name prominently displayed on it anywhere. just the manufacturer's name which is the way i like it; and if you're gonna do that i couldn't care less what you call it
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It will be a sticker, you can remove the "hardcase" part and put it anywhere you want.
 
prometheum said:
why can't it just be M1?

don't really care for *case

anyway most cases don't have their model name prominently displayed on it anywhere. just the manufacturer's name which is the way i like it; and if you're gonna do that i couldn't care less what you call it
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M1 alone is too generic to use as a search term on Google. It would make searching for this project excessively difficult.

Not even "M1 Case" is good enough.
 
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I'm a bit late to this as I haven't been following the thread too closely for a while, but I'll chuck in a few thoughts...

  • This matters more if you genuinely have ambitions to do more cases under this brand name in future and it matters if you want unique, easily identifiable, or at least branding closely associated with the product.

  • It would be a better world if good products sold on their own merits, but you still have to make a sales pitch even if it's only on Kickstarter.

  • I quite like ncase, it's inoffensive and fits, but it's not a strong name and there are other issues with it.

  • we need a name that's witty at first, but that seems less funny each time you hear it
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    W. Seymour Skinner. To put it another way, steer clear of puns!

  • "Ncase" has been used before many times anyway, one of the first few google hits I see is a company selling acylic display cases. There are also "ncase" boxes by a brand called Leba that are for docking and charging multiple ipads and ipods.

  • That said I like the lower case n for nano in this context (µ would probably make people think µATX and confuse things) so it might be usable - with care though as brands like nanoPC already exist.

  • M1 (or M any number) has been used many times before. It's vague and generic enough that you possibly wouldn't encounter trademark issues, but I should point out that BMW M series is well known, includes an M1, and BMW design have the computer case association and branding with Thermaltake.

  • Nazca - I see the "alien" connotation, but I also see new age mysticism and those fools who believe in all that alien runways drivel.

  • I see latin has been mentioned a few times, so the first thought that springs to mind for me is to try and use a word that has an appropriate association e.g. Aegis - it means protection, so perhaps protection for your components? More literal might be lōrīca or a variation for armoured. Negatives on these: possibly better for a LAN/very robust portable case, Latin could be pretentious, you'll look stupid if the word isn't used correctly, and you can't be unique (you might be able to trademark Aegis specifically for a computer case brand, but the word is already used in a lot of other trademarks)

  • Trying words in google translate for the Latin, if you try "case" or "box" words suggested are: arca (coffin, chest, cell, cupboard, box, money-box) cista (chest, box, trunk, casket, ballot-box) capsa (case, holder, box, locker, chest) chiloma (box, coffer) theca (cover, slip-over, envelope, casket, case, box) - looks like Thecus got there first!

  • For the model name, even assuming that more products follow there won't be that many so you could just go with small or compact, or s or c. Something derived from the capacity? 12l, 13L, 12.5, 12l5. Incorporate the lower case n: n12, n13, 12n5 12ⁿ5, 13ⁿ, n², n¹³ etc.
 
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prometheum said:
why can't it just be M1?

don't really care for *case

anyway most cases don't have their model name prominently displayed on it anywhere. just the manufacturer's name which is the way i like it; and if you're gonna do that i couldn't care less what you call it
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Pretty much this. I'm not buying this because of a name, and any stickers will be promptly removed upon receipt. I don't want anything to interfere with the wonderful, clean lines on this case.

Go with what makes you happy.
 
DATCASE would be funny. :p
Anyway, stickers would wear off with time and leave a mark on a case. If it's a sticker, I'll probably go with the clean look and tell people it's "that case".
 
M4rk said:
M1 alone is too generic to use as a search term on Google. It would make searching for this project excessively difficult.

Not even "M1 Case" is good enough.
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ok fair enough...i still would rather not have the side of the case ruined by putting the name of the case in huge ass letters. like a said if the side of the case isn't ruined by this i couldn't care less...why not stick with lian-li's traditional naming scheme PC-****

like PC-M105E
for M1 and the last part of SG05 and E for evolution
 
sliv said:
Dory sounds like a woman's name to me, why not give the case a womans name? Since enthusiasts already call their works "my baby", why not a female's name?
Plus be honest, this case turns you on ;)

Cleopatra
Eleanor
Victoria
...Betty?
......Ex-wife?

Or better yet, since this case is trustworthy and personal, you can give it a dog's name. Looking at this list of names, some of them sound like they can fit the role:

Maximus
Rusty
Romeo

This could also work for future branding where a new series would carry a new name, and old names such as Mark can be revived as "Mark I" or "Mark II" ;)
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Well, Dory sounding feminine made me think of how GI's would name their rifles Betsy.

If were going to use feminine names - perhaps Motoko (Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell).

Necere said:
[IMG http://i.imgur.com/dPy4E.jpg /IMG]



Yeah, I'm not. Figured I should at least make an attempt at pleasing the naysayers, if for no other reason than to show them that the original wasn't that bad after all :p
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LOL, I wasnt thinking of that (Didnt even realize there was a Dory in that movie). Besides, the final say is down to the creators. I was just throwing out suggestions - People often ask me for out of the box ideas.

Another idea I had was Theta - ϴ - only because I remember it from my math classes. Finding Theta was always a puzzle.
 
I may be start sounding like a broken record, but how about this for a plan.

- Get a pre-production version of the case up and running. That way we can go from mockup and renders, to an actual system running inside one.

- Throw away the idea of laser etching anything on the case. 1) It increase the final cost and 2) increase the time for finalized case production. 2.5) You don't know who your manufacturer is going to pass it on to, and even if you do, then you have to deal with another party post-production of the case.

- Just include some very nice stickers in the packaging. In the "instruction manual" of the case have a blurb about how this all started, and how you got to the finalized case design. Of course, you would include pictures of how all the panels come off and how you install all the peripherals and accessories.

What the last part does is it delays for as long as possible any name you need as a company (or case). This will give you time to think AFTER you've worked with your manufacturer and when you're less stressed about the final product. It much easier and cheaper to edit some stickers and booklet while production continues, than it is to halt production because you can't come up with a name that your heart is set on.

Finally, while I said that NCASE reminds me of a play on words of "in case" or "encase", what it REALLY REALLY reminds me is of INCASE. They made iPhone/iPad/etc cases. THAT was what I was really thinking about when you posted your company name.

Finally, finally (for real this time), I do think you should just go with your username, NECERE. It's unique, it represents you, and it isn't marred by any past associations.
 
There has been more response about the name of the case than any other part of the project...
 
I think you could name it "Turdbox" and people would still buy it because of the great form and function. And especially this early in the game I don't think the name is as critical as it may become.

And in this development stage it's more like a thesis. I titled one of my thesis "Development and Study of A Portable Water Treatment Device for Continual Duty Cycles". Exciting, right? "Osmo" became the production model name, but that was more than a year after the development of the idea and funding had already been obtained, so the name played no role in the success of the project. It grew on it's own merit, not it's moniker. Much like this case potentially can.

Actually, strike all that. Just call it Turdbox. ;)
 
problem started because they wanted to put it on the outside i.e. ruining the case.
 
I think that NCASE is OK if the only label-OK, look at the popular SG05, only in the lower left corner of the logo and the manufacturer, in addition to the front panel can be replaced with a clean no description-and does it matter anything? not it's still a great case.
So whether Necere and W360 choose logo this or that, it will still excellence SFF case, for me, the icing on the cake, if the form labels, where you place you want. (sorry-translator :)
 
cmadki4 said:
I think you could name it "Turdbox" and people would still buy it because of the great form and function. And especially this early in the game I don't think the name is as critical as it may become.

And in this development stage it's more like a thesis. I titled one of my thesis "Development and Study of A Portable Water Treatment Device for Continual Duty Cycles". Exciting, right? "Osmo" became the production model name, but that was more than a year after the development of the idea and funding had already been obtained, so the name played no role in the success of the project. It grew on it's own merit, not it's moniker. Much like this case potentially can.

Actually, strike all that. Just call it Turdbox. ;)
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I think this guy's on to something here...

Probably an alien.
 
opinena said:
..look at the popular SG05, only in the lower left corner of the logo and the manufacturer, in addition to the front panel can be replaced with a clean no description-and does it matter anything? not it's still a great case.
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it matters, i use it clean. :cool:
 
you guys are way too anal about logos / names haha. worse comes to worst you can always rub it off.

let's work on getting this to the market!!
 
Spades45 said:
you guys are way too anal about logos / names haha. worse comes to worst you can always rub it off.

let's work on getting this to the market!!
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"They say that the best weapon is the one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it, that's how America does it, and it's worked out pretty well so far"

Do it once, do it right.
 
Whatever the name turns out to be, this shit looks awesome. I am here thinking to sell my dual 680s to get a 690 just to build something with this sick case!
 
I think Spades45 has a point. The harder some of you guys are trying to come up with a name the worse the suggestions are. Seriously, stop trying to over analyze it. LOL :D
 
Spades45 said:
you guys are way too anal about logos / names haha. worse comes to worst you can always rub it off.

let's work on getting this to the market!!
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It's a little hard to rub off something that is etched into the side panel :p

Either way, I hope there isn't too much branding. Remember the lesson of the Lan Gear mITX case with that god-awful logo across the entire front... :eek:
 
We will not apply the sticker, just included with every unit

We also found a name we both agree on, stay tuned.
 
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