NeoLin - Who's in?

[Matthew_Thepc]

Just a quick exercise in branding (In case we keep the Shift name).

After examining the most memorable tech logos I opted to propose a very simple yet memorable approach. Apple, Ubuntu, Windows (Now with Metro) etc all of them use solid shapes and clean lines.

In the other hand Shift means change, either direction or speed but also has a strong link with the concept of road (again, direction).

Again, this is just a crude proposal. I wanted something elegant and professional.

WOOH. <3 that (but could you fit the ² in somewhere?)

I'm in, I can do C# code if we can get mono, but I know enough C++ to be able to lend a hand in the event I can't do c#. (but yea C# would be my strong area).

agreed completely - getting Mono (and possibly Wine) built in to a low level of the OS would be super awesome.

[threesixtyflip]

Shift² sounds cool, but I wouldn't like typing it in :) what about the official name is Shift², but when easier we can just use Shift2 or Shift^2? I couldn't stand having to press the superscript button everytime I want to mention it :D

Haha, just think about getting a domain for it. I always see it as Shift two really.

[Matthew_Thepc]

Haha, just think about getting a domain for it. I always see it as Shift two really.

:D I'd suggest http://www.name.com/ as a domain host (and they've got shift2.org for $10/year), unless you were looking into buying like shift2.net from Godaddy (but I'm not sure if that would be such a good idea after the whole godaddy protest & stuff :\).

[threesixtyflip]

Well I was looking already. I already have an account with fasthosts for all my stuff, so I don't mind grabbing a domain or two.

Whilst we at it, I've created a forum dedicated to this on my website, if I can ask everyone interested to register on there so we can discuss properly that would be great.

http://linux.freshmedialive.com

See ya on there!

[Matthew_Thepc]

Well I was looking already. I already have an account with fasthosts for all my stuff, so I don't mind grabbing a domain or two.

Whilst we at it, I've created a forum dedicated to this on my website, if I can ask everyone interested to register on there so we can discuss properly that would be great.

http://linux.freshmedialive.com

See ya on there!

signing up now :D

[lukeslife]

im in and signing up in the forum now. Can distribute the torrent when finished also have some basic web design skill. PHP, Css, Html

[Matthew_Thepc]

Well I was looking already. I already have an account with fasthosts for all my stuff, so I don't mind grabbing a domain or two.

Whilst we at it, I've created a forum dedicated to this on my website, if I can ask everyone interested to register on there so we can discuss properly that would be great.

http://linux.freshmedialive.com

See ya on there!

hey, Stocker, could you create a discussion/forum for discussions on just like what distro to base it off of, and other stuff like that more dev-related than just "feature proposals"?

[threesixtyflip]

hey, Stocker, could you create a discussion/forum for discussions on just like what distro to base it off of, and other stuff like that more dev-related than just "feature proposals"?

It should be under the Shift2 Discussion part. If you click it, will bring up the latest discussions.

EDIT: Scrap that, I made a OS Discussion part, its in there mate.

[Barney T. Administrators]

If you guys use Shift² , potentially you would not have to file for a new trademark for it because we already have the Shift trademark with The Linux Foundation. We are also members of OIN (Open Invitation Network). Those are big hurdles that you wouldn't have to do......

[threesixtyflip]

If you guys use Shift² , potentially you would not have to file for a new trademark for it because we already have the Shift trademark with The Linux Foundation. We are also members of OIN (Open Invitation Network). Those are big hurdles that you wouldn't have to do......

Ooooh that would be a pretty big plus!

EDIT: 1K posts! :)

[Detection]

If you guys use Shift² , potentially you would not have to file for a new trademark for it because we already have the Shift trademark with The Linux Foundation. We are also members of OIN (Open Invitation Network). Those are big hurdles that you wouldn't have to do......

Would these guys not mind ?

[Matthew_Thepc]

It should be under the Shift2 Discussion part. If you click it, will bring up the latest discussions. EDIT: Scrap that, I made a OS Discussion part, its in there mate.

great :D

If you guys use Shift² , potentially you would not have to file for a new trademark for it because we already have the Shift trademark with The Linux Foundation. We are also members of OIN (Open Invitation Network). Those are big hurdles that you wouldn't have to do......

that's awesome :p

[Matthew_Thepc]

Stocker, it looks like there are some 4 people signed up on the Shift2 Forum, why don't you PM everybody who showed interest and ask them to sign up?

[Noir Angel]

If you used NeoLin isn't there a strong possibility of Microsoft suing you like they did with Lindows?

[Matthew_Thepc]

If you used NeoLin isn't there a strong possibility of Microsoft suing you like they did with Lindows?

:) that's why we're using Shift² :D

[sanctified Veteran]

WOOH. <3 that (but could you fit the ² in somewhere?)

I attach with this post the version with the 2.

However I'm not sure we should add the number direct to the logo.

The logo could be the main branding, just as Ubuntu has it's logo independent of the release.

What we can do is to have a main distro logo and a release logo. Why? Differentiation. If Ubuntu can have different ridiculous names for every release why couldn't we have visual distinctions for each release?

Im letting my mind to run wild since Im doing what I always wanted to see in a Linux distro: Elegance, attention to detail, CONSISTENT DESIGN AMONG RELEASES, memorable branding (only Ubuntu has managed to do this). Something that can appeal not only to the geeks and hobbyist sense of design.

I don't quite like how that turned out, but it was done in five minutes. Months of refinement will make a world of difference.

What do you all think?

[Brandon H Supervisor]

I'd like to help out, can't help much with any coding but I could be a beta tester and pass out some constructive criticism where it's needed :)

can also help seed torrents as well

[dnast]

If you used NeoLin isn't there a strong possibility of Microsoft suing you like they did with Lindows?

Why would MS sue for the name NeoLin? "Lindows" was very close to "Windows" and supposedly could be confused with Microsoft's product - NeoLin isn't similar at all.

Anyway, I'll be checking the progress from time to time and maybe help in some way eventually.

[4CxbqFxVnstmA Veteran]

I attach with this post the version with the 2.

However I'm not sure we should add the number direct to the logo.

The logo could be the main branding, just as Ubuntu has it's logo independent of the release.

What we can do is to have a main distro logo and a release logo. Why? Differentiation. If Ubuntu can have different ridiculous names for every release why couldn't we have visual distinctions for each release?

Im letting my mind to run wild since Im doing what I always wanted to see in a Linux distro: Elegance, attention to detail, CONSISTENT DESIGN AMONG RELEASES, memorable branding (only Ubuntu has managed to do this). Something that can appeal not only to the geeks and hobbyist sense of design.

I don't quite like how that turned out, but it was done in five minutes. Months of refinement will make a world of difference.

What do you all think?

These are cool designs. I think as well that a consistent brand will help motivate the people who make Shift.

So, if we follow Ubuntu and others on goofy project names, what is the first Shift beta to be called?

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

^ Shift² 0.1 'Phoenix has risen' maybe?

As for the infrastructure - why have a separate forum when you could just ask for a new Shift sub-forum (and IRC channel) on Neowin? Pretty sure the site administration will support the effort.

Also, I'll be following the project and offer suggestions as well as test the distribution.

[Alwaysonacoffebreak]

Okay here's an idea, a crazy one I know but worth a shot I guess.

How about some-what native support for gamers? Instead of messing around with Wine it would do all that silently? I'm not even sure if that can be done? It has crossed my mind before but I was to embarassed to ask lol :blush:

E: I know gaming ain't Linux main point but it would still get some gamers involved lol :laugh:

That aside I'd love to help. Whatever I can do...

[+Majesticmerc MVC]

We could do a new non-compatible release, but I think most of the people on this want the experience of creating something from scratch, unless I'm mistaken, in which case feel free to either hadouken me or yell :D

You misunderstood, I agree that we want to create something from scratch. What I meant is that if we take the Shift name, we will need to make it clear that the new release will be incompatible with the original :).

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@Barney - Are you happy for us to incorporate the Shift branding? Assuming that's the case, are you happy keeping the trademark and related stuff or are you looking to pass it over to someone else?

---

Some thoughts (most of these are probably candidates for their own polls and threads, but I'll leave that for the project manager to decide)...

1. Hosting. How are we going to host any source? I'd be inclined to suggest something like Bitbucket or Github for hosting any code that gets created.
   
2. Transparency. I like the idea that we'd create this distro with maximum transparency. For example, any meetings are logged and published unedited, and any major project decisions go to a vote with a forum topic. Stuff like that.
   
3. Allow suggestions, but maintain a vision. While I mentioned above that we should vote on most decisions, I'd suggest that we need to keep a consistent "vision" of the distribution. We should be free to knock back any suggestions that are contrary to the general direction of the distro. For example, if we're going for a lean 'n' mean distro, any suggestions for, say, integrating OpenOffice into the default install should be declined (with due respect of course).
   

Also, I apologise that I haven't been able to attend any IRC chats so far. I've been hella busy the last week or so (currently in the process of moving house).

[n_K]

*puts name down*

"How about some-what native support for gamers? Instead of messing around with Wine it would do all that silently? I'm not even sure if that can be done? It has crossed my mind before but I was to embarassed to ask lol :blush:"

No no no! This will never happen. You've got games like world of goo etc. that are natively ported to linux but you can't just somehow port a non-native game to linux unless you use wine or crossover. The only 'huge' games that I know that run on linux are anything in the Unreal series, and quite a few arcade games such as those running on Sega Lingbergh systems (and you can't legally move those over, plus you need an anti-piracy dongle for them to boot)

I'm in agreeance that the forum and IRC channel should be on neowin directly, I'm not going to remember other sites and more people will be interested and randomly 'pop-in' if it was here so potentially more will be interested.

[pers3us]

I'm in agreeance that the forum and IRC channel should be on neowin directly, I'm not going to remember other sites and more people will be interested and randomly 'pop-in' if it was here so potentially more will be interested.

I agree with this too, forum and IRC should be with neowin.

[Barney T. Administrators]

Would these guys not mind ?

No, I do not think so. Of course I will check with them, but this would be an extension of an already existing project.

@Barney - Are you happy for us to incorporate the Shift branding? Assuming that's the case, are you happy keeping the trademark and related stuff or are you looking to pass it over to someone else?

That is fine with me, as long as you guys keep me updated... (Y)

Brought this over from your other thread. Per request, here are the main starting points (at least how we got started at the beginnings of Shift):

For a roadmap, you guys need to do these things first:

1) Establish your method of meeting. IRC, Skype, whatever. Make a schedule of meetings and attend them.

2) Establish your team. Get a project manager, put a few good people in as devs, graphics, web designers, PR people, and such. One of THE most important roles is a lead developer. Nothing can happen without a strong one.

3) Create a SVN to place distro files for devs to work on in between meetings. I suppose you could use Dropbox, if you can get enough space.

4) Establish your goals for the project. What you want to achieve, what distro to use, who is responsible for what, and when you want deadlines to be. It may be tough to establish too many deadlines at first, but someone needs to keep an eye on the present and future near-term and far-term goals.

5) Once all of this is in place, you can set deadlines for developmental versions of your distro. This inclused testing, RC, and final versions.

That is a start. As soon as you get the project under way, we can possibly create a subforum like we did for Shift (that is archived at the moment). That is down the road.......

I hope that this helps.

Barney