There was a quote I read around the time of WebApps' Area 51 Graduation that was something along the lines of:
... you know the 'For Dummies' series? It kinda works.
As best as I recall, or at least the timeline my brain has created, this line was used as justification for reverting "Nothing to Install" to "Web Applications", and maintaining graduating sites as "topic.stackexchange.com".
I understand the backlash that Nothing to Install received, and I understand that some sites name's are just difficult, wordy, mildly ambiguous, and isn't the obvious solution to the problem. But let's flip this situation on it's head.
Ask Ubuntu has graduated and maintains it's own domain identity, that being askubuntu.com, which ubuntu.stackexchange.com redirects too. I'm well aware that this is in large part to the partnership between Stack Exchange and Canonical. But here in pure Stack Exchange land, there is a selection of sites that actually have and actively maintain an identity (Ask Different, Seasoned Advice, Cross Validated) that have spectacular names, and the domain names to match.
Then there are those that were fraught with contention and didn't have an overwhelming agreement regarding the name/identity of the site. Nothing to Install -> Web Applications, and personally-notable, Gaming.
I feel that everyone is correct here. Domain Names are important, and both topic.stackexchange.com and an actual identity serve a significant purpose. An elevator pitch is important not only for introducing the users to the site upon their first visit, but also to explain what the site is in, well, Elevators. All of these work together.
I feel that there are sites that have developed and earned their identity. I admit to speaking with absolute bias with regard to Ask Different, but also am incredibly fond of Seasoned Advice. To date, Ask Different has accepted users publicly for over 1 year now, and has benefitted tremendously from external advertising, the WWDC and Lion release traffic, and stands to continue this trend from iOS 5, and the continual release and update of hardware by Apple. There has been one question about the name of the site, but this is far from the mixed opinion that other sites have encountered.
For sites that have graduated, established their use, and continue their function, please grant us the use of our brand domain name.