Obviously: Why "Obvious"?

Why "Obvious"?

By Ev on Monday, November 27, 2006

We've gotten interesting feedback on the name Obvious Corp. Some people think it's brilliant. Others, not so much. Others think it's supposed to be ironic. It's not.

If you have to explain why your name is a good one, it's probably not. So consider this not an explanation, but rather a revealing of the subtlety of Obviousness.

Great ideas tend to be obvious—later
We hope to make the type of things that make you say "Of course!" The Internet, Google, the wheel. These are all obvious things, but hard to imagine before they existed. When we started Blogger, we were working on a much more complicated product. We almost wrote Blogger off, because it was too simple, too trivial—too obvious. It wasn't obvious until much later what blogging would become.

People don't have time for things that aren't obvious
Obviousness is a better goal for software than "ease-of-use" or "intuitiveness." You don't need your intuition if something is crystal-clear in its form and presentation. In an increasingly complicated world, people don't have time to figure out unobvious things. Of course, if you're trying to invent new things, obviousness is a big challenge. So we try to remind ourselves by naming our company that.

Many obvious ideas are opportunities in disguise
Obvious things are unquestioned things. And it's by questioning things that one discovers new ways and new truths. Like whether the world is flat. In Silicon Valley, there are obvious ways (and reasons) to do business. We plan to ask a lot of dumb questions about those, too.

Let us be clear
Being Obvious, to us, is also about being straightforward and transparent in our intentions and business dealings. We don't want to leave anyone guessing—least of all our co-workers or ourselves. We strive for clarity. (We don't always succeed.)

We thought it'd be fun
We realized if we named the company Obvious, we could have "An Obvious Party," "The Obvious T-Shirt," "Obvious News," "Obviously (the blog)"...it hasn't gotten old yet.

Labels: naming

permalink

19 Comments:

Benjamin: Thanks for doing what you're doing.

Your stuff gets me super psyched to make more cool stuff.

12/01/2006 6:21 PM

acidFOG: DUDE! Cool company! And a Great name!! Good job

12/30/2006 6:49 PM

Mo: I want to work for a place like Obvious. You guys inspire me.

2/13/2007 11:32 PM

EmailHosting.com: It's obvious that you guys know how to have fun while getting the job done.

3/11/2007 9:11 AM

11/06/2008 6:17 PM

sexy: 情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣,情趣,情趣,情趣,按摩棒,G點,跳蛋,跳蛋,充氣娃娃,角色扮演,SM,潤滑液,威而柔,精油,自慰套,自慰,免費A片,AV女優,美女視訊,情色交友,免費AV,色情網站,辣妹視訊,美女交友,色情影片,成人影片,成人網站,A片,H漫,18成人,成人圖片,成人漫畫,情色網,日本A片,免費A片下載,性愛,A片,色情,成人,做愛,色情A片,A片下載,色情遊戲,色情影片,色情聊天室,免費成人影片,免費視訊,免費視訊聊天,免費視訊聊天室,一葉情貼圖片區,情色,情色視訊,情色電影,視訊交友,視訊聊天,視訊聊天室,情境坊歡愉用品,情趣用品,情人節禮物,情惑用品性易購

11/09/2008 12:11 AM

sex: 免費視訊聊天,辣妹視訊,視訊交友網,美女視訊,視訊交友,視訊交友90739,成人聊天室,視訊聊天室,視訊聊天,視訊聊天室,情色視訊,情人視訊網,視訊美女,一葉情貼圖片區,免費視訊聊天室,免費視訊,ut聊天室,聊天室,豆豆聊天室,尋夢園聊天室,聊天室尋夢園,影音視訊聊天室

威而柔,自慰套,自慰套,SM,充氣娃娃,充氣娃娃,潤滑液,飛機杯,按摩棒,跳蛋,性感睡衣,威而柔,自慰套,自慰套,SM,充氣娃娃,充氣娃娃,潤滑液,飛機杯,按摩棒,跳蛋,性感睡衣
情惑用品性易購,情境坊歡愉用品

色情遊戲,寄情築園小遊戲,情色文學,一葉情貼圖片區,情境坊歡愉用品,情惑用品性易購,情人視訊網,辣妹視訊,情色交友,成人論壇,情色論壇,愛情公寓,情色,舊情人,情色貼圖,色情聊天室,色情小說,做愛,做愛影片,性愛
情境坊歡愉用品,情惑用品性易購,aio交友愛情館,一葉情貼圖片區,情趣用品

徵信社,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣精品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣,情趣,情趣用品

辣妹視訊,美女視訊,視訊交友網,視訊聊天室,視訊交友,視訊美女,免費視訊,免費視訊聊天

網拍設計,網頁設計

12/29/2008 9:20 AM

在職進修專欄: 看房子,買房子,建商自售,自售,台北新成屋,台北豪宅,新成屋,豪宅,美髮儀器,美髮,儀器,髮型,EMBA,MBA,學位,EMBA,專業認證,認證課程,博士學位,DBA,PHD,在職進修,碩士學位,推廣教育,DBA,進修課程,碩士學位,網路廣告,關鍵字廣告,關鍵字,廣告,課程介紹,學分班,文憑,牛樟芝,段木,牛樟菇,日式料理, 台北居酒屋,燒肉,結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,台北住宿,國內訂房,台北HOTEL,台北婚宴,飯店優惠,台北結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,住宿,訂房,HOTEL,飯店,造型系列,學位,牛樟芝,腦磷脂,磷脂絲胺酸,SEO,婚宴,捷運,學區,美髮,儀器,髮型,牛樟芝,腦磷脂,磷脂絲胺酸,看房子,買房子,建商自售,自售,房子,捷運,學區,台北新成屋,台北豪宅,新成屋,豪宅,學位,碩士學位,進修,在職進修, 課程,教育,學位,證照,mba,文憑,學分班,網路廣告,關鍵字廣告,關鍵字,SEO,关键词,网络广告,关键词广告,SEO,关键词,网络广告,关键词广告,SEO,台北住宿,國內訂房,台北HOTEL,台北婚宴,飯店優惠,住宿,訂房,HOTEL,飯店,婚宴,台北住宿,國內訂房,台北HOTEL,台北婚宴,飯店優惠,住宿,訂房,HOTEL,飯店,婚宴,台北住宿,國內訂房,台北HOTEL,台北婚宴,飯店優惠,住宿,訂房,HOTEL,飯店,婚宴,結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,台北結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,台北結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,台北結婚,婚宴場地,推車飲茶,港式點心,尾牙春酒,居酒屋,燒烤,美髮,儀器,髮型,美髮,儀器,髮型,美髮,儀器,髮型,美髮,儀器,髮型,小套房,小套房,進修,在職進修,留學,證照

2/16/2009 7:38 AM

xuemei: I like play online game, I alsobuy priston tale Gold
andpriston tale Money
thepriston tale Money is very cheap
and use thepriston tale Goldcan buy many things,
I likecheap priston tale Gold, thanks, it is very good.

3/13/2009 9:11 PM

4/12/2009 6:48 PM

狼星: 徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信社徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信徵信外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇外遇問題外遇問題外遇問題
外遇問題外遇問題外遇問題外遇問題外遇問題外遇問題外遇蒐證通姦通姦通姦通姦通姦通姦通姦通姦通姦通姦通姦劈腿劈腿劈腿劈腿劈腿劈腿找人找人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人尋人工商調查工商調查工商調查商業調查抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓姦抓猴抓猴抓猴捉猴捉猴捉猴捉猴捉猴捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦捉姦家庭暴力婚外情婚外情婚外情婚外情婚外情婚外情婚外情婚外情婚外情婚外情婚外情第三者偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社偵探社私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探
私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探
私家偵探私家偵探私家偵探包二奶包二奶包二奶包二奶包二奶包二奶包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶大陸包二奶感情挽回感情挽回感情挽回感情挽回感情挽回感情挽回感情挽回感情挽回婚姻挽回婚姻挽回婚姻挽回
婚姻挽回婚姻挽回婚姻挽回婚姻挽回婚姻挽回婚姻挽回婚姻挽回婚姻婚姻婚姻婚姻
婚姻婚姻離婚離婚離婚離婚離婚離婚離婚證人離婚證人離婚證人離婚證人離婚證人
徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公司徵信公會徵信公會徵信公會徵信公會徵信公會徵信公會徵信公會徵信公會徵信公會婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信婚前徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信工商徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信商業徵信徵信服務徵信服務
徵信服務徵信服務徵信服務徵信服務徵信服務徵信服務徵信服務徵信服務徵信服務徵信業徵信業徵信業

4/15/2009 8:58 PM

243579607: Louis Vuitton Damier Azur handbags , commonly referred to as

ouis Vuitton Damier Azur, or sometimes shortened to

Louis Vuitton Damier Canvas handbags has become one of the most

Louis Vuitton Damier Canvas luxury brands.

louis vuitton outlet storelove

luis vuitton outleti like

lv outletsgood

louis vuitton onlinenice

7/29/2009 2:27 AM

tokyou: クレジットカード　現金化
キャッシング
インプラント
網頁設計
水　通販
会社設立
留学
コンタクトレンズ
アルカリイオン水
幼児教室

障害者
有料老人ホーム
看板　製作
レーザー脱毛
ウィークリーマンション
フランチャイズ
債務整理
仲介手数料無料未公開物件
ペット火葬割安エイエフ
有料老人ホーム
ECサイト構築
千葉　不動産
川崎　不動産
不動産　東京

7/29/2009 10:10 PM

Replica Watches: 29047126483369175 I play dofus Replica Watches for one year, I Replica Rolex Watches want to get some Replica Watch kamas to buy Replica Chanel Watches item for my character. So, I search "Replica Swiss Watches" on google and found many website. As Exact Replica Graham Watch the tips from the forum, I just review the Swiss Replica Watches websites and choose some Replica Montblanc Watches quality sites to Replica Cartier Watches compare the price, and go to their Replica Breguet Watches online support to make Replica Breitling Watches the test. And Last Chaos Gold I decide to use Replica BRM Watch at the end. And Tag Heuer Replica Watch that is the Replica IWC Watch beginning..

9/25/2009 3:19 AM

Dabria Naida: Dior glasses
Dior eyeglasses
Dior eyeglass frames
Dior prescription eyeglasses

Seiko glasses
Seiko eyeglasses
Seiko eyeglass frames
Seiko prescription eyeglasses

Dupont glasses
Dupont eyeglasses
Dupont eyeglass frames
Dupont prescription eyeglasses

Calvin Klein glasses
Calvin Klein eyeglasses
Calvin Klein eyeglass frames
Calvin Klein prescription eyeglasses

Alain Mikli glasses
Alain Mikli eyeglasses
Alain Mikli eyeglass frames
Alain Mikli prescription eyeglasses

12/03/2009 5:07 PM

Dabria Naida: Fashionable glasses should be for everyone,we only offer an exclusive range of designer
prescription eyeglasses,reading glasses.

The prescription glasses will pay an important role in the coming 2010 fashion glasses trend.Try new
prescription eyeglasses and select your favouritereading glasses，
prescription glasses

12/03/2009 5:07 PM

Dabria Naida: You can own a pair ofDesigner Glasses
maybe you likePolice glasses
police eyeglasses
and police eyeglass frames
orpolice prescription eyeglasses

the Chanel glasses
Chanel eyeglasses
Chanel eyeglass frames
Chanel prescription eyeglasses

Levi's glasses are good
Levi's eyeglasses have fashion Elements
Levi's eyeglass frames
Levi's prescription eyeglasses

12/03/2009 5:09 PM

cy: 水漏れ修理と同時に、面倒な保険会社との交渉まで、漏水専門アドバイザーが２４時間対応致します。直ちに被害箇所を除菌消臭・高速乾燥で現状復旧致します。トイレ詰まり（詰まり）・水漏れ、水道工事を依頼して、他社に「すぐ行けない」、「それは出来ない」と断られた方、いつでも当社にご相談ください。すべて自社修理で安心・格安，トイレつまり最安値挑戦中、キャンペン期間で早速お電話！ベネフィットライフなら首都圏の不動産仲介手数料0円が最大無料でお得。ハウジングスカイでは、東京都内すべての物件の仲介手数料無料必ず無料or半額（法定上限比）になります。価格交渉にも自信があります。我們專門致力於網頁設計、網頁設計、ｓｅｏ搜尋引擎最佳化，提供ｓｅｏ、ｓｅｏ工具下載，最終實現網絡行銷,網站行銷服務目的。ペット　葬儀　川崎の移動火葬（出張火葬）対応のペット　葬儀　東京動物火葬/葬儀会社ですtoysis an artifact designed to be played with. Our catalogues are dolls, wooden toys。Crafts for kids are for every holiday and craftsseason. Great ideas and projects for all age children, City toursfor daily use, for festival gifts。find affordable vacation packages, Sightseeing Tours,America tours,Canada tours, bus tours at joyfultours

1/06/2010 9:03 PM