Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2005 15:57:16 +0100 From: Chris Zumbrunn <chris@czv.com> To: freebsd-advocacy@freebsd.org Subject: Re: The only worthwhile logo-related comments so far.... Message-ID: <82d64b378160bb673c1d1611d1bedd56@czv.com> In-Reply-To: <20050213001621.59515.qmail@web53907.mail.yahoo.com> References: <20050213001621.59515.qmail@web53907.mail.yahoo.com>
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On Feb 13, 2005, at 1:16 AM, stheg olloydson wrote: > it was cried into the wilderness of rancor by Dag-Erling Sm=F8rgrav on > Fri Feb 11 09:30:50 2005: > >> Likewise, Beastie is a mascot, not a logo. In fact, it fails the >> primary and most important test of logoness: it is not exclusive to >> the FreeBSD project, but is shared by all BSD projects. It also = fails >> several other important tests of logoness: it is not under the = FreeBSD >> project's direct control (our use of it is subject to the whim and >> mercy of Kirk McKusick); it is not a registered trademark; it is >> probably too diluted already to even be eligible to be registered as = a >> trademark. > > FINALLY! A worthwhile point of view - not obscured by emotion or > reproduction mumbo-jumbo! These are extremely important points, the > most important being Beastie doesn't belong to FreeBSD in any way, > shape, or form. This fact renders all other arguments moot. Forget all > of the "tradition", "offense", "professional", etc. time-wasting, > bandwidth consuming crapola that's been posted on this topic. I submit > that whether or not replacing Beastie as FBSD's main symbol is a good > idea is irrelevant. It is _necessary_. We know that Kirk McKusick doesn't object to the use of the "BSD=20 Daemon" by the FreeBSD project. While the Beastie mascot isn't=20 exclusive to FreeBSD and instead is used as a mascot for BSD unixes in=20= general, a new FreeBSD Beastie logo is subject to the additional=20 copyright of its designer and can as such be exclusive to the FreeBSD=20 project. In combination with the word FreeBSD and with the approval of=20= the copyright holders, it could indeed even be registered as a=20 trademark. But FreeBSD is not a company, and for its marketing purposes=20= it doesn't require the protection of a trademark. So, replacing Beastie=20= as the FreeBSD logo is NOT necessary. For marketing purposes, the relationship with BSD Unix and the "BSD=20 Daemon" mascot is a big advantage of FreeBSD, even more so since the=20 OpenBSD and NetBSD forks have done away with it. FreeBSD should=20 position itself as the free BSD. Free of corporate agendas and bloating=20= like Solaris and MacOSX, free of specialising on niches like NetBSD and=20= OpenBSD. As such, it is the "most original" BSD flavour on the market=20 and also the most associated with Beastie. What FreeBSD needs is a new beastie logo and a professional design. If=20= you need a trademark, form a company and launch a distro - even if it=20 is just for marketing, sales and support purposes. The FreeBSD project=20= can't and should not do that part, but should not hinder others that=20 want to do that (which is why it needs a new logo and a professional=20 design). In addition, the FreeBSD project can provide corporations and=20= consultants with material such as white papers and success stories -=20 and encourage the media to cover FreeBSD in more detail. chris@czv.com +41 329 41 41 41 Chris Zumbrunn Ventures - http://www.czv.com/ Internet Application Technology - Reduced to the Maximum
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