Do we need / want (or already have) a mascot for OpenPGP?

reynt0 reynt0 at cs.albany.edu
Sun Jul 7 23:00:17 CEST 2013


On 07.07.2013, Hauke Laging wrote:
  . . .
> Linux has its cuddly penguin, BSD its devil, openSUSE the
> chameleon...  Whether the GNU gnu increases the fun factor
> is a difficult question... ;-)
>
> I guess it would be good to have something like that for
> OpenPGP.  Something that people both like and recognize.
> Something that both instructors (OpenPGP courses) and
> private people, companies and other organizations which
> use it can put on their web pages in order to create
> awareness.
>
> I would prefer something with a strong appearance, a
> smiling rhino or gorilla maybe. :-)
>
> I am a total artistic black-out so I can hardly do more
> about that than say "I would like to have it".
  . . .

A current movie and old TV show in the USA makes me think
of, why not a masked western hero?  (Not a superhero.)  Like
the well-known Lone Ranger, who was on the side of good
against evil, on the side of law without being himself of
the law, etc.  He just liked his privacy and anonymity.

The image might even be of the masked cowboy on an archtypal 
rearing horse, fun and active, exciting.  I would be surprised
if the "Lone Ranger" media franchise had a copyright on that
image, they just used it like lots of western movies have
probably since commercial movies were invented, including Zorro,
etc.  The "cowboy" could be gender neutral, ie not displaying
any gender characteristics.  :-)

On the negative side, I wonder if such an image might be
accused of being too "activist"?  Also, I suppose the image
would have to be carefully done so it did not look like just
some bad guy.  Maybe wear a big white western hat rather
than a black hat?  <|8^)



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