[nycbug-talk] fbsd orb?

[csnyder]

On 11/1/05, Matthew Terenzio <matt at jobsforge.com> wrote:
>
> I'm almost scared to ask as if someone told a joke and I'm the only one
> who didn't get it.
> But what is that new logo? I see they are horns I guess on an orb.
>
> http://logo-contest.freebsd.org./result/640-1.png

In design theory, abstraction provides an avenue for people to map
their own ideas and preferences onto a logo. Too much detail, and they
will find something to object to. But give them a smooth surface, and
they can see anything they're looking for.

The orb is a simple, clean logo, very much in keeping with
straightforwardness of the OS. It has a playful side, but the level of
abstraction will allow pinhead CEOs to see elements of Apple where you
or I see elements of Beastie.

I love that it's transparent -- open, one might say -- and that you
can see that there is a system within the system (the orb within the
orb: the kernel, perhaps? or a shell?). The horns appear through two
open ports, a metaphor that any of us will understand.

I'm sure this logo is controversial within the community of core
users, engineers who have a well-deserved distrust of marketing and
visual slickness. But FreeBSD is a great product. The orb speaks to
that on many levels, without being overly corporate or completely
abstract. The designer has done a remarkable job.


--
Chris Snyder
http://chxo.com/