Bad Ideas: Good Riddance To...

The Library Marketing Committee continues to develop the brand for the instant messenger (IM) system that we intend to launch in the fall. The theme has been established, but we did discuss alternatives. One, that I am glad never saw the light of day, was: Digger, The Information Mining Gopher.

Click the image of Digger for a larger view:












The idea behind Digger was to create the absolute last thing that any of us would like to see. You know, present the worst possible ideas to the boss and hopefully he/she will pick the one you actually want. I hate myself for co-conceiving the little 5|-|17. My original notion was the iconic southern Alberta miner and relating it to "data mining" (which I did like); my co-worker (Valarie) suggested the gopher to add a cutsie-poo factor into the equation - this equals nausea and self-loathing.

Though I dislike the concept, it was not entirely without thought. The concept is based on two southern Alberta themes - the Richardson's Ground Squirrel (a.k.a, the gopher) and miners (since coal mining is still prevalent in the region) - and the notion of data mining. Despite the thought process that went in to it, the concept is still better off dead.

Another concept that I floated included a lighthouse theme. The obvious connotations include: illuminating the darkness to locate information, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria - where the famous Library of Alexandria was located.

As for the actual theme, well you will have to wait and see. It is, as the British might say, a little sexier.