SteveC explained many times what the problems with the current logo is. Matt have tried to solve some of the problems by simplifying the logo. But it is still very far removed from what makes OSM unique (collaborative map making) : http://www.asklater.com/matt/mag_map_unbusy_reallylowcolour.png
So while reading the long thread we had earlier this year, I came across two gems across a good explanation by Roy Wallace about what we should be doing (repeated at the end of this message). Although the following logo is a good attempt, it borrows a lot from the Wikipedia logo. In fact, it will be hard to make a recognizable logo based on a globe, because so many other logos already does it. http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/File:OSM_Logo_World_Green.plain.png So I started playing with cartographic symbols, and this what I have so far. http://nroets.dev.openstreetmap.org/osm_logo.png Further ideas may include making it 3D like a SatNav display, or add more bridges to symbolize the massive community. And unlike earlier this year, can we please not make this thread a discussion about what procedures or committees or thought processes to follow. In the likely event that this thread does not result in a new OSM logo, we may still have created some ideas for a logo that can be used in a subproject. Wikimedia already uses 14 logos : http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/File:Wikimedia_logo_family_complete.svg ----- Roy Wallace wrote: On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 1:47 PM, M∡rtin Koppenhoefer <[email protected]> wrote: > > I would expect from a new logo to be > > 1 individual and unique > 2 meet all the technical and graphical requirements for a logo > 3 tell a story / symbolize the idea of OSM > 4 possibly maintain some continuity with the current logo > > the proposed design is working only for point 2 but has nothing to do with > OSM. Good points. Though personally, I believe 2 (technical/graphical) is by far the most important, where that includes the requirement that it "look good". 4 (continuity) is unnecessary, IMHO, and 1 (uniqueness) is usually not a big issue. 3 (story-telling) can be very difficult - but please remember that this shouldn't be interpreted literally - i.e. "symbolizing the idea of OSM" does NOT mean that there HAS to be 1's and 0's, AND a map, AND the idea of a community, AND the idea of freedom, etc etc. Look at the Nike logo. Or the ubuntu logo... both very simple, and effective because they each try to capture only one single *feeling* that somehow represents each company. I really like Robert's contribution. But I guess I understand, now, that some people think it falls short on story-telling. Perhaps that is useful feedback, that designers can take away from this. I think it's only a matter of time before someone proposes a design that nails (at least) those four criteria simultaneously.
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