Re: Our official home page and logo for the Git project

From: Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@gmail.com>
Date: Apr 11, 2014, 20:26 UTC
Message-ID: <53484ffd4d687_8291657308d3@nysa.notmuch>
In-Reply-To: <8BCDA559-89F0-4FD1-AA76-94CC67CB32C4@quendi.de>

Max Horn wrote:

Show 21 quoted lines

> On 11.04.2014, at 20:56, Felipe Contreras <felipe.contreras@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Max Horn wrote:
> >> Come back when you have facts, as opposed to the illusion that you are the
> >> spokesperson of the (apparently silent) majority of Git users.
> > 
> > Facts:
> > 
> > 1) A hunk that removed (-) is represented in red [1]
> > 2) A hunk that added (+) is represented in green [1]
> > 3) A file that is removed is represented in red [2]
> > 4) A file that is added or modified is represented in green [2]
> > 5) A test that fails is represented in red [3]
> > 6) A test that succeeds is represented in green [3]
> > 7) The current Git logo (accordo to some people) has "-" in red, "+" in green [4]
> 
> I do not dispute any of that.
> 
> > Given these facts, it's reasonable to assume that to the majority of Git users
> > red is old and bad, green is new and good.
> 
> This is where you are making the hasty generalization.

And you prove again you don't know what that means.

> Your facts do not suffice to prove this conclusion.

That would be an invalid argument, not a hasty generalization.

> And even if the conclusion is true (which is possible despite your flawed
> argument, although I doubt it), then you are making another implicit
> assumption: Namely that people will automatically transfer the red/green
> principle from diffs and test results to logos.

It is not only diffs, in general in the tech industry red means failure, green means success. I can show you many many more examples if you need them.

Then you somehow think that when people see the Git logo they are not going to asociate they countless hours they've been actually using Git, and seeing red as bad, as if somehow the logo has nothing to do with the program. If that was the case we might as well choose a cow for a logo, because it doesn't really matter.

If you knew anything about logos you would know that the target audience does matter, and the organization's use of certain colors is important as well. Google for "how to design a logo" and you will find many references [1][2].

But didn't you say the colour didn't matter? If you really think that, then you should agree at the very least that green is as good as red. And if you don't care which colour is best, why are you arguing?

[1] http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/pro-guide-logo-design-21221 [2] http://www.wikihow.com/Design-a-Logo

-- 
Felipe Contreras