Please don't change Beastie to another crap logo such as NetBSD!!!

[Louis LeBlanc]

On 02/10/05 02:26 PM, Garance A Drosehn sat at the `puter and typed:
> At 10:59 AM -0500 2/10/05, Louis LeBlanc wrote:
> >  >
> >  > Logos need to be as neutral as possible, since they will be
> >  > very widely used and very heavily imprinted in customers'
> >  > minds.  They must not conjure up thoughts of anything except
> >  > the brand they represent.
> >
> >Neutrality is purely objective in this case (and many others).
> >Uninformed neutrality can be highly inflammatory.  Beastie is only
> >considered inflammatory to those uninformed fundamentalists who
> >haven't been satisfied beating down every other freedom in this
> >country and need someone or something else to pick on.  Next
> >they'll be burning books and witches again.
> 
> It is interesting that I constantly hear "FreeBSD MUST have the
> Beastie as the only logo for FreeBSD.  We MUST NOT even consider
> any other logo -- because if we consider ANY other logo, we will
> be close-minded!".

I don't remember ever being accused of close mindedness.  Being open
or closed minded has nothing to do with this.  The issue of replacing
Beastie has come up in the past, and in my opinion, the reasons have
always been all wrong.  I, along with a lot of other members of the
community feel strongly enough about it to voice our opinions every
time this comes up.

> So, there is one-and-only-one valid logo for FreeBSD, and that
> is because FreeBSD is so very open-minded?

The logo is what it is.  It has been the logo, and Beastie himself the
mascot, since long before I started using FreeBSD, and is considerd by
many to be an integral part of FreeBSDs identity.

Granted, changing a logo isn't always a bad thing, but doing it for
the wrong reasons is.  It is my not so humble opinion that changing
your identity to suit an overly sensitive vocal minority is always the
wrong reason.  On that I'm afraid maybe I am close minded.

> Note that the contest is just to see what logos people can come
> up with.  It's not like we are demanding that the logo must have
> angels in it, or a picture of some other religious figure.
> Nothing more than "Let's see what ideas people can come up with".

Now, you see, mentioning angels is really a good point.  The problem I
have there is that angels are strictly a modern religious symbol.
Daemons are not.  At least not with anything anyone considers a modern
religion - it's more widely associated with an ancient mythos, but the
concept is relevant to the OS, and that's the thing about Beastie that
makes him perfect for FreeBSD.

Demons are modern religious symbols, Devils are, the cross used by
christians is.  It's not reasonable to suppress something *outside*
your system of beliefs just because something negative *within* your
system of beliefs is based on it.  That's what I see happening, and
why I'm vehemently and vocally opposed to the change.

If there were a *reasonable* basis for changing, I would be in favor
of the proposed change.  Sadly, but in favor nonetheless.  The
"business" reasons mentioned are not sound given the fact that there
are *real* devils used as mascots and logos in the food, sports, and
other industries.  The issue of religious sensibilities is plain
ridiculous, given that Beastie is completely unrelated to the
(mythos'/faiths/religions) those objections are based on.  As I said,
next they'll be burning books and witches again.

Lou
-- 
Louis LeBlanc                          FreeBSD-at-keyslapper-DOT-net
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