On 17.09.2015 06:13, Aaron Wolf wrote: > Copying my reply from the design list (this discussion does belong on > the general discuss list) > > On 09/16/2015 03:54 AM, mray wrote: >> Hello everybody, >> >> >> It is time to have a fruitful discussion about our slogan, we don't have >> one - but we should. My current mock-ups just use "FUNDING A FREE >> CULTURE" but that isn't anything that has been decided at all. >> We are about to create promotional resources and eventually I'd like to >> make use of a slogan. We need to settle this soon. >> >> The properties I seek in a slogan are: >> * brevity >> * concision >> * simplicity >> * clarity >> >> Concerning what the slogan could convey have a look at our mission: >> https://snowdrift.coop/p/snowdrift/w/en/mission >> or the slogan page: >> https://snowdrift.coop/p/snowdrift/w/en/slogan >> >> So here is my candidate: >> >> >> "WE FUND FREE CULTURE." >> >> WE indicates that it is about people (many!), maybe including you >> FUND covers our financial angle >> FREE is the best compressed version of Free/Libre/Open >> CULTURE represents the scope of different content we support >> >> >> Thoughts? Comments? Alternatives? >> > > Obviously, it should be referenced that the current slogan on the site is: > > "clearing the path to a Free/Libre/Open world" > > The "clear the path" indicates our snowdrift metaphor (otherwise, with > no cue at all, it's far too easy for people to think 'snowball' and > think the snow metaphor is about how all the little donations add up, > instead of the desired metaphor of a blocked path). This version of the > slogan is predicated on a position that there exists no acceptable > truncation of "free/libre/open". > > Why "free" even in "free culture" is a problem: Free is 95% of the time > associated with price, whether we like it or not. In fact, there's a > whole initiative in Portland, OR where I live to fight back against > "free culture" — that exact phrase. It's headed by musicians who are > trying to push back against the trend of people downloading music at no > charge (which we support, but we want artists funded) and *also* > (importantly) against the trend of bars getting live musicians to play > for zero pay just for "exposure" and such. In other words, to them "free > culture" is the whole trend of people thinking they can get everything > at no charge. Now, their whole initiative is misguided, but I mention it > for reference. > > Obviously, "funding a free culture" makes it clear that we *aren't* > working against artists being paid. But still. > > "culture" on its own definitely makes a lot of people thing this is > about art and not about science, software, or technology. Of course, we > have a strong software audience, so having a lot of software present, we > will be clearly about software, so emphasizing the cultural side in the > slogan does help offset that. > > I think if there's one word to be the best truncation it's actually > "open" except that is a no-go because (A) tons of open-washing makes it > almost meaningless today, and (B) this would draw the ire of the FSF > folks who oppose the replacement of "free" with "open". > > In various contexts, such as "clearing the path to a free world", the > term "free" sounds jingoistic, as "the free world" is used to mean > America / U.S. versus the Soviety Union etc. > > Although "creative commons" is taken, various forms of statements around > the term "commons" or maybe "public goods" make sense. It is a totally > accurate way to describe us to say "we fund the digital commons" or > something of that ilk. > > Please, others on this list, perspective is useful. Please share your > thoughts. > > Best, > Aaron >
You're right to point out that the project indeed is using a slogan. Just to be clear though: you agree that a new one is needed, right? @"clearing the path": I see how this fits thematically, but it's clunky and has a dogmatic connotation like "we know THE ONE right path." But the main issue I have is: it *only* fits thematically. It does not add relevant context by staying metaphorical and stating the obvious (we remove what needs removing). It just underlines that there is a theme but does not clarify that it is about that particular dilemma, let alone what that type of dilemma actually is about. Once you know all the context *already* - it makes sense. But that's using the slogans purpose backwards. @"free": Given that we have to compromise either way I'm willing to accept clear downsides. "We Fund free culture" still seems ok to me -even- when "free" is broadly associated with "gratis". As you point out the "funding" part of the slogan changes its meaning. So does the word "culture". Using "free" as a property of the broad term "culture" certainly amplifies the "freedom" aspect of "free". Finally "free" comes with a good all the time. Do I get this right that "we fund the digital commons" is your #1? Removing the "the" would make it a real alternative for me, I'm just not sure about how far digital really is concise. But the more I think about it the less I see problems with that. Robert
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