Re. Google    Google wants to rank this page highly. I set a "noindex" meta tag and it's not respected. I 301 the link and change the page name (still "noindex") ... and Google still finds the new one and ranks it above Brontë Ballads! I warned you Google; and now, your just deserts, and I will begin gently:

I'll post links to more detailed lists of specific enormities, in case this page continues to steal my own ranking from myself, against all due diligence...

While I'm at it, always good to read something along these lines once in a while. (Presented for the interesting collection of facts; I neither endorse nor repudiate their views.)

So ... Why did I choose this name?

Frankly it was about my hundredth choice, but the situation on the internet has become pretty desperate for finding short, unique, memorable and relevant names. All single words in most European languages have their domains registered. Even memorable combinations and fusions of words are mostly registered. Certainly, anything connoting music is generally registered. And if you find a name which is not trademarked, and for which the .com is available, that name is often used in dozens of other ways, making it confusing for people looking for your site via web search.

The name “museclef” was totally unused when I registered it. So were the like-sounding names “musecliff” and “musecleft”. Although there was an academic paper years ago which used the name “MusiClef” (note the ‘i’), the name was not a trademark at the domain was unregistered. This means that web search for these similar names will suggest my domain, which is fairly important for an obscure compound name like “museclef”.

It's a big world, and online presence is becoming the norm for most of its population. I threw in the towel after a week: “MuseClef” seemed the best choice. I pronounce it “museclay” since the [Old] French word “clef” is pronounced “clay”, so basically it sounds like “musically”.

Then the logo worked out, and that clinched it. :)