----- Original Message -----
Being first is definitely important and something we should focus on,
but
differentiation
in open source is a hard challenge and branding is a big part of it. We are
not GNOME,
just like we are not the linux kernel or systemd or glibc. Yes, we happen to
make use of
all those projects, but what we are is the sum of all of those and more plus
the testing,
integration, customisation, extensions and specific combination of things.
And making sure that
totality has a clear and easily identifiable visual identity is not wasting
time. It is to build
a design and branding that highlights that Fedora Workstation is a unique
thing and not just
one of many ways to run a generic GNOME desktop.
In which case the problem is that we don't consult with designers, or work on
that branding work upstream. Case in point, our changes to the Details panel
in Settings aren't upstream, nobody tested the performance impact of the logo
watermark in gnome-shell.
It also seems bizarre to me that we would push that branding on Fedora
Workstation, but not in other variants with a Fedora branded motd before login
on the server variant for example.
Do we *actually* have a problem with Fedora being identified as such?
In which sort of deployment do we have that problem?
We already have branding in GRUB, in plymouth, in gdm, in the default wallpaper,
in the Details panel. I'd rather we sent our stickers for laptop covers, and
Windows keys, and toned down the branding on other parts of the OS, as well as
investigated other possible branding (changing the default hostname, and .local
name seem like no-brainer with no performance impact, and greater reach).