news.volyx.in

The brand new Thunderbird logo (blog.thunderbird.net)

617 points by TangerineDream · 1192 days ago · 262 comments on HN

Article summary

The Thunderbird email client has introduced a new logo after nearly 20 years, designed by Jon Hicks, the creator of the original Firefox and Thunderbird logos. The new logo aims to honor the project's history while representing its modernization and revitalization. The logo will be integrated into Thunderbird 115, codenamed 'Supernova', this summer, along with a redesign of the website and branding on social channels. The new logo has received largely positive feedback from the community.

Main themes

  • logo redesign
  • project revitalization
  • user attraction
  • design trends
  • maintenance and updates
  • branding and identity
  • community feedback

What commenters say

  • A new logo can help a project appear currently maintained and attractive to new users, even if the underlying software is already up-to-date.
  • Changing a logo can be seen as unnecessary and potentially disruptive to users who are accustomed to the old one.
  • The new Thunderbird logo successfully balances modern design trends with the project's existing identity and spirit.
  • Some users argue that a logo change is not a reliable indicator of a project's maintenance status and that actual updates to the software are more important.
  • The design of the new logo, particularly the bird's expression, has been criticized by some as appearing angry or mean.
  • Others see the logo change as a positive step towards revitalizing the project and making it more appealing to new users.
  • There is a debate about the importance of adapting to current design trends in order to attract new users and contributors to an open-source project.