FreeBSD's Visual Identity: Outdated?

[Devon H. O'Dell]

jsha wrote:
> Hello.
> 
> I am writing this e-mail hoping that someone will share my thoughts
> on how the world's best operating system should represent its attributes
> and users to the rest of the world.
> 
> Being an architect as well as graphic designer, I feel it is about time
> for a complete revamp of the visual aesthetics of the FreeBSD project.
> The current logo and everything pertaining to it has long since lost its
> modern touch. I believe that if this image is strenghtened, so is the
> way outsiders view the FreeBSD project and the way they would judge it
> compared to other open source operating systems.
> 
> 1. Not only is the logo misleading (associating evil) but it also looks
>    like something 10-year-olds could produce in Paint Shop Pro ten years
>    ago. OpenBSD has an artistic touch to theirs, however I was very
>    disappointed when I heard that the new NetBSD logo was in effect.
> 
> 2. If it wasn't for the interesting content and structure of the FreeBSD
>    website, it would be among the less beautiful. Yes, it serves its
>    purpose well by being simple and straight to the point. But a redesign
>    could offer just the same -- simplicity and accuracy -- without being
>    ugly.
> 
> 3. The installation, even though it's text-only, could also be improved
>    by simple restructuring to act more cognitive and human-centered than
>    previously. Everything pertaining to the eye is important to improve.
> 
> 4. There should be some kind of FreeBSD business card and letterhead
>    available to all that support this project.
> 
> How do I know though, that if I manage to pull together a team to work
> on this refined vision, that we won't be totally ignored even though we
> produce the most magnificent result?
> 
> Anyone that are interested, please reply ;-)
> 
> Sincerely,
> Johann Manaf Tepstad
> --
> j.

For future reference, arch and www probably weren't the right lists to 
send this to. I've removed them from my response.

Please read the archives of advocacy and pay careful attention to my 
posts on the subject of updating the site. Please read other archives 
and posts for information about the installer.

The FreeBSD foundation should be the only entity to have ``official'' 
letterhead, since it's the only official sponsor of the project, in that 
sense.

You don't know that your work won't go in vain and here's why:

1) Lots of people are fine with it the way it is,
2) There are lots of sites that are simple. Checked google.com or 
sun.com lately? Linux.org?
3) This has been tried before. I tried to organize it. It didn't work.

If you're really interested, do some work and please post here when you 
have a result. All the topics you have mentioned have been discussed to 
death, and the consensus is do it first, talk later.

I think it's best to let this dead beast lie.

Kind regards,

Devon H. O'Dell