Haskell logos/New logo ideas

The great 2009 Haskell logo contest[edit]

The Haskell logo has changed over time, and the current "new" logo reflects the advanced features of Haskell. However, it is looking rather dated, and doesn't necessarily reflect the mature Haskell we have now.

So, time to find a new logo. Something reflecting the modern emphasis of Haskell on purity and simplicity.

Results[edit]

The votes (for the first round) are in! You can view the poll results and the results page (with logos).

Congratulations to Darrin Thompson (idea) and Jeff Wheeler (graphical interpretation) for creating the winning logo! The winning logo is available in multiple formats, see ThompsonWheelerLogo.

Contest[edit]

Please submit logo-sized (not overly large) versions of your logo with optional text, with a preferably white background (such as for use on haskell.org).

Please submit your entries here, and attach your name to them please. To be eligible, they will need to be visible on this page (e.g. uploaded, or link to the image). The image should be freely available (a suitable freely distributable license). Entries not displayed here won't be eligible.

The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2008, after which the top few submissions will be voted on by the community to decide a winner!

Adjectives

A logo is part of a brand, and a brand is used to project an image. Therefore an important part of this exercise is deciding what image we want to project. An image can be described using a list of adjectives. So here is a sample of adjectives that we might want. This list is not exhaustive: by all means add more if you want them.

abstract, academic, accessible, accurate, adventurous, business-like, communal, complicated, dangerous, different, easy, exciting, familiar, friendly, fun, fuzzy, hard, interesting, inventive, precise, productive, profitable, reliable, revolutionary, safe, simple, strange, supportive, warm, welcoming.

I suggest that entries are accompanied by the two or three adjectives they are trying to project. PaulJohnson

by Ricardo Herrmann

"Haskell: From Hell to Heaven"

Shamelessly took Leksah's double-lambda idea, created a new version of it in Inkscape and made it aqua-like for the shiny-glossy-2.0 web world.

I think the double-lambda was a great idea. Let's kidnap it and make it Haskell's new logo ;-)

, or Times-based,

by User:Xyzzy

Binding the theoretical sky to the solid ground in Real World.

by User:Xyzzy

Haskell, the warm fuzzy nuclear waste.

by User:Bori vali

bori vali,20:16, 29 December 2008

My favourite one yet.

Basic version:

And on the ever-popular reflective gradient background:

Explanation:

- It is a slightly more dynamic version of the standard lambda

- In the center is a dot, which is the function composition operator

- It also looks like a Y tilting to the right, which is a reference to the Y combinator.

- It also looks like a figure running, a reference to Haskell's speed

--FalconNL 19:44, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

The inspiration for this logo is a set of planetary gears. The gears represent the compositional nature of Haskell (bigger gears made out of smaller gears). The colours of the gears are inspired by the paintings of Piet Mondrian, the well known abstract artist, and hence represent the abstract nature of Haskell. The gears are arranged into a shape which resembles a lambda, but only covertly.

The image was created in inkscape and an SVG is available.

bjpop Sat 27 Dec 2008 22:44:15 EST

            Pure Devil Haskell

The rationality behind my draft: (1) Haskell is considered powerful but feared. (2) Reversed Biblical logic: condemned to purity to be saved by monads, which according to Leibniz "are arranged by God in a perfect order which ascends to God, the supreme monad". (3) With great respect for Haskell Curry there are other people whom the language owes, thus it is only fair to encourage alternative interpretations for the name.

--Jaworski 23:51, 25 December 2008 (UTC)

This ASCII logo connects Haskell to LOLz, for pure win.

   we
    did
   it for
  the  λulz

jsnx 21:18, 23 December 2008 (UTC)

Logo with a leopard in the shape of a lambda. This one is traced from a bitmap, so it doesn't look brilliant. Should this one be chosen a better one can be drawn.

--FalconNL 07:11, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

Strange Lambdanimal, with or without a mane. SVG (inkscape).

by Ripounet 22:24, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

http://galois.com/~dons/images/logos/Haskell_logo.png

Dana Herz @ Galois.

Playing off a recent Haskell-Cafe thread, in which programming languages were compared to religions, and Haskell was equated to Taoism. The slogan makes at least a little sense: it obviously goes with the logo, and 'Duals' are important to Cat theory, which influences Haskell strongly. SVG available. Font is Lucida Calligraphic, a less ubiquitous calligraphic font might be better.

--Rgreayer 15:16, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

Beelsebob 09:09, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

cjay 03:49, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

cjay 14:27, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

cjay 03:22, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

cjay 23:03, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

Available as svg 1 2 3 4 (inkscape). Fonts: FreeSerif for lambda, >> and the arrow head; Impact Label for "Haskell" (1&2), SF Alien Encounters Solid (3) (all free).

My attempt at a new Haskell logo:

So I guess the standalone version would then be:

Jeroen De Ridder

http://galois.com/~dons/images/logo-3-curved.png

George Pollard

Jeff Heard.

Here's an attempt to depict the polish, elegance, and purity of Haskell by merging the H and lambda into an iconic gem.

Made in Inkscape, with an SVG available.

--Chromakode 03:18, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

I love that one, hope it wins. But I can't see the lambda merged in it, where is it hidden? Ripounet

Thanks for your comment. :)

The light blue highlight of the H is in the shape of an abstract lambda. Chromakode

A variation of this logo where the H is made up of two lambdas:

--FalconNL 00:30, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

All credit goes to Darrin Thompson for posting the ASCII inspiration for this to haskell-cafe. I, Jeff Wheeler, just mocked it up to look pretty. Here are two interpretations:

http://media.nokrev.com/junk/haskell-logos/logo1.png

http://media.nokrev.com/junk/haskell-logos/logo2.png

Two with rounded edges:

http://media.nokrev.com/junk/haskell-logos/logo8.png

http://media.nokrev.com/junk/haskell-logos/logo9.png

Here's a icon-sized version:

http://media.nokrev.com/junk/haskell-logos/logo4.png

The first two without an background:

http://media.nokrev.com/junk/haskell-logos/logo6.png http://media.nokrev.com/junk/haskell-logos/logo7.png

--Jeffwheeler 02:42, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

Great work, very professional. I hope this one gets chosen. Is it also available as SVG? Fintanstele

Mix and match

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/haskell_7.png

NHA

More mix and match, borrowing bind-lambda icon, star/flower idea, and font/verbiage from other submissions...(Raspoutine Classic font, SVG available).

--Rgreayer 21:39, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

I really like the logo above. Here are some variations. The font name is ModeNine.

--Reified 14:48, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

A different logo idea, using toddler's letter blocks to convey the simplicity of Haskell. Exact block look and font used can be changed, but this is the basic idea.

--FalconNL 23:29, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

--Stupidb123 12:40, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

"The lightbulb lady" (concept: a lady/lightbulb made out of an inverted lambda, hope it catches...). Font: Museo Sans 500 (free of charge, add to the cart here).

-- User:eu-prleu-peupeu

Just another version of the initial spreadshirt variant. The black background is now part of the logo. The text should be optional.

Frosch03 11:41, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Made with Inkscape. The source in SVG is available here. Font : Raspoutine (free).

The idea is to hide a lambda into an elegant and colored logo.

Adjectives : elegant, fun, simple

Gburri 09:58, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Lambdas in a circle, forming a flower. I wanted it to be easy to draw, be subtle and look nice for haskellers and non-haskellers alike. Created in inkscape using free fonts.

--tanimoto 05:39, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

A different take on the lambda-in-a-circle logo that looks less like the Half Life logo. Probably fits better than the monadic sequence operator in my other submission.

Update: Slight change and added letters, this time in the free Fonce Sans [1] font. I like Officina better, but if the font has to be free this is a reasonable substitute.

--FalconNL 08:34, 16 December 2008 (GMT +1)

Very quick attempt:

The main font is Diavlo (free). The lambda is in Candara, which I believe ships with Vista and/or XP. Not sure of the licensing there. If there's significant interest in this, I'll redo it as a vector graphic.

-- Burke 02:33, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

On behalf of the Ministry of Safety and Happiness I would like to promote the meme suggesting that Haskell is the programming language of choice for the Illuminati.

--CznpyHrnjwczky 05:31, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

More of a mascotte, though she could be used in a logo as well.

This is Monica Monad, and she's a Warm Fuzzy Thing. Just giving a face to SPJ's alternative name for monads :)

Her main purpose would be to present tutorials.

--FalconNL 00:52, 16 December 2008 (GMT +1)

A slightly different take on the Haskell logo, as the lambda-in-a-circle looks a bit too much like the Half Life logo for my taste. This one references monads instead of lambda calculus. Three possible slogans, emphasizing the fun that comes from programming in Haskell. Number 2 and 3 also reference function composition. Number 3 is my personal favourite.

Update: a combination of my two logos on a t-shirt. This time with function arrows to indicate the causal relationships: because Haskell is pure, it's simple. Because it's simple, it's fun.

--FalconNL 22:58, 15 December 2008 (GMT +1)

Yummy. What's the font? Is it free? Porges 21:59, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Unfortunately, no. The font is called Officina Sans. Is that a problem? FalconNL 00:02, 16 December 2008 (GMT +1)

I like this t-shirt a lot, but I'd change 2 things: change "simple" to "lazy" (I think "pure -> lazy -> fun" is more provocative), and change the lambda to ">>" (there are too many languages with lambda logos already). When can I place my order? :-) --Warren 16:32, 23 December 2008 (UTC)

Simple, clean:

http://hpsg.fu-berlin.de/~rsling/img/haskell-shirt.jpeg

I really like this t-shirt logo, by the way. Gets my vote so far. — Chrisdone 00:18, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Minor tweak to the above:

Minor modification of the t-shirt logo, the lambda was a bit skewed in my opinion:

And another modification of the same theme:

--Sebastiaan 13:29, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

I really like this one. A font other than Arial would be nice ;) Porges 21:25, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

-- Chrisdone 23:19, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Some ideas. Supposed to resemble a lambda abstraction. I realise there are no formal parameters. ---- Chrisdone 00:12, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

http://chrisdone.com/haskell-blah-thumb.png

Here's another one; lambda is Gentium SIL, Haskell is MgOpen Cosmetica, tagline is MgOpen Canonica Italic. Porges 21:25, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Another take. A bit simpler, more symmetrical.

The logo uses Kautiva Bold as (non-free) font.

--Eelco 07:43, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

This one is dedicated to Derek Elkins, to sooth his eyes after having them hurt on the previous logo:

--Eelco 08:53, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Makes sense. Comic Sans is the *Official Font of Haskell*, after all.

File:HaskellLogoTDavie.pdf (vector pdf version)

Beelsebob 08:32, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/haskell_0.png

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/haskell_1.png

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/haskell_2.png

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/haskell_3.png

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/hasksun4.png

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/hasksun6.png

NHA

Logo fun using Blender:

Haskell Logo idea with lambda as mascot

I tried to give the lambda sign an alive feeling. --GokhanSan 12:49, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Middle one looks a bit too much like the ghostbusters logo :D Porges 21:25, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Hmm, I wonder if it's the choice of colors. Then again, with a minor alteration, we get a FreeBSD icon candidate:

;-) --GokhanSan 08:52, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Not sure about the colour. I tried to pick the purple from the current logo. Although the lower lambda is rotated there is historic precedence for other forms of the letter. The lambda takes the angle from the 'k'. Font is News Gothic. Feel free to play with the concept. Rk 11:13, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

More vectorial Haskell logo concepts. Using inkscape and the advent font (CC at-nc-nd, by Andreas K.)

Vectorial images (svg):

1 2 3

Update: Added glossy styles.

alvivi 19:28, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

--Rgreayer 20:44, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Find a font where 'k' looks like a reverse lambda (after removing the "stalk"). For example:

Note this example uses Monotype Corsiva which is not a free font. If the basic approach looks good, we can find a similar free font that works.

--OrenBenKiki 01:40, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/haskell_5.png

Illustrator, vector art available, apologies to GokhanSan

--Mpeter 10:18, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

http://community.haskell.org/~hexpuem/logo_contest/haskell_6.png

Inkscape, vector art available.

--Chromakode 07:14, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

I'll probably regret this...

(Created with PAINT.NET)

--Reified 07:20, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

It's a fun one but I erroneously read " Chaskell YEEAAAHH!! " Ripounet

The general idea is that it's just "Haskell" but with w lambda instead of the a. The font here is Myriad Pro but this would work with any good sans-serif font. It's color-agnostic, so it can be easily printer, presented as white on black or changed to a different color.

--BONUS 14:40, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

In black:

--Axman6 15:16, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Oh, didn't know png's would work. --Tindrum 17:12, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

It is mutually recursive... Here is the svg.

Second version:

And the svg.

--Trontonic 20:39, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

This is a variation on my Cafepress t-shirt. The PNG is generated from an Inkscape SVG.

Adjectives: revolutionary

PaulJohnson 21:08, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

Available as svg (inkscape). Fonts: FreeSerif for lambda and >>. Bitstream Vera and FreeMono for other (afaik all free to use)

cjay 22:45, 16 December 2008 (UTC)

http://conal.net/Pan/Gallery/haskell-powered%20on%20white%20tiled%20360.png

One I made with Pan (purely functional image synthesis in Haskell) some years back. See also the 720 square version. I have a few sizes up to 2250 pixels square.

Conal 03:40, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

Just kidding :P

--Trontonic 05:04, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

Cale Gibbard

Inkscape SVG

I originally had no specific mountain in mind, but Don Stewart pointed out that this might be representative of Mt. Hood in Portland, Oregon, where Haskell was named.

Regardless, I thought a summit, bathed in the pure mountain air would be a decent symbol for Haskell, the peak of contemporary programming. :)

CaleGibbard 05:55, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

Here's a modified version with a slightly funkier font :) I think that it matches the lines of the image better... Porges 03:14, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

Probably not a good choice for a logo:

SVG

Simplicity.

(It is possible that the font may need to be replaced with a free alternative.)

JonathanJ 16:34, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

Available as SVG.

MaxRabkin 05:37, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

Another variation for the cognicenti:

--Warren 07:26, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

A slight variation of the ">\=" logo:

Not that it's worth much:). Available as SVG.

DoubleF 07:36, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

The idea for this wordmark is to modify A to resemble λ and through this tie together the "Haskell" to the "Lambda". Modified A also works well as a standalone logo:

Note that any logo based on the unmodified λ symbol may look ambiguous to the people outside of Haskell community. While the λ in the context of programming languages is clearly associated with functional programming, it is a lowercase Greek L and so it's reasonable for an outsider to associate it with Lisp, and not Haskell.

PS. I just scrolled up and saw BONUS'es entry (14:40, 16 December 2008). While its idea is close, I think using pure λ in place of an A doesn't work because it effectively turn the name into H-L-skell.

Apankrat 07:38, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

A very simple logo, made with inkscape, using math fonts, with various grades (B&W, grays, fill color & gradient) and backgrounds

SVG available here: File:Simple haskell.svgz

Aubanel 18:08, 18 December 2008 (UTC)

Available as Inkscape SVG

runrun 18 December 2008

Contact me for SVG. Font is not currently free, but I designed it, so this can change if it becomes "the Haskell font". I think it shows some of the elegance that Haskell has. If you like the font but can put it with a better logo, go ahead. --MaxRabkin 04:53, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

I think the best way to represent the pure, functional nature of Haskell is with a pure and functional logo! Something modernist, minimalist, clean and simple. I'd prefer not to put highlights of the language's syntax in the logo - that's remarkably concrete for a language good at abstraction. Even lambdas etc. should be slightly hidden - those who know what it's about can see them, and everyone else doesn't think 'what's that funny symbol?'. For the font, again, something functional like a light Helvetica or Univers.

So, I thought I'd have a go at a few variations. I'm not convinced it's worked, but there you go. I've shamelessly ripped off tanimoto's idea. Sgf 08:13, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

Sgf, I really like your logos and I think you captured my idea much better than I could do. I especially like the red one, a bit Escher-esque. I wonder if we could turn the blue one into something that looks more like a snowflake than it currently does. Thanks. tanimoto 10:43, 19 December 2008 (UTC)

I also like the blue and the red logo. The resemblance of a snowflake fits the purity of the language. Perhaps you could give the lambda's more volume to make it more plate-like? Felix

Thanks for the comments. I'm going to be offline for about a week, so I'm not going to have a chance to knock up further variations soon, much as I would like to. So, if you have the time, feel free to generate variations from the Inkscape SVG. Otherwise, I'll have a go when I get back. Cheers, Sgf 01:48, 20 December 2008 (UTC)

Sgf's red logo changed to blue and with the Fonce Sans font that FalconNL has used for another logo. Felix 2008-12-21

And another variation of Sgf's logo, this time using negative instead of positive space.

--FalconNL 18:13, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

A few more exploratory variants: I've had a go at closing up the center of the 'snowflake' to make it, well, snowflakier. I've tried pairing this variant up with a conservative-looking serifed font, something functional but less heavily modernist. Then I created a variant which attempts to go for a bit more of a drawn look, to combine the geometric design with some handcrafting, hinting at a combination of the pure, abstract language, but also the lively user community. I paired that with Futura, as a slightly quirky geometric sans serif. - Sgf 22:39, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Some more variants of Sgf's idea. I've uploaded the SVG version too but you'll need the fonts for it to display correctly.Rk

Yet another variation on tanimoto and sgf's themes, with influences from others. The intent here is fun, pure, simple, complete, intriguing, and a bit paradoxical. (The loose relation to the Cabal logo was unexpected.) Font is Free Sans, but I'd look for better if I had a bit more time.

The compiler sits at the core in negative space, its form suggested by what is built on and around it. Also in negative space, lambdas and reflected lambdas link the golden base library to others, pure primary colours available ready to be combined. Libraries become dimensional as they fit together like puzzle pieces. At each layer they form a whole, complete, yet extensible in all directions.

sereven 12:24, 22 December 2008 (UTC)

λλλ

Haskell The Revenge of the Nerds

---

Paulo Tanimoto on the mailing list suggested something based on Orouboros. Here is the Inkscape SVG.

Adjectives: abstract, friendly

PaulJohnson

How about using one of the mythical birds in lambda calculus? Specifically, the ones from the article To Dissect a Mockingbird. Some of the examples:

http://users.bigpond.net.au/d.keenan/Lambda/Graphical_lambda2.gif (Mockingbird)

http://users.bigpond.net.au/d.keenan/Lambda/Graphical_lambda6.gif (Omega bird)

http://users.bigpond.net.au/d.keenan/Lambda/Graphical_lambda15.gif

Since Haskell is centered around the idea of lambdas, I thought this would be a cool idea. Plus, they have qualities similar to Haskell: exotic, mysterious, abstract... Aviator 12:35, 21 December 2008 (UTC)

This is an H composed of two identical vertically tiled lambdas warping from a supernova. It symbolizes the warp of the Haskell-lambda away from the O of object-orientation (symbolized by the supernova).

Created in Inkscape, then adjusted in GIMP. This was my first try at using both tools. I have never done graphic design before.

If I have time, I may submit a revised version.

Abstract. Different. Inventive.

by Benjamin L. Russell 22:17, 22 December 2008 (Tokyo Time)

I created the current, apparently-much-loathed purple-and-green Haskell logo back in 2004 at John Peterson's request. I actually sent him several designs, and I must admit I rather liked this one better, myself. I later included it on some of the CafePress merchandise as the "classy Haskell logo". It's main virtues are that it's sparse and abstract; it's specifically inspired by those hood ornaments you see on fancy cars (no relation to Andy Gill's Hood debugger).

The fancy typeface goes a little against the grain of "sparse and abstract", but it's of course independent from the logo itself.

The simplicity of the logo proper (modulo the shadow and the typeface) makes it easy to reproduce in SVG and the like.

(For a brief time, this logo was available on CafePress in the form of a frisbee, er, "flying disc", but they stopped carrying the item. It has been available for a while on shirts and perhaps mugs as well.)

Anyway, perhaps it will appeal to others over the current one as much as it did to me.

by Fritz Ruehr

Im not really a haskell coder, however i do find it a fun challenge to make a haskell logo.

by Simon Strandgaard

Lambda, Is now grown up.

by Ray

As proposed by FalconNL, "Pure->simple->fun(ctional)". Incorporates >>=,->,=>,::,lambda if you look hard enough. Think of the H-lambda logo as a 3D object with three legs that looks like an H from one perspective, a lambda from a perpendicular perspective, and a lowercase h from below. Feel free to improve away...

The diamond shape represents purity and strength. The logo is clean, simple, modern and to the point.

I think the text should be in lowercase because it makes the name "haskell" friendlier and less threatening. See the logos of xerox, at&t, intel and even python for examples of that.

In regard to the adjectives, I'd say: friendly, modern, interesting.

by --Aparcero 23:13, 31 December 2008 (UTC)

It's a few days late but I made this years ago and thought it was relevant now... By the way note that the four circles are like the double colon :: "has type" syntax in Haskell and the empty space between the circles forms the capital H. The silver bevel effect is just a Photoshop filter and can be applied to any logo.

I'm quite impressed with many of these logos on the page. Wow, Haskellers!

Cheers,

JaredUpdike 22:26, 2 January 2009 (UTC)

In general I'm not too keen on the use of lambda's at all, but couldn't resist the group pressure. I made it a while ago, but seems to resemble OrenBenKiki's lambda/'h' idea.

Arvid 23:22, 2 January 2009 (UTC)

I know I'm past the deadline, but I think somebody mentioned ambigrams on the mailing list. I don't think this is great as it stands, but the combination of unusual symmetry and funky font indicate Haskell's mathematical roots and fun atmosphere. --MaxRabkin 02:50, 20 January 2009 (UTC)

Way past the deadline, but I made this today:

 _____ ______                      
 \    \\     \                     
  \    \\     \                    
   \    \\     \ _____________     
    \    \\     \\            \    
     \    \\     \\____________\   
      \    \\     \ _____________  
      /    //      \\            \ 
     /    //        \\____________\
    /    //    /\    \             
   /    //    /  \    \            
  /    //    /    \    \           
 /____//____/      \____\          
    _    _           _        _ _   
   | |  | |         | |      | | |  
   | |__| | __ _ ___| | _____| | |  
   |  __  |/ _` / __| |/ / _ \ | |  
   | |  | | (_| \__ \   <  __/ | |  
   |_|  |_|\__,_|___/_|\_\___|_|_|

And I put it on my blog, Ascii Art and Haiku [2].

--anchpop