suggest an icon for selinux (e.g. setroubleshoot)

[John Dennis]

On Wed, 2006-08-30 at 10:22 -0500, Marc Schwartz wrote:
> >> We would like some suggestions, anybody have a good idea? Just remember
> >> it has to be identifiable at small sizes. Images associated with the NSA
> >> probably won't get warm feelings in a variety of places.
> 
> It seems to me that (notwithstanding the political overtones) this 
> position would be denying their significant contributions to this 
> effort.  Not just the organization as an entity, but that of key 
> individuals.

I did not mean to denigrate the contributions of the NSA nor anyone
associated with it, rather I wanted draw attention to the power of
images. Previous threads which considered a logo or icon for SELinux
often saw suggestions related to the NSA, but this would be problematic.

Perception is key in selecting iconography. Any visible suggestion that
the software which has been installed on a user's system could be
related to NSA monitoring will create barriers to acceptance. We're
trying to dismantle the acceptance barriers, not erect new ones. Those
of us involved in SELinux work clearly understand the technology has
nothing to do with NSA monitoring but that is of little value when
countering public perception fueled by uninformed conclusions. Bear in
mind the iconography will be viewed not just by Linux geeks familiar
with the technology and its history but potentially by any desktop user,
domestic and international for whom this may be their first visible
introduction to the technology. We don't want them to draw the false
conclusion the NSA has tentacles into their private computer.
-- 
John Dennis <jdennis at redhat.com>
Red Hat Inc.