Josh Berkus wrote:
>>> The gag with the steam engine is that it is named elephant.
>> That only works if people actually *know* that without having it
>> explained. How many people can we expect to actually know it? I'd say
>> a tiny amount only...
>
> The poster I'm doing is going to have a race car and the "Full Throttle
> Database" slogan. That's based on initial sketches the designer showed
> me; the race car design is just more compelling.
>
> FWIW, I agree that the whole "steam train" thing could lead to some
> unfortunate associations.
I disagree with a race car image.
A race car could also be unfortunate because that image is being used all over
the MySQL websites, and we don't want to look like we're imitating them. Or at
least MySQL had been plastering a race car for many months recently.
Also, the the thing about race cars is that they may be fast, but they also are
lightweight and can't handle large loads, and they are harder to control.
A race car suggests speed at all costs, including at the cost of reliability or
safety or the ability to handle large loads. (Which is also how I felt when I
saw MySQL using it.)
So, an image of something that is more industrial or workhorse is more
appropriate for a database like PostgreSQL, especially one that is both
industrial and fast.
So a train is a better image.
I suggest a modern train, but probably not a bullet train, as we want to suggest
fast, but not so fast that we're taking greater risks.
-- Darren Duncan