[Mageia-dev] Art, Logo and Branding

Fri Sep 24 03:07:40 CEST 2010

On Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:58:30 +0200, Michael Scherer <misc at zarb.org> wrote:
+> 
+> How would you ensure that the community version will not be seen as a
+> cheap version of the commercial one ? How would you prevent this idea
+> from destroying again the community like it did by the past ?
+> 
+...
+> All people who I asked the question said that the only solution is to
+> have 2 different names and brandings.
+> Redhat do it, and it work fine from them.
+> Novell do it, and it work fine.
+> Canonical do it ( to a lesser extend , since there was
+> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntuone-servers/+bug/375345 ), and it work
+> fine.
+> 
+> Even debian based distro used a different name ( progeny, etc ).
+> 
+> We didn't for Mandriva, and so started the confusion between the
+> company, the distribution and the community. And so people didn't
+> contribute because it was a business, and the idea that "updates were
+> not free" stick around for a long time because it was hard to explain to
+> people the different concept
+> 
+> So if there is a business or commercial version, I think this would
+> requires a different name and branding. Using the association name for
+> that would not be right, in my opinion. 
+> 
+
+I (and this is a totally personal opinion, of course, even if I sound harsh)
+really hate all this mess of editions/versions/variants of the same distro.
+I have always installed both servers and desktops with the same Mandriva
+edition. In fact (perhaps I'm ignorant on this point), what's the difference
+between lets say a 'server' edition and a 'desktop' edition ? The default
+set of installed packages ?
+And what is the difference between the Commercial and the Free edition ?
+The support from the company ?
+
+It would be even a benefit for the distro: one suit to fit all markets.
+You have a distro that works for everything.
+Just:
+- have a one and only DVD distro
+- have several automatic setups for desktop and server (if you want to
+  distinguish them, that I would not, I want to log in in Gnome in my
+  samba server to admin it and I want firefox to google ldap problems)
+  like mandriva does with KDE/Gnome/other.
+- make very clear that you/someone sells a commercial support product,
+  not DVD or distro product, even say "I can mail you also the dvd,
+  but you could just donwload it, it is the same and what you pay for
+  is SUPPORT from the people that builds and better knows it".
+- dont use any different branding or logo, just find a logo that is
+  serious enough to fit the commercial part.
+
+And I have not finished reading all the threads, but having a look at
+the logos, I see some clear problem: many are too complicated.
+After choosing a logo for our research group at the University,
+time after I realized we did it wrong, for some aspects:
+
+- separate the logo from the name. A logo is a logo, and the full
+  distro/whatever includes the logo and the distro name.
+  So you are free to chose both the icon/logo and the typeface for
+  the name, you can put only the logo in some places, you can
+  arrange the logo+name in different setups (one above other for
+  the top of a letter or side by side for a web title or banner)
+  This rules out all that designs with interlaced letters and
+  plants or fire and so on
+- dont relay too much on colour. Suppose you want to put your logo
+  on a black and white letter...a logo that can be printed both
+  in colour and black would be perfect (as I wrote this, I found
+  the artwork guidelines, so forget it ;) ).
+
+I really like this idea:
+
+http://www.flickr.com/photos/54167983@N08/5011126293/in/pool-1491252@N24/
+
+You can print it in black and white, have a photo-realistic render,
+or even a use video in this line
+
+http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-video-10598162-blue-energy-ball.php
+
+with the M turning into blue fire ;)
+
+Just some ideas, no pun intended.
+
+Great work, guys!! Lookin forward the day I could switch my mirror list
+in urpmi...
+
+-- 
+J.A. Magallon <jamagallon()ono!com>     \               Software is like sex:
+                                         \         It's better when it's free
+