[Mageia-discuss] Logo proposals discussion

[andre999]

Wolfgang Bornath a écrit :
> 2010/11/22 andre999<andr55 at laposte.net>:
>    
>> Well the cauldron logo is so simple that it is barely distinguishable from a
>> circle.  What we need is a distinctive logo that is easily recognisable.
>> Even if the cauldron is recognised as such, what is the image usually
>> associated with a cauldron, at least in Europe and North America ?
>> Witchcraft.  Thus magic.
>> So of course, potential users will be attracted by an operating system which
>> says,
>> "with the right incantations, Mageia *should* work."
>>      
> No. The will be attracted by the operating system, not by the logo. If
> the operating system is good they will remember the logo as positive
> sign. This is more likely if the logo is easy to remember, no matter
> what it says. To the user it only says, "it's the sign of a product I
> like". To users who never tested the product it will mean nothing at
> all no matter what it says.
>    
Wobo, you are missing the point.
Once they have tried Mageia, and like it, the logo is irrelevant.
But what will attract them ?
It could be all sorts of things, but the least likely is a logo with 
negative connotations (as "magic" for an operating system), or a logo so 
indistinct as to not induce curiosity.

I think the cauldron logo has the dubious advantage of both of these 
factors.
So although many other factors could attact potential users, such a logo 
won't help.

I would rather a logo that would.
> Yes, we have all those principles what the logo should tell about
> Mageia. Doing that will not hurt but at the end of the day there is
> only one feature a logo must have: recognizability. It does not matter
> if the logo talks about a cauldron or just points to a restaurant
> selling duck soup, important is that users will remember it in
> relation to the operating system they just tested and liked. What
> meaning has the star on a Mercedes? Nobody knows but everybody can
> draw the logo in seconds and everybody knows that it resembles a good
> product (whether you like the cars or not).
>    
Ok, assuming that many potential users recognise this indistinct logo as 
a cauldron.
Do we also assume that the "magic" associated in popular folklore - at 
least in Europe and the Americas - will attact such potential users ?
Do you personally associate "magic" with reliability, ease of use ?
The strength we hope to bring ?
For myself, very much the contrary.

We have to put ourselves in the shoes of potential users unfamiliar with 
Mageia or Mandriva, and not in the shoes of developers or others already 
committed to Mageia.

So in choosing the logo, try pretending you have never heard of Mageia, 
have never packaged an rpm, and never distributed a Linux ISO.

another 2 cents :)

- André