SCN: Re: WEB: Re: Thanks for your input

[Rod Clark]

Patrick Fisher wrote:

> Seattle Community Access
> http://www.scn.org
> "Empowering the Community with Technology"

Patrick, 

   Please be a bit careful with the name. The "Seattle Community
Access Network" is Channel 77 cable access TV. SCN is "Seattle
Community Network." People might not realize that there's no
connection.

   There was some discussion about using the word "empowering"
in the slogan, as a result of which the word "empowering" was
banished for life to the wastes of Siberia. The slogan is
"Powering our communities with technology."

   Below is what I sent you last month about the stamp logo vs.
the yuppie-runner logo, when Studio30 included the latter in a
set of six logo designs, with one other very similar "runner"
design and four simpler geometrical designs.

   In the list below of things that the stamp logo represents,
tell me how many of them your friend's yuppie-runner logo
evokes:

-----
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 20:00:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rod Clark <bb615 at scn.org>
To: patrick <clariun at yahoo.com>
cc: Melissa Guest <mguest at sccd.ctc.edu>, hugh at studio30.com
Subject: Re: Fwd: fun with (SCN) logos

> Here are some ideas for logos that Hugh created.

Patrick, 

   Thanks for sending me these design sketches. Hugh has a fine
site with quite a few nice projects shown on it. It's evident
that a lot of work went into the two sample SCN logos. Here are
my first impressions.

   Upper left: 
      Fun Run elf meets detergent packaging. 

   Center left:
      Marathon runner bathes in Sun God Yellow while carrying
      torch or caduceus.

   The rest are there just to display more than one approach.

   The one design element that has survived four completely
different site designs over six years is the stamp logo. To me
it represents at least these things:

- communications from people to people (the stamp) 

- free of cost (the stamp's printed denomination)

- something about SCN's purposes (the generosity of Mercury
  stretching out a hand to someone unseen)

- Seattle (the clearly recognizable Space Needle)

- electronic transmissions (the lightning zaps)

- folk humor (the Space Needle uprooted)

- a spirit of amateur effort and informality (non-slick design)

- a large scale idea with oversize intentions (the giant scale
  of the figure)

- people-centered (the Mercury figure seemingly powering the
  entire process from something within)

[...]

Rod Clark

-----
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 17:45:35 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rod Clark <bb615 at scn.org>
To: patrick <clariun at yahoo.com>
cc: Melissa Guest <mguest at sccd.ctc.edu>, hugh at studio30.com
Subject: Re: Fwd: fun with (SCN) logos

Patrick, Hugh and Mel, 

   This is another try at saying something about why the stamp
logo seems to be so appealing to at least many of the older
volunteers.

   The scene in the logo is funny because Mercury trades in
using shoe leather for a relaxing on a convenient perch and
using e-mail to deliver his appointed messages. Having first
strode over to downtown Pugetopolis and uprooted the Space
Needle (we don't actually see the citizens fleeing in terror a
la Godzilla, but just think of the scene there), he plays hooky
from his ancient role of pounding the dirt roads of the
universe, and casually reposes on a handy local hill to use the
earthlings' architectural toy as an antenna for his new
technology.

   At the same time, trading winged shoes for e-mail is symbolic
of a real change in the world of communications, even for
ordinary people. It probably was more so in 1994 than now, when
everyone is so used to the Internet. This sort of thing is like
what happened 140 years ago this fall, in 1861, when the Pony
Express was rendered obsolete by the first transcontinental
telegraph line from the East to California, and was shut down.
It's funny in the same way as seeing, let's say a cartoon of a
Pony Express rider carrying a telegraph pole on his shoulder,
with insulators and wires and sparks flying out behind him as he
rides. It's absurd but it combines humor and symbolism in a
visual pun.

Rod Clark

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