Re: [Devel] We do need a "mascot"

[knutst@ifi.uio.no]

 [Hilaire]tice cddp40 <cddp40.tice@ac-bordeaux.fr> skrev: >
>
 ---- Messages d´origine ----
> De: Knut Yrvin <knuty@skolelinux.no>
> > søndag 22. februar 2004, 21:20, skrev Arnt Ove Gregersen:
> > > Has there been any progress in selecting a mascot? It would have
> > been> nice to have it ready by the release of version Skolelinux
> > 1.0 .
> > >
> > > I like this one very much.
> > >
> > > > http://haef.szm.sk/thing/skolelinux/skole_sketch.jpg
> >
> > Why not place a Tux there instead?
>
> Tux is a bit overused logo don't you.
>
> Why not a GNU aswell, after all this is how the whole stuff started.

Tux may seem overused and trite to the geeks around here, but it seems
plausible to me that the slight awareness that the general public has of
Linux is likely to be tied to Tux. It definetely is not tied to GNU and
neither to Debian (possibly a red hat or a green lizard).

The fact that Skolelinux is Debian is itself sufficient to attract the
computer people; what is important is marketing towards the general
population, i.e. students, teachers, administrators and parents.

At least for the kids, it is important to have an attractive mascot, and
Tux appears to be filling that role well. I see no point in diluting him
(her?) as an icon, though I'm sure a cuddly Gnu could also be made
appealing by skilled hands.

I support Tux with some books and maybe a blackboard and chalk (still
important in the age of computers), as these are universal school props.
If possible, include the Debian swirl. As for the letters SLX, an earlier
discussion seems to have concluded that they should be left out, and only
used for informal/internal references to Skolelinux (as in mails to this
list).

Marketing is important. A related issue is making the new website (for
which a new server can hopefully soon be arranged) attractive to
non-techical people. As Arnt Ove pointed out in a thread on the Norwegian
list, this means more colors and images: Photos of eager students using
SLX, screenshots of educational software etc.

Knut Staring