Re: [RfS] Request for Submissions: Upcoming Debian Logo
On Thu, 18 Feb 1999, Martin Schulze wrote:
> I'd like *everybody* think about a possible logo. Please notice the
> following simple rules:
>
> . The logo must NOT be linux-centric. Thus a penguin in any form is
> inacceptable. We have Debian GNU/Hurd and people are working on
> something similar to Debian Solaris. Please accept that.
>
> . A logo is NOT a set of letters. Thus the string "Debian" rendered
> very nice is ... a picture but not a logo. Forget that.
>
> . A logo must be very recognizable. You notice a cameleon and
> immediately you know that this is SuSE, you see a stylized red hat
> and for sure, that's RedHat. Got it?
>
> . A logo needs to be simple, no details please. People need to be
> able to recognize a logo, keeping it in mind. They shall never
> lose it since it would represent the best set of free software.
>
> . A logo is simple. A drawing is not a logo, nor is a painting or an
> image. So put away all your van Gogh albums, their contents are
> useless as logos.
>
> . A logo needs to look good in colour (e.g. for a web page or a
> T-Shirt or a sweatshirt or similar, rendering here is fine) *AND*
> in black/white (as letterhead for button or similar).
>
> . A logo must be scalable. You know, on a web page the logo is small
> and you don't want such a small logo on your T-Shirt, right?
>
> . A new logo must be new. Don't come up with a logo that already
> exists. So put away the Universal Studios logo, just because
> Debian is the Universal Operating System doesn't mean we may use
> their logo. (although I believe that using a world or universe
> within the logo would be an interesting idea.)
>
> . The strings "Debian GNU", "Debian", "Debian GNU/Hurd", "Debian
> GNU/Linux" and/or "The universal operating system" will be added if
> needed. Please don't include any of these strings in your
> submission.
>
> Please keep in mind that a set of letters is NOT a logo and that both
> a penguin and "Linux" are not acceptbable.
>
> If you lack some impressions please go to the railroad station,
> airport, harbour, tram station or shopping mall and realize how other
> logos look like.
>
> After that please draw your ideas on paper, digitalize and submit
> them.
It is the first time for me that I deal with the logo question, because
it was of lower importance for me. Joeys mail lead me to another opinion.
Please, please guys stick letter for letter onto this rules for a logo
Joey mentioned in his mail. All rules are the result of a long thinking
of a wise person! We can't change our Logo after each release so let
us find a good clue.
In my opinion the first step is thinking. Let us discuss the motive
of the logo at first and *after* this lets start drawing (whatever
drawing program you will take is the next question)!
For example follow these idea:
- often logos are animals
- let us chose an animal which stands for freedom
- there are many animals which fit this fact, but many of them
are occupied by governments of countries
- we shouldn't stik on any sign of a certain country
- lets take an orca
- everybody knows the "Free Willy" story ... I don't want to say
anything about the quality of this film, but the general idea is good
- it has something in common with our ideas:
* we want to bring software to freedom --> its a process to get free
* Debian is big, as well as an orca whale
* ... fill in some more ideas here
- it could be a strong logo (may be it could have something in
common with the "world-idea" of Joey, because orcas live in all
oceans of our world which may or may not be expressed in the futur logo
- its a design question
- we can brofit very much from the popularity of the whales in our
day! ... we want to have popularity
- a good designer cold paint a *funny* orca -- as funny as the penguin
and other ones
- an orca can be painted with less colors ... no problem with
old fashioned displays and even on black and white it is fairly
well
OK, lets assume these ideas are good or someone has a better, its
just a suggestion.
*NOW* its time to make a logo contest for the best/funnyest/...
orca which stands for Debian.
PLEASE, PLEASE friends think first, before grabing your mouse to paint!!
Kind regards
Andreas.
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