FreeBSD's Visual Identity: Outdated?

[Carsten Zimmermann]

Hello -

While I agree that Beastie is totally cute and thus cool, I also
understand that people new to BSD might connect it with `evil´. I read the
chapter about daemons in mythology. But this chapter is not exactly what
you start with once you get to know BSD. Nevertheless, Beastie must not be
exchanged! :)

The website: The website is fine. It serves its purpose as stated before.
But imagine being a network technician convincing your employer to move
applications to The Great OS. I think the current FreeBSD website pretty
much suggests as FreeBSD being a `geek´ project. It can't be our aim that
FreeBSD is considered unserious, FreeBSD definately needs trusting
companies to raise its market penetration. And company's stake holders are
(most often) easily tempted by visual impressions. Thus, the website
itself is the primary marketing material in my eyes and I think there is
great need of redesigning it in the midterm view.

That much from me,
Carsten

Sigmascape1 at cs.com sagte:
> I think the daemon is totally cool, and should not be changed. If you want
> to 'pretty FreeBSD up," I would suggest, if anything, a revamped set of
> marketing collateral. The website itself is solid, I have no real issues
> with it. The marketing material I am thinking of is web-based and
> print-based. FreeBSD could benefit greatly from some PDFs a person could
> download and distribute to potential users.
>
> Thanks.
>
> MLF
>
> www.sigmascape.com
>
>
>
>>Hello.
>>
>>I am writing this e-mail hoping that someone will share my thoughts
>>on how the world's best operating system should represent its attributes
>>and users to the rest of the world.
>>
>>Being an architect as well as graphic designer, I feel it is about time
>>for a complete revamp of the visual aesthetics of the FreeBSD project.
>>The current logo and everything pertaining to it has long since lost its
>>modern touch. I believe that if this image is strenghtened, so is the
>>way outsiders view the FreeBSD project and the way they would judge it
>>compared to other open source operating systems.
>>
>>1. Not only is the logo misleading (associating evil) but it also looks
>>   like something 10-year-olds could produce in Paint Shop Pro ten years
>>   ago. OpenBSD has an artistic touch to theirs, however I was very
>>   disappointed when I heard that the new NetBSD logo was in effect.
>>
>>2. If it wasn't for the interesting content and structure of the FreeBSD
>>   website, it would be among the less beautiful. Yes, it serves its
>>   purpose well by being simple and straight to the point. But a redesign
>>   could offer just the same -- simplicity and accuracy -- without being
>>   ugly.
>>
>>3. The installation, even though it's text-only, could also be improved
>>   by simple restructuring to act more cognitive and human-centered than
>>   previously. Everything pertaining to the eye is important to improve.
>>
>>4. There should be some kind of FreeBSD business card and letterhead
>>   available to all that support this project.
>>
>>How do I know though, that if I manage to pull together a team to work
>>on this refined vision, that we won't be totally ignored even though we
>>produce the most magnificent result?
>>
>>Anyone that are interested, please reply ;-)
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>Johann Manaf Tepstad
>>--
>>j.
>>
>
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-- 
Carsten Zimmermann
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