Subject: Re: bug#25205: Guix package is using the GuixSD logo instead of the Guix logo

From: Chris Marusich <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2016 23:00:52 -0800

Mathieu Lirzin <[email-masked]> writes:

>> However, I would argue that the original Guix logotype is mostly
>> superseded by the other one.  I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s
>> confusion to have two logos, and that the GuixSD one is cute anyway.
>> :-)
>
> As long as Guix and GuixSD are not synonymous, I would argue that mixing
> the two logos increases confusion, whether it looks pretty or not.
> Especially since the logos include their name.
>
>
> What do people think?

Please understand that this is just my own opinion.

I think branding matters.  And I think using one icon for the "Guix" and
"GuixSD" logos is better branding than two very different-looking icons.
Having two icons does not make the difference clearer.  If anything, I
feel that it is MORE confusing because it fails to emphasize the common
component: Guix.

Consider Nix.  They use only one icon [1] on the websites for Nix [2]
and NixOS [3].  When you see it, you know the brand is Nix.  Nix and
NixOS are closely related to one another, so it's natural to share the
icon.  What's the difference?  A logo won't tell you; you need to read
the manual to learn that.  But you know it's Nix, regardless of how it's
being used.

I think GNU Guix should use one logo to strengthen its branding.  The
golden GNU [4] is better than the other one [5], so that's what I'd use.

> If the choice of using GuixSD logo when designing Guix is about
> esthetics, maybe we could use the same symbol for both logos.  Maybe
> with a slightly different color that would help distinguish them?

Since the words "Guix" and "GuixSD" are already different, I don't think
they need to come in a different color.  I do like the off-color "SD" in
the "GuixSD" logo, though, since it emphasizes that it's still Guix.

[1] https://nixos.org/logo/nixos-logo-only-hires.png
[2] https://nixos.org/nix/
[3] https://nixos.org/
[4] http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/guix/guix-artwork.git/plain/logo/GuixSD.svg
[5] http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/guix/guix-artwork.git/plain/logo/guix-logo.svg

-- 
Chris