82

I think that the Meta logo does not reflect its "meta" nature. What about something like that instead:

sample 1

Or

sample 2

or, as suggested by random, something more ouroboros such as:

alt text

Any other ideas?

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23
  • 34
    Needs more ouroboros.
    – random
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 12:24
  • 8
    Personally I don't like the greyscale site with the red / distressed "meta" in the logo.
    – Josh K
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 12:49
  • 1
    The answer is obviously a stack of stacks.
    – badp
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 16:06
  • 3
    no, the answer is a stack of itself
    – Gabriel Cuvillier
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 16:12
  • no! a dishwasher!
    – bobobobo
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 16:57
  • Hahaha, really @Pekka? =)
    – Josh Darnell
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 21:42
  • 5
    @jadarnel yeah, man! Meta's logo is way too boring, I've always thought so.
    – Pekka
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 21:43
  • 3
    @JoshK there was much whining about the greyscale when "meta" first launched, but it's staying because Jeff likes it... it's kind of like a "shadow" of the real site.
    – Joel Coehoorn
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 21:45
  • 1
    FWIW, I really like the 2nd image.
    – Joel Coehoorn
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 21:45
  • Gotta spend that meta rep on something, eh @Pekka :)
    – Adam Rackis
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 21:52
  • 1
    @Adam yeah, but I really believe in this cause! The current Meta logo could use some improvement.
    – Pekka
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 21:58
  • @Pekka - if the currently accepted answer could get accepted, that would be just awesome.
    – Adam Rackis
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 21:59
  • 9
    Perhaps a more distinguished logo would help reduce the number of people who mistake this for Stack Overflow?
    – hammar
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 22:10
  • 1
    I'm So Meta, Even This Acronym (needs something like that)
    – Almo
    Commented Feb 14, 2012 at 18:39
  • 2
    Needs more cowbell too
    – seanb
    Commented Mar 8, 2012 at 2:48

13 Answers 13

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111

It doesn't really fit in, but I think it's pretty meta:

new meta logo, large
meta with new logo applied

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10
  • 4
    Wow! Good idea! It reminds me of Escher pictures. If the topmost element of the topmost stack could "morph" back to the orignal red stack container it would be awesome!
    – Gabriel Cuvillier
    Commented Apr 11, 2010 at 17:59
  • 2
    ... And adding another dimension is a way to go "Meta"...
    – Gabriel Cuvillier
    Commented Apr 11, 2010 at 18:06
  • 1
    This is soooo cool. When can we expect this to be implemented? :)
    – Pekka
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 21:42
  • 4
    more recursion needed!
    – paul23
    Commented Jan 28, 2012 at 3:29
  • 1
    Your graphic design skills are amazing.
    – Adam Rackis
    Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 15:17
  • This looks more like Area 51 to me, which generates new Stack sites.
    – Almo
    Commented Feb 14, 2012 at 18:38
  • Super cool... but it would be a disaster as a favicon.
    – Richard JP Le Guen
    Commented Sep 27, 2012 at 20:23
  • First of all, was that made in Blender? Second, @RichardJPLeGuen the favicon can be kept, and the icon changes.
    – nanofarad
    Commented Sep 29, 2012 at 11:28
  • @ObsessiveFOSS Yes, it's Blender.
    – balpha StaffMod
    Commented Sep 29, 2012 at 18:13
  • this is really cool
    – th1rdey3
    Commented Oct 2, 2012 at 8:18
56
+250

I'm with Adam Rackis on this one (+1 btw), only you need to try a bit more:

The real Meta Stakoverflow logo

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3
  • +1, though I do prefer my more minimalist version :)
    – Adam Rackis
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 22:25
  • 2
    Ohhhhhhh - you free-handed the logo too - I almost lost some Dr Pepper upon seeing that.
    – Adam Rackis
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 22:25
  • Well, Dr Pepper. What's the worst that could happen..?
    – David Thomas
    Commented Jul 9, 2012 at 22:50
37
+500

The meta section is about improving stackoverflow and making it better, and that could be represented in the logo. If the logo starts off as a sketch and is improved along the way, ending in a more "finished" state, like the real logo.

I'm not an expert at drawing but here's an example:

enter image description here

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6
  • 4
    I actually really like this. Brilliant!
    – Someone
    Commented Feb 27, 2012 at 15:45
  • 1
    I really like this one :P How about posting some variations too?
    – Lix
    Commented Feb 27, 2012 at 15:46
  • 1
    @Lix - Did this during the coffee break to show the Sketch -> Finished idea I had. If it gets popular I'll do some more for sure =)
    – Niklas
    Commented Feb 27, 2012 at 16:13
  • 1
    I think this looks awesome, but it would be easy to confuse with the original SO... maybe if the first part of the logo were even more roughly sketched?
    – Eli Sander
    Commented Jul 9, 2012 at 13:13
  • 1
    Wow! I really love this! This would also solve the alignment problem. To the mods, can we please use this?
    – buschtoens
    Commented May 22, 2013 at 15:12
  • 1
    Any luck with other sites?
    – Cole Tobin
    Commented Jul 28, 2013 at 7:59
32

The current logo is certainly lacking sufficient waffleage.

New MSO Logo

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4
  • 1
    And I want a T-Shirt with this one.
    – squillman
    Commented Apr 11, 2010 at 3:20
  • 1
    Is that blood or syrup?
    – Kredns
    Commented Apr 11, 2010 at 3:29
  • 8
    @Dexter: depends on the post
    – squillman
    Commented Apr 11, 2010 at 3:31
  • 1
    Love it! You get one upvote from me for this!
    – uɐɯsO uɐɥʇɐN
    Commented Apr 11, 2010 at 20:22
28

Your first proposition makes me think of this:

metal spring

Well, it would sure represent Meta better in its true purpose: give an originally serious thing to people, so they can play with it endlessly.

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5
  • 1
    Did a slinky ever have any serious purpose then?
    – Arjan
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 12:38
  • 12
    @Arjan - From the story of its creation (see edited link in anwser), it was originally a serious engineer experiment (something supposed to "support and stabilize sensitive instruments aboard ships in rough seas"), which turned out to be something funny. Exactly like Meta, in fact. Originally to report bugs, and discuss on a high level about the trilogy... And finally filled with waffles, freehand circles and unicorns.
    – Gnoupi
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 12:50
  • 2
    you are forgetting Icelandic Fridays!
    – perbert
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 15:38
  • 2
    Your answer (which is a silly response to a potentially vaguely semi-serious question) is reenforced by the fact that it's the highest voted. +1 for not answering the question and diverting the subject to slinkys.
    – Super Long Names are Hilarious
    Commented Apr 11, 2010 at 4:24
  • 2
    @Length - I object! My post is actually answering the question "What about something like that instead", as it contains an opinion about one of the propositions. The fact that you feel diverted is only a vicious effect of the slinky, crawling through your child memories.
    – Gnoupi
    Commented Apr 11, 2010 at 7:46
23
+250

What about unicorn?

meta unicorn logo

:)

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19

The current answers are trying a bit too hard. I think we should keep the original logo, but add some freehand!

enter image description here

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4
  • 4
    This is very intriguing. I think it's becoming my new favourite.
    – Pekka
    Commented Jan 25, 2012 at 22:04
  • 1
    I want this. I'd spend 20k of my Unicorn dollars to get this implemented.
    – Pekka
    Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 12:08
  • @Pekka - well, when you're in charge you can implement it yourself :)
    – Adam Rackis
    Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 15:16
  • yeah man! This one will be my top priority. :)
    – Pekka
    Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 15:45
17

Hrm. A stackoverflow occurs when another function is called and its variables overwrite beyond the end of the stack, possibly onto other important data.

So if we abstract that out another level...

Hrm. I shall have to ponder this further. Currently the only thing I can think of is the error message that occurs when an error message can't be displayed due to a problem with the error message handler.

That's hard to realize in a simple logo though...

How about:

Core dump

  • It's an error that occurs in an error (ie, an error on stack overflow may result in a core dump)
  • Can be realized as a simple logo
  • Also represents a significant amount of knowledge - it's essentially taking the brain state of the computer and dropping it to disk so it can be dissected.

All of the above really do describe what meta is all about, and it's a nice, catchy idiom.

I'm thinking something along the lines of this for logo:

Logo for core dump - box with gear inside, red arrow suggesting the gear is removed from the box downward - falling out of the box

The SO font should be used, and the graphic itself isn't great, but it gives the general idea.

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10
  • 1
    Take the errors causing errors idea far enough and you've got yourself a kernel panic or BSOD, the latter is recognisable enough a small version would do.
    – Phoshi
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 15:15
  • 1
    Oooh, Core Dump! It's perfect for meta stack overflow discussion!
    – Pollyanna
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 15:25
  • Thanks @Phoshi - your comment triggered what I was trying to get at...
    – Pollyanna
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 15:31
  • 1
    So should the new logo be a bomb, then? Or maybe a trash can. That would make the "Meta is not your trash can" comments very ironic.
    – Aarobot
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 15:43
  • But doesn't "dump" carry unmanageable/unwanted connotation?
    – bobobobo
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 16:03
  • I'm seeing lots of logo and double-entendre posisbilities in "core dump". :D
    – Ether
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 16:17
  • 2
    Oooh, Core Dump! I say we vote for this, we can achieve independence!
    – Phoshi
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 16:29
  • I think it needs a freehand arrow.
    – Aarobot
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 20:49
  • @Aarobot - I had to freehand the arrow in pixel editing mode. Does that count?
    – Pollyanna
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 20:51
  • Only if you made the whole arrow without ever releasing the mouse button, and I don't believe your mousing is that accurate.
    – Aarobot
    Commented Apr 10, 2010 at 21:10
16

Needs more freehand circles!

Freehandcirclified

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1
8

@Adam Davis posted:

Currently the only thing I can think of is the error message that occurs when an error message can't be displayed due to a problem with the error message handler

Which made me immediately think of this

enter image description here

Hmm, hows that for a logo!

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2

Another idea: Escher hands.

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1

I'm rubbish at graphics, but I would suggest some metasymbol, like "::="

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1

Perhaps a more beer-oriented logo?

meta beer logo (Ethiopian)

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1
  • 5
    Yeah, see? Y'all down voted this, but now we actually have a meta.beer site. So Pthbbbbbbbbbbbbbb :P
    – user50049
    Commented Mar 4, 2014 at 14:26

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