Mascots and Fedora. Do we need one? Do we want one?
Back in the release cycle for Fedora 7 we had an initiative: create an open process where anyone can play and see if we can come with a Mascot for Fedora.
It generated a lot of long talks on mailing lists with strong supporters and opponents of the idea but also a number of contributions (about which I planned to blog but never came to it until now, shame on me!).
Here is a collage with various graphics we got:
But it seemed it was not hugely popular inside the Art Team, contributions slowed, the initiative got on hibernation or maybe even died.
I don't want to declare it dead or, by contrary, forcedly revive it, I just think is worthy to mention it, as we have a recent topic on the mailing list about its status.
So if you want it alive, start contributing, if not, the silence will take care of its [lack of] future.
Posts
I'd like to have a mascot, but the community should think hard what sort of mascot it should be (impersonating Fedora and not just any mascot).
ReplyDeleteA mascot would be nice, perhaps.
ReplyDeleteBut what purpose does it solve?
The only professional grade mascot there is the parrot, I like that.
What purpose? I will quote from the wiki page: "brings a friendly personality to the project and reaches out to our target audience".
ReplyDeleteA mascot is something funny and friendly, it help people identify with the project and also make the project look more human.
On top of that, a mascot makes good material for t-shirts and plush figures.
And some people think the time spent playing with graphics is quality time...
Indeed, the parrot is the only "professional grade", but this is mostly because other graphics are not finished and have not evolved beyond the "concept"phase.
Personally, I think that if we were to keep putting focus on the Infinity logo, then that would get all the recognition Fedora needs to create a strong recognizable visual. That logo has been around for a few versions, and is what people probably recognize first, not some cutesy character.
ReplyDeleteI like the parrot with the shirt, nice to see something other then the penguins (but I do STILL dig the 'guins after using Linux since 1999)
ReplyDeleteYeah! The parrot is very cute. :)
ReplyDeleteyes, the parrot with Fedora's T-Shirt is the best!
ReplyDeleteI want it!