[Kdenlive-devel] Logo - was: Re: Website changes

[Mads Bondo Dydensborg]

fredag 12 December 2008 skrev Jean-Michel Pouré:
> On Fri, 2008-12-12 at 03:17 -0500, Cinephiliac wrote:
> > 
> > Screencapture of currrent template with new icon:
> > http://projects.zeno.thinkhost.com/kdenlive/Newlogo_Screengrab.png
> 
> This logo is nice and fits well in the web, 
> but I am not in favour of using it. 

I just wanted to comment a bit about this discussion, which kind of died here.

The current logo depicts (I have only realized this, after looking at in high 
resolution on the homepage) two pieces of celluoid film beeing "spliced" with 
a splicing tool. Up until today I did not realize this.

I recall my dad having such a tool, when I was a kid (around 1980), for 
splicing 8mm movies. I can say with almost 100% confidence, that I will, 
outside the context of a museum, never encounter such a tool for the 
remainder of my life. It is my understanding that much moviemaking now is 
digitally recorded, digitally clipped, and digitally distributed. 

The contrast from the tool to what Kdenlive actually does: working 100% with 
digital media is striking. Also, using a clapboard signals that the user 
should be able to concentrate on the footage, that is, getting the shots. The 
editor (Kdenlive in this case) will just plainly work for him. OTOH, the 
splicing tool signals a manual, tedious, error-prone process. (This may be 
overstating my case, but you get the point. I realize that the splicing tool 
can be a comment to a workflow that Kdenlive replaces, but I think that is 
too convoluted).

Contryary to the splicing tool, the clapboard is an element of filmmaking that 
is immediately regonized. (My spelling is even worse today than normally, 
please forgive me). I think even my 8 year old kid will know that such an 
item is associated with filmmaking. I can guarantee that he would not be able 
to decipher the current Kdenlive logo. I do not think he ever will. Did I 
mention that he has already put small films on youtube? He is in the target 
group, very much IMO, of Kdenlive.

But, I do not think he has ever actually seen a piece of celluiod film. Nor do 
I expect him to. 

If I had just installed a movie editor, Cinephiliacs logo/icon is the kind of 
icon I would hunt for in the menus. I think even my kid would locate it 
quickly.

The drawback obviously, is that a number of other video editors have also 
settled for clapboards as an element. This includes avidemux, FCP, IMovie and 
Kino. Especially for IMovie, I think there is a very good reason Apple have 
choosen a clapboard - it just says "movie editing; click here!".

However, I still think that Cinephiliacs icon is sufficiently different from 
the other icons to work in a menu with them, and I truly do not think that 
Apple will ever sue the Kdenlive Community for using an icon that looks like 
FCP's or IMovie's. The worst will be a cease-and-desist, and that is 
managable. And, really, even that I do not think will happen. They do not 
look that much alike, really. In fact, should we get the attention of Apple 
in such a way, I think it would be flattering.

Other points I like about Cinephiliacs logo: 
- it is much more "KDE" and "KDE4" than the current icon, both due to the 
choice of colors and the embedded K
- is colors are nicer.
- it looks more professional

Everything above is just my personal opinion though. There is no pressing need 
to change to a new logo *right now*, but I think we should, actually, for 0.8 
or thereabouts.

Regards

Mads

> My reasons (personal):
> 
> * A logo should be easy to identify. Presently your logo looks like
> avidemux and Kino. The fact that it looks exactly like Kino is blocking.
> User choosing from a menu may lauch Kino.
> 
> * Your logo looks very much like Final Cut pro. I searched "Final Cut
> pro logo" on Google images. I think FCP logo is a registered trademark.
> We may be suited for legal reasons, which is ***very*** blocking.
> 
> * The existing Kdenlive logo is very well stylized. I had great feedback
> from web developers when discussing about it. Other Logo I like: F-Spot,
> Iceweasel, qJack, Audacity, etc ...
> 
> If you or anyone comes up with another logo, at any moment we may decide
> to switch to a newer logo. In the present situation, I am not,
> personaly, in favour of switching to a new logo.
> 
> Kind regards,
> Jean-Michel

-- 
Mads Bondo Dydensborg   mads at dydensborg.dk   http://www.madsdydensborg.dk/

Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the 
country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the 
people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a 
parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can 
always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have 
to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for 
lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger.

          - Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials