[Solved] Banner image?

[RGB]

In the new and great landing page, we have this image



Maybe we need to update the image used on the banner for all forums too?

[Hagar Delest]

I would say yes for the short term but I think this has to be discussed more in detail.
If we want a branding, either have the "official" one or something with no branding at all. I'm not comfortable with custom or intermediate solutions for that kind of visual identification.

[RGB]

I would say yes for the short term but I think this has to be discussed more in detail.
If we want a branding, either have the "official" one or something with no branding at all. I'm not comfortable with custom or intermediate solutions for that kind of visual identification.

+1
My intention was not to suggest the use of that image, but to have a common (and new) image on all places.

[rudolfo]

I really like the idea of the apache feather being used as a (archaic) writing tool. This brings together the first steps of mankind in writing with the level of digital writing that we have right now or in the future. Although it might put a bit too much emphasis on Writer and not on the office suite as a whole product.

But I am pretty sure the colors reaching from violet to yellow won't fit in the blue background of the banner header of this forum. But how about using it at the footer where the simple apache feather logo replaced the former Oracle logo?

[FallenAvatar]

I agree that an image should be created and agreed on by the community for branding purposes. You don't want to keep changing it, stick with the old until a new brand image has been decided.

[floris v]

I think that we only need to change the text in the current image - it still reads OpenOffice.org and that should now be Apache OpenOffice. And Apache projects don't use the feather as logo - Apache OpenOffice itself doesn't use it, it's the logo of the Apache organization. We can, and I think we should, use our own logo for the forums as a separate project in Apache (and still have the feather logo on the page, mind you).

Edit: And it can wait.

[RoryOF]

I agree with FallenAvatar, not to change just yet. As far as I know (and I've skipped such posts due to pressure of other matters), there is discussion on the Apache lists about a major rebranding for 3.4.1 and certainly for 4.0. I also agree with rudolfo about the symbolism of the feather; the feather lying down is in the wrong position - it needs to be erect - perhaps two feathers /_ one upright in blue, one lying in Apache colours on a desktop or writing slope. But, to repeart, a logo change is premature at this time, in my opinion.

[/a3]

Not sure if the image RGB attached was "official" but images that are not official might have to be approved by Apache first. I highly doubt it would be a problem but there could be possible trademark issues if it's not official. I know Mozilla can be obsessive about that sort of stuff...

[RGB]

Not sure if the image RGB attached was "official"

AFAIK, it is not: Drew did it some time ago, before the last "official" image landed on the main project site. I just "quoted" it as an example to show that the landing page is now different from the rest of the site.

On a side note, the "site name" still says "OpenOffice.org Community Forum".

[RGB]

I reproduced (sort of...) the logo on Draw and made some changes

AOO-forum-logo-en.png (11.36 KiB) Viewed 24714 times

The odg file is here

http://people.apache.org/~rgb-es/AOO-forum-logo.odg

I was not able to insert the JA, VI and ZH text... Someone with more skills is needed to improve the logo (gradients on text, for example).

[floris v]

Nice job for the Apache Marketing Department. But it's a good attempt.

[DrewJensen]

Well, it seems to me that helping to support the Apache OpenOffice project is a good thing, IMO.

I like the images in the ODG file though I couldn't help with the others either..

I decided to take another pass on this, also

it's created in Gimp, this is an exported gif of course,

aoo_logo_forum_en.gif (10.8 KiB) Viewed 24691 times

the layered and text editable xcf file is available for such.

I only did the English, but using the ODG file from the earlier post could do all of those same languages straight away also..

So - what folks think, do we have enough something her that we can roll out?

[Hagar Delest]

+1 for this latest version.
Thanks for all your work about that!

[acknak]

I think floris_v has a good point: there should be coordination with the project's marketing/graphics.

The current banner with "Apache OO" in the text seems best to me.

[floris v]

Well, it seems to me that helping to support the Apache OpenOffice project is a good thing, IMO.

I like the images in the ODG file though I couldn't help with the others either..

I decided to take another pass on this, also

it's created in Gimp, this is an exported gif of course,

aoo_logo_forum_en.gif

the layered and text editable xcf file is available for such.

I only did the English, but using the ODG file from the earlier post could do all of those same languages straight away also..

So - what folks think, do we have enough something her that we can roll out?

I like it, but it's not perfect yet - it seems to me that the blue is darkest in the middle instead of at the top.
And I didn'[t suggest that we let do the marketing dept all the work, but we should certainly talk with them and send any banner graphics to them before we upload them, after all, it's part of their job and their responsibility how the site looks, while we're responsible for the content.

[DrewJensen]

but we should certainly talk with them and send any banner graphics to them before we upload them, after all, it's part of their job and their responsibility how the site looks, while we're responsible for the content.

Well, there is no reason at this point to use terms 'we' and 'they', at least not with the two of us floris - you are they and I we.. right.. anyway - two thoughts, I'll try to address the feedback with another pass on the latest gif and post a email to the dev list with a [UX/Graphics] tag today..

[Hagar Delest]

I think that the best is to implement the new logo proposed by Drew ASAP to replace the current OOo logo. It's better than keep the old logo.
Then we can begin talks with marketing people.

[RGB]

I think that the best is to implement the new logo proposed by Drew ASAP to replace the current OOo logo. It's better than keep the old logo.
Then we can begin talks with marketing people.

+1

[floris v]

I prefer RGB's design - except that the color should be white for the whole text. It would even be better to use the same font that was used for the original logo. But both designs need improvement before they can be implemented.
And let me clear one thing up: when I talk about us and them, I don't mean that unfriendly. We aren't the marketing department, and just because we can work with a graphical editor program doesn't mean that we're professional designers. It would be "we" against "they" if "we''d upload a home designed graphic as the new Apache logo. Think about that. I've been active as an editor for publishers for many years, and I've seen lots of authors who focussed more on how their books should look instead of what went into it content wise than was good for them and for the publishers. We're pretty good at running this forum and we provide excellent content, but quite apart from the fact that it'd be rude to bypass the marketing people, being good at running a forum doesn't mean we're good at designing logos.

[RGB]

I prefer RGB's design - except that the color should be white for the whole text.

Second run (odg file on previous post updated, now with the text for all localizations... I hope without mistakes)

AOO-forum-logo-en2.png (10.25 KiB) Viewed 24638 times

But both designs need improvement before they can be implemented.

+1. But I'm not able to do it better: someone with a strong background on graphic design is needed.

[acknak]

My two-cent tweak

Hmm, why does the forum shrink my image but not the others?

[Jan_J]

+1 for the acknak's proposition for its compacntess.
In the current one rules of alignment are not so clear.

The words: “Apache” and “Open” should be better visually aligned to the left, should not they? Plus kerning improvement in the whole description.

Btw., which font has been used in the banner, and how is it related to the official font set?

[floris v]

+1. But I'm not able to do it better: someone with a strong background on graphic design is needed.

My point exactly.

[RGB]

Time to move the discussion to the mailing list? It seems we are blocked...

[RGB]

I was thinking that with the idea of changing the host name for the forums to forum.openoffice.org it is not needed to change the banner image after all: it represent quite well the site... changing the "get it" image, bottom right on each page is far more important now, IMO.

[floris v]

I suggest that somebody posts a link to this discussion or just the graphics on the marketing mailing list, asking to select the best and have that improved by somebody with graphical skills.

[Hagar Delest]

RGB has sent a message to the dev mailing list. In the mean time, I was sending one to the marketing list (but needs to be moderated because I'm not subscribed to the latter).

In the mean time too, Rob made a blog post about the rebranding, maybe some result rather soon...

[saphil]

+1 on the most recent tweak from drew. The less complicated, the better.
Wolf

[imacat]

Personally I vote for all three. ^^;

I checked the system. They seem to be 10 image files on the hosts. So when there is a conclusion, please send me the files so that I can replace them.

[RGB]

From ES forums, two more variants based on acknak design :