On November 20, 2004 11:37, Victor wrote:
http://www.nfl.com/ (scroll down) has very good logos (obviously). I think could be a cool idea starting point.
Something cool, but mean looking (and would look good on a tshirt). Is there a mean moose around? Maybe a mean falcon. angry hedgehog? Hedgehog doesn't sound like a bad idea...
Why the negative emotion? Should CRUX really be associated with meanness and anger? Doesn't using CRUX put you in a satisfied mood? The floating GNU is already taken, and we definitely shouldn't choose a mascot which represents the bovine qualities of its users. (*cough*Larry-the-Cow) Google image search for "intelligent animal" turns up a few hundred, but it was the raccoon which caught my eye. Raccoons can be foaming-at-the-mouth angry, given the right conditions--or can be peaceful scavengers with the decency to wash their food. They have teeth which grow for their entire lives, which could symbolize "keeping their skills sharp". Black "raccoon eyes" from staying up too late trying to get broken software to compile. :-) Scavenging nature, where they take things from their environment--downloading our sources from other people's mirrors--they don't mind, and if they did we'd go somewhere else. The only serious problem with the raccoon, is that most people see him as a pest. Many Linux users see the plethora of minor distro's as pests, so perhaps their is a parallel here too? Is it a positive or a negative one? Raccoons can be printed on a gray or black t-shirt with just two colours of ink. (if t-shirt is gray, use black & white ink. If t-shirt is black, use gray & white). This makes it cheaper to make t-shirts, mugs, etc. Lastly, the raccoon is similar in spirit to Puffy the Blowfish, because he can look both cute, or angry/mean. (though mean is the exception for reasons that should be biologically obvious...rabies. We don't want to bankrupt CISCO, replace windows, or take over the world, so probably shouldn't adopt a predator as a mascot. IMHO, intelligence and cuteness are essential for a mascot. On the other hand, the moose has the capability to look stoic. I could live with being identified with a stoic moose. Caribou exist as for food for others, so that's a definite no. The beaver logo is already used by Roots, and is liable to be interpreted as such within Canada. The moose is used by Moosehead, a good Lager from the maritime province of New Brunswick--though if we used a comic moose, that wouldn't be an issue. (and since it's a good beer, the logo is bearable) Canine domesticus was already claimed by YellowDog. A flying fish, perhaps? Maybe some kind of bird? Are raccoons considered seriously offensive in anyone's culture? I'm drawing most of my "visible animals" with a, perhaps, Canadian bias. Raccoons exist all over most of North-of-the-Mediterranean Europe though, right? Oops, I just checked--they don't. Introduced to Germany in 1934, they are now an urban plague. They're apparently going to conquer continental Europe. They're not a predator, but will conquer. Is this a desirable trait? "Viral GPL spreads across the continent, infecting European programmers everywhere. Remember kids, don't touch raccoons, they carry the Free Software virus". Perhaps this would make the raccoon a great conversation starter in continental Europe? Is that the purpose of a t-shirt logo? Here are some links to decent raccoon photos/caricatures: A skinny one: http://www.ozyandmillie.org/2002/om20020205.gif Angry: http://www.inwap.com/mf/reboot/episodes/games/raccoon.jpg Intelligent, alert, and standing on two legs! (photo): http://home.san.rr.com/wrichar3/images/Raccoon.jpg Other: http://www.northern.edu/natsource/MAMMALS/rac1.jpg http://www.wildlifecenter.net/images/Raccoon-Dsc01791.jpg http://thejunglestore.com/media/Raccoon-decal-pganimal-flod.jpg http://raynox.com/actualimage/digital/e5400/e5400-dcr1850-raccoon.jpg http://www.exzooberance.com/virtual zoo/they walk/raccoon/Raccoon 42009.jpg http://www.geocities.com/brainxxdamage/charactersbandit.jpg http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.angelfire.com/weird/curseofdagrak/Tobiasspell.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.angelfire.com/weird/curseofdagrak/commain.html&h=266&w=443&sz=15&tbnid=nWkbhyuLICYJ:&tbnh=74&tbnw=123&start=11&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dracoon%2Bcomic%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DG http://www.havahart.com/nuisance/images/raccoondk.jpg http://pathea.com/media/wallpapers/ghibli/pompoko/index.shtml Honestly, I could probably live with the moose, so long has he has intelligent eyes, rather then deer or cow eyes. Biologically, humans are WAY closer to the raccoon. Actually, IIRC, outside of humans and orangutans, raccoons are the only living creature with an opposable thumb. Nope, I just checked wikipedia: Available are: Panda Koala Oppossum Cebids (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1d/200px-White-throated_Cap...) Moose is quite tasty, in case you haven't had the opportunity to try it. Definitely the tastiest game, imho. (better then deer, any fowl, elk...maybe not caribou. Haven't had the chance to try boar.) There's not a chance in the world that I'd touch anything with a hyper-combative mascot on it. Cheers, Nick