We propose the symbol ⁂ to represent the fediverse.

We propose the symbol ⁂ to represent the fediverse.

…

⁂ is called an asterism. In astronomy, it refers to groups of stars in the sky, akin to constellations. We suggest that it’s a very fitting symbol for the fediverse, a galaxy of interconnected spaces which is decentralised and has an astronomically-themed name. It represents several stars coming together, connecting but each their own, without a centre.

…

@ is the symbol for e-mail. # is the symbol for hashtags. ☮ is the symbol for peace. ♻ is the symbol for recycling. ⁂ can be the symbol for the fediverse. ⁂ is standardised as Unicode U+2042, making it ready to copy and insert anywhere.

Git Repository: fediverse-symbol/fediverse-symbol

  • m-p{3}@lemmy.caEnglish
    3·
    1 year ago

    I’d rather see the current Fediverse logo added to Unicode than reuse an existing symbol. It’s not impossible, considering that the Bitcoin symbol (₿) ended up making it.

      • aasatru@kbin.earth
        0·
        1 year ago

        I kind of like the idea of just using pentagram. ⛥

        Close enough to the current logo in appearance, scales well, not used by other social media, satanic undertones.

            • Flax@feddit.ukEnglish
              0·
              1 year ago

              Why wouldn’t I hate Satan? Man’s literally responsible for everything wrong with our society 🤣

              • Handles@leminal.spaceEnglish
                0·
                1 year ago

                …you think Satan is a literal man and “responsible for everything wrong with our society”? 🤯 Allow me to ruin Santa Claus for you next.

                • Flax@feddit.ukEnglish
                  0·
                  1 year ago

                  I didn’t say he is literally a man 🤣 It’s an expression. He’s an archangel specifically.

  • dudenas@lemmy.mlEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Isn’t there one already widely adopted? The rainbow mesh pentagon? Why rebranding?

    • aasatru@kbin.earth
      2·
      1 year ago

      And in white, for the dark mode folks:

      ⁂

      But it’s hardly a fair comparison, especially because it seems I cannot upload SVG files to Mbin. I also didn’t make the lines thinner or any other adjustments that might be a good idea at this scale. Still, might be better than noting.

    • cron@feddit.orgEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      At least on my screen and font size, the three asterisks are way too small to be recognizeable as a logo.

  • mke@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    However, its design is a little too complex to be used at small sizes, as you would in text or in a button.

    I wonder what the criteria are. Because ⁂ just looks like three blurry dots to me. It’s not making things worse, but I wouldn’t say it’s making them much better either.

  • elrik@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Its use looks contrived to me on the linked GitHub page. The comparison with @ and # is flawed because those symbols are part of the resource name, whereas here the symbol is superfluous. It’s like adding a 🌐 in front of every web URL.

  • Handles@leminal.spaceEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Whoever decided that a logo should be standardised as Unicode? That is the worst criterion for picking a symbol that has and will have hundreds of other uses than inline text. If it’s so important — work to have the current, pentacle fediverse symbol included in Unicode.

    Registering a domain to introduce your dumb idea with a lot of empty bravado leaves you with … an annual bill and a dumb idea. The pentacle symbol is so much more recognisable.

  • Rentlar@lemmy.caEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I’m more partial to the pentagram/star ⛤🌟 shape of the current fediverse logo. It would be nice to have a monochrome and emoji form in unicode, just have the pentagram encased in a pentagon.

  • Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    0·
    1 year ago

    Am I misunderstanding this - you want to replace a recognised symbol with a symbol that’s already being used by another group? That seems counterproductive at best.

    I’m also wondering, have you spoken to anyone with poor eyesight? This is my reply to a comment below suggesting that the new symbol would be easier to read:

    I’m reading this thread on mobile, and the fediverse logo next to the community name is much easier to see than the three stars. If I didn’t already know what the three stars were from the rest of the post, I wouldn’t have a clue what they were supposed to be in the body. They look like a blurry capital A. Obviously the fediverse logo is bigger there, which helps, but it’s not significantly bigger, and would still be clearer at a smaller size

    • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.caEnglish
      01·
      1 year ago

      It’s not being used by another group to represent themselves. It’s a technical symbol like degrees or pi. This idea is similar to how the semicolon is being re-used as a symbol for a group of people. Nothing is being stolen from anyone.

      • Tippon@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
        0·
        1 year ago

        I didn’t say that it was being used to represent anyone, or that it was being stolen, I said that it was already in use. To use your examples, I’d think that using Pi or the degree symbol to represent the fediverse would be a bad idea too, as they could also lead to confusion. The semicolon is punctuation, so there’s less chance of confusion with that.

        If an astronomy group made a poster with the three stars, would the stars be representing star clusters, or advertising that they’re on the fediverse? Given that the fediverse is still relatively small, is there more chance of the stars being seen as an astronomical symbol?