New FreeBSD Logo Contest to Close on June 30

xbsd writes "The Official FreeBSD Logo Contest is closing on June 30, 2005. As of June 23 they have received 429 compliant submissions, but if you got the skills you still have a few hours left to submit a proposal. Now, is it time for F/OSS projects to follow NetBSD and get a more polished (or as some would say, 'corporate') public image?"

Copyright?

[ip_vjl]

The designer also certifies that the logo does not infringe upon the rights of any third party and that it does not violate any copyright.

How is anyone supposed to certify that?

You can certify that you aren't willingly or knowingly violating a copyright, but you never know if someone will pop out of the woodwork with a logo (you've never seen) that yours looks too much like.

Suddenly Everyone is an Art Critic

[Picass0]

Sometimes programmers should stick to programming. When they attempt to use corporate logos as the yardstick by which good art is measured, they only show that they need to get out more often.

Why should a corporate looking logo have greater value to a FOSS project than a whimsical cartoon? The BSD 'Beastie' logo is recognized worldwide, making it more successful than 99% of the logos that companies paid big money for.

We, as users and developers of FOSS, find much of the corporate attitude distasteful. Yet the FreeBSD group now seeks some official looking sterile abstract icon so they can show everyone their software is "Pro"?

Suddenly it's the FreeBSD 'hippies' that need to take the stick out of their ass. Go take an art class and relax.

As a graphic designer, let me speak from experience - Corporate art sucks.

Re:Suddenly Everyone is an Art Critic

[WebHostingGuy]

As a graphic designer, let me speak from experience - Corporate art sucks.

Yep. But as a graphic designer you also know that most, if not all corporations don't use cartoon looking daemons. FreeBSD obviously wants to change its perception and unfortunately this is one part of that transformation.

Now, I'm off to buy some daemon t-shirts before they are gone forever...

Re:Copyright?

[StonedRat]

Copyright doesn't work like patents. If you created it independently with no knowledge of the other similar logo then you haven't violated copyright. Although i think it is possible to violate trademarks in that manner.