Apple's Mac Logo: Still Going Decades On

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Apple’s Mac Logo: Still Going Decades On

4 January 2013 3,389 views 8 Comments

Whereas the Universal logo on the right dates to roughly 2007, Apple’s Mac Logo has remained virtually unchanged for decades, receiving only minor adjustments over the years, including color, font and gradient. Is it time for Apple to update the Mac logo or should this time tested trademark just fade away?

Susan Kare designed the original “happy Mac” logo, which was the basis for the more familiar Mac boot screens (image below) that followed with every new version of the operating system through 2001′s OS X Puma. Of course, today’s Mac boot screens come graced with an image of whatever big cat Apple’s OS X is marketed with at that time — 2012 Macs feature a Mountain Lion.

However, the happy Mac logo lives on today and can be found on packaged software, which itself is something of an endangered species.

That said, should Apple revitalize the traditional Mac logo or is it just a relic that should fade into history? Honestly, I had forgotten about the happy Mac logo…

What’s your take?

via Reddit, top image Apple Developer, bottom image Low End Mac

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8 Comments »

Dorkus Maximus said:

Bring back the Happy Mac! Why did Apple ever want to drain personality, friendliness, and fun from the Mac experience?

# 4 January 2013 at 10:57 am

stan said:

The happy mac resides in the dock. It is the icon for the finder.

# 4 January 2013 at 11:47 am

BDK said:

I agree with Stan. It’s on the left hand side of the dock on everyone’s Mac.

# 4 January 2013 at 4:53 pm

the rocr (author) said:

Lots of folks don’t use the Dock. Like the Dashboard, the Dock is an unwanted use of resources.

How To: Disable Dashboard in OS X Mountain Lion
http://fairerplatform.com/2012/12/how-to-disable-dashboard-in-os-x-mountain-lion/

Given the direction of OS X development in recent years, it’s not hard to imagine the Dock, and that beloved Happy Mac logo, might not be long for this world.

No?

# 4 January 2013 at 6:39 pm

Hamp Thomas said:

“Lots of folks don’t use the dock”? Really? I’ve never in my life seen anyone running OS X not using the dock. I think you are a weirdo.

# 6 January 2013 at 8:16 pm

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