Linux has the penguin. MySQL has the dolphin. O'Reilly has a whole zoo. Every successful open source / open content project seems to have a mascot - should Wikipedia have a mascot in addition to the logo?

No mascot, please!

If you don't want a mascot

Support: 26 Youandme (his POV: words embracing the Earth is enough and it is a beautiful logo, especially on Meta) -- Fonzy (now i think about it I dont think WIkipedia should have a mascot) -- Paullusmagnus (Mascots have an inherent playfulness in them that is fine for most projects, but dangerous ground for an encylcopedia) -- Neolux (as per Paullusmagnus, also if there are too many different "brands" for the one concept, there is a risk of losing the identity of the concept all together. Is wikipedia represented by the logo, by the mascot, by the word itself, by the square quotes...? Stick to one brand and utilise that to it's full potential.) --Buxul the square quotes and a logo are enough -- Gutza (see Paullusmagnus, plus: Why? What's the real use of a mascot? Also see my comments on the talk page) -- Tali -- Fruggo -- Wolfram -- Elrond Nólatári -- Gkl -- Ruiz 08:54, 3 Feb 2004 (UTC) -- Andrewlevine 05:48, 21 Mar 2004 (UTC) -- Ich (The Encyclopedia Britannica doesn't have one, but it's got a symbol (the thistle) and seems to have done pretty well.) -- Nealmcb, Hapsiainen -- Frazzydee -- mascot serves no purpose/an animal popular or recognizable in one culture may be tabboo, feared or unrecognized in another.Pedant 23:31, 20 Nov 2004 (UTC) --Ascánder 23:52, 20 Nov 2004 (UTC) --68.64.9.10 01:22, 10 Jan 2005 (UTC) --81.229.227.212 15:18, 3 Mar 2005 (UTC) -- user:zanimum139.62.185.215 02:40, 23 February 2006 (UTC) -- Tempshill2 18:50, 31 March 2006 (UTC)--18.95.7.164 21:10, 30 July 2006 (UTC)

Youandme (his POV: words embracing the Earth is enough and it is a beautiful logo, especially on Meta) -- Fonzy (now i think about it I dont think WIkipedia should have a mascot) -- Paullusmagnus (Mascots have an inherent playfulness in them that is fine for most projects, but dangerous ground for an encylcopedia) -- Neolux (as per Paullusmagnus, also if there are too many different "brands" for the one concept, there is a risk of losing the identity of the concept all together. Is wikipedia represented by the logo, by the mascot, by the word itself, by the square quotes...? Stick to one brand and utilise that to it's full potential.) --Buxul the square quotes and a logo are enough -- Gutza (see Paullusmagnus, plus: Why? What's the real use of a mascot? Also see my comments on the talk page) -- Tali -- Fruggo -- Wolfram -- Elrond Nólatári -- Gkl -- Ruiz 08:54, 3 Feb 2004 (UTC) -- Andrewlevine 05:48, 21 Mar 2004 (UTC) -- Ich (The Encyclopedia Britannica doesn't have one, but it's got a symbol (the thistle) and seems to have done pretty well.) -- Nealmcb, Hapsiainen -- Frazzydee -- mascot serves no purpose/an animal popular or recognizable in one culture may be tabboo, feared or unrecognized in another.Pedant 23:31, 20 Nov 2004 (UTC) --Ascánder 23:52, 20 Nov 2004 (UTC) --68.64.9.10 01:22, 10 Jan 2005 (UTC) --81.229.227.212 15:18, 3 Mar 2005 (UTC) -- user:zanimum139.62.185.215 02:40, 23 February 2006 (UTC) -- Tempshill2 18:50, 31 March 2006 (UTC)--18.95.7.164 21:10, 30 July 2006 (UTC) I think a mascot would take away from the beauty of the Wikipedia logo. The Jade Knight 23:15, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

Moved out: Sverdrup (Symbols are better, esp with the international nature of Wikipedia in though) Redecided, I want a mascot ✏ Sverdrup 15:05, 12 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Some rationales from the above voters:

The Wikipedia logo already beautifully conveys the earth itself, and diverse human cultures around the globe, as the "mascot" of Wikipedia. A different mascot would compete with the logo and dilute the value of the Wikipedia brand.

All, or nearly all, open-source mascots look very amateurish. So do all the mascots below as of this writing. Granted, Wikipedia editors are mostly amateurs, but openly embracing amateur content decreases the value of the brand. Some editors (including me) would be less likely to contribute to the project if we're going to brand ourselves with a mascot that shouts "amateurville". (Tempshill2 18:50, 31 March 2006 (UTC))

Mascot, please!

If you want a mascot.

It could be used in the logo, printed on T-shirts or kept as a housepet. But what should it be? A fish, a bird, an insect, a mammal, a reptile, a virus? This page is for collecting ideas. At any time, feel free to express your support for a particular mascot by putting your name under it.

It would probably be nice if the mascot somehow represented the spirit of Wikipedia, e.g.:

social

massively cooperative

controversial

chaotic

growing

ambitious

infectious

curious

Mascot Name Once the mascot is chosen, a name may need to be given to it see: Wikipedia mascot/name

Suggested mascots This is en:Approval voting so you can add your name next to as many choices as you want.

Alphabetical order

Please keep entries in alphabetical order so that people can easily find and refer to potential mascots. Please do not add new options unless you get them seconded by one other Wikipedian. The current options are:

amoeba Amorphous blob Anglerfish beaver Bob Dole centipede Clifford Clavin coyote honeybees leafcutter ants meerkat mice monkey with typewriter octopus otter owl platypus puzzle piece Pythia sand puppy serpiente slime mold stick insect Tardigrade / Tardígrado termites The_Thinker Weasel Wikipe-tan

Amoeba

Support: 2 Torombol --

Ola_H --

Rationale: I don't know if it's being used by another GNU project, but I really like an amoeba for mascot. It is chaotic, it is growing, becoming something that nobody could know cooperating with other amoebas, it could be infectious, curious and very social.

Image: I don't have it, but I will like an amoeba with glasses.

"Please do not add new options unless you get them seconded by one other Wikipedian." Sorry for not following the instructions.





Amorphous blob

"Wikipedia", the Amorphous blob!

Anglerfish

I think the mascot should be one of those tripped-out deepsea fish with the glowing ball of light. Wiki the Anglerfish, bringing light to the depths of the vast ocean of human knowledge. Yah, thatd be tite. User:Lir





beaver



design by Zanimum

Rationale: build dams, sociable, beneficial to the environment, instrumental in creating habitats for many aquatic organisms, maintaining the water table at an appropriate level and controlling flooding and erosion, nocturnal, extremely productive (like us)



Problems: Maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea to have a shot of a beaver as the logo -- Cimon Avaro on a pogo stick Maybe why? Maybe isn't a reason. -- user:zanimum







Centipede

(the "Wikipede")

Support: 45

203.129.195.132 12:15, 5 Apr 2005 (UTC) snoyes -- Maveric149 (compare en:centipede and en:millipede) -- Sannse -- Elian -- Enchanter -- Ducker -- ILVI -- Jazmin --- TakuyaMurata -- Marumari -- Stephen Gilbert (forget the bees; I want a Stevertigo-drawn Wikipede, baby!) -- MyRedDice (Stephen convinced me of the merits of this, and Stevert's sketch is just so cute) -- Ashibaka (haha, yeah) -- Nichtich -- Kwekubo -- aravindet -- Webkid -- Nanobug (yeah, bugs!) -- Stan Shebs -- Cjmnyc -- Angela -- Kalki -- Fantasy-- MattE -- Fuzheado 08:10, 7 Sep 2003 (UTC) -- CyberMaus (Converted bee-lover thinks Stevertigo's concept is super) -- Nolendil -- Dori -- Marley -- Jeff8765 -- 69.209.243.232 02:23, 7 Sep 2004 (UTC) User:Ilyanep (coming from a guy) such a cute sketch (the one to the right with the centipede reading the books caught my attention) Tmh -- [2] -- Kraut1138 (the mate gourd really does it for me) -- ✏ Sverdrup 15:07, 12 Jan 2005 (UTC), Stevertigos concept is very good -- 194.158.209.57 23:23, 25 Mar 2005 (UTC) great -- Bobbyandck, very nice, I love the little mate in the hand in the bottom left, I wonder where comes the idea to put that, it is exactly that the drink I have when I want to study michael180 I like it -- [en:User:Philwelch|Philwelch] I prefer the [3] version, as it has that sort of Atlas connotation --Bjwebb 16:31, 25 Jun 2005 (UTC) I just love wikipede -- Adam78 beside the fact it's really cute, it would perhaps help make people realize the importance of resources Super Sam --User:Dario vet/Sign 17:46, 11 December 2006 (UTC) Original concept by Jay Bowks (User:ILVI) on the wikipedia mailing list (recognise the "W" shape): Holycharly 14:13, 8 September 2005 (UTC) - we French froggies had the same in the eighties at TV #2 (Antenne 2) which was a silly centipede that continuously lost its spherical components (it was a mongrel of 1000 of them). Liked it. -- LifeMega 19:23, 4 December 2005 (UTC) I love the Wikipede. The name sounds like Wikipedian, and the many arms represent the many people contributing. Naha Great play on words! It has so much personality and potential. It jumps right off the page! Owls and monkeys are already way overused as logos around the world. The ant just seems too plain. Lets be different!

Rationale: legs co-operate, great (disarmingly cute) images. Controversial (not Disneyish). Very agile and can bend this way or that to get past obstacles. Centipedes will fight off bigger insects or spiders, will decimate cockroaches. Millipedes can roll themselves into a tight little ball when threatened and avoid injury and at times roll speedily away from danger. "wikipede" is a nice pun.

Problems: negative/creepy connotations for some (see images above) - drawings are good though. Do they co-operate enough? Name "Wikipede" hard to internationalise.





Chick coming out of a Wikipedia Jigsaw Egg

The chicken would be coming out of an egg (that is made out of the jigsaw puzzle pieces of the Wikipedia Globe). It shows how nice cute and tender Wikipedia is... And the growth that lies ahead and reminds us of the chicken and egg problem.... The Wikipedia was born first or the Wikipedians ;-) SudarshanP 16:40, 10 September 2005 (UTC)

This is a mockup of a mascot for Wikipedia or Wikidata. Part of the image is derived from [7] . Someone with good artistic skill can improve on this "theme" to make it completely legal. Apart from being a candidate for Wikipedia Mascot... I think it could be a candidate for the logo of Wikidata or Semantic Wikipedia. The Wikipedians construct the Jigsaw Egg(Wikipedia), piece by piece, it hatches and out comes the Semantic Wikipedia(Wikidata). It represents the birth of something much more than what went into it. SudarshanP 18:37, 11 September 2005 (UTC)

Comment I like the idea, but the chick would have to be redrawn to look a lot less like tweety pie before I could fully support. 81.109.242.195 22:23, 13 September 2005 (UTC)

Some chicktoons for an artist to draw inspiration from...[8]SudarshanP

A trivia king who had a database of oddball facts in his head, and is human so he's more personable than a bug. A possible image. Staxringold 19:19, 8 March 2006 (UTC)

Support: 9

Staxringold 19:19, 8 March 2006 (UTC) Bduke: He's a US character, yes, but well-known internationally. 82.33.77.141 21:27, 8 March 2006 (UTC) 70.160.188.138 21:28, 8 March 2006 (UTC) Speaks his mind - calls a spade a spade. Captain Courageous personified. Brave and fearless in spite of tyranny. Charrrrrrrrrr..........ge!!!--Wilfred Pau 09:52, 10 March 2006 (UTC) Creators of Cheers may very likely give free use of his character as mascot. He is a fountain of knowledge and the show is watched all over much of the world. Black arrow 03:55, 13 March 2006 (UTC) Hey I support, userbox was brainchild of Rlevse and myself. Coffeeboy 13:01, 13 March 2006 (UTC) Jkfp2004 16:07, 13 March 2006 (UTC) Ehh, it's a little-known fact that Clifford Clavin knows everything about everything. I support him as mascot. --24.178.88.111 23:53, 28 March 2006 (UTC) Yes!--71.38.133.1 02:20, 22 April 2006 (UTC) 00:06, 22 April 2006 (UTC)

Oppose:1

A purely US character as far as I can see. Any mascot has to be international. --Bduke 21:12, 8 March 2006 (UTC) Cheers = Trademarked. Wikimedia = Free. No. -- user:zanimum

Coyote

Rationale: Coyotes are curious (will investigate human activity when they roam into residential areas); controversial (farmers and ranchers tend to hate them but other people like them); growing (the range of coyote territory has expanded greatly in recent years and keeps expanding); cooperative (in the way they raise pups and hunt together to bring down animals they couldn't kill alone); ambitious in their search for food and in tackling animals much larger than themselves; and social in the way they vocalize to communicate with other coyotes and travel in packs. (You could also call them infectious, but coyotes don't get rabies as often as domestic dogs.) And yes, coyotes are very cute and good to draw.

Photographs - [9] [10]

Why a coyote when you could have a wolf? -- samsara





Honey bees

Support: 10 Mahongue -- Yann -- Elian -- Fantasy -- MarcS -- MyRedDice -- User:AstroNomer (though I don't like very much the particular honeybee now displayed, there should be a second "design" vote) -- Lorenzarius (The idea is very good, as the WikiBees can represent the natures of Wikipedia quite well: lots of hardworking bees gather honey(knowledge) and bring it back to the nest(Wikipedia) to service all the other bees. It would be better if there're more sketches.) -- Cimon Avaro on a pogo stick (like the ants, this is touch and go; hardworking but also drones and hoarders) -- Cjmnyc --

Rationale: Work cooperatively, have a Queen (Jimbo rules!), collect nectar (collect info), take that back to the hive, and turn that into honey (articles). Very positive symbol. Wikipedia resembles a humming hive of busy workers making something beautiful (honey=free quality information resource). Bees communicate well with each other, and there is some evidence that they work with a type of collective intelligence. The nectar collection also pollinates flowers so that they can reproduce. See en:Honeybee, [11], [12]

Problems: They sting. Some people are allergic and/or afraid of them. Not very cute (unless drawn cartoony as above). Done to death elsewhere? The 'honey pot' is in english. Bah.

Leaf-cutter ants (and Miwiki project)





http://www.edunetconnect.com/cat/rainf/images/leafcutt.gif

or





Miwiki*, designed specially for Wikipedia



Support: 35

Maveric149 (second choice - Go Wikipede!) -- User:Anthere (I can't help it) -- Stephen Gilbert -- Ducker -- Nicolas -- MicAttAck (or a regular ant?) -- Menchi (tiny, but powerful!) -- Cimon Avaro on a pogo stick (on balance yes, but hesitantly) -- MB (This is perfect, or the bee, but definately an insect) -- Oliezekat (i started to design an alternate ant [[13]] that i had named 'Miwiki') -- Paullusmagnus (Ants are serious and can't be made to look cute, besides having many Wikipedian characteristics) -- Fantasy -- Looxix -- Med (great artwork olie) -- Teresag (I don't know, Pm, Miwiki is kind of cute. The ant is appropos; industrious & controversial (Are they good or bad? Do they build or bite? Or both?).) -- Traroth (Ants are hard workers and collaborative. And Miwiki is cute !) -- Ryan Cable -- Toby Bartels -- Sorsis -- —Eloquence -- Aoineko (2 ants may be better) -- Kurt Jansson -- Ebricca -- ArnoLagrange (Miwiki a été battue au concours de logos mais elle a sa place comme mascotte) -- User:LittleDan -- Vincent Ramos ??????? -- Piolinfax (1st choice) but I'd rather like a lot of them (maybe leaving a intermingled track of colourful lettres behind) -- Erik Zachte Well, actually I favour the Ant Colony, which as Hofstadter taught us, is a superanimal, rather loosely structured though, with all its 'body cells' crawling around. But ant will do. -- Hemmer -- Anthony DiPierro -- Aphaia -- TJ (definitely a better name than wikipede, and I like the concept better, too) -- EnginGunduz --Ocicatmuseum Ants are great because it takes many people to create a wikipedia. -- Tiberian -- Traroth Go Miwiki go ! --

While I oppose a mascot in general, I think this is the best of the lot. The Jade Knight 23:17, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

Rationale: collaborative, hard working, strength in numbers. Images - [14], [15], [16] (one ant could be carrying a cut leaf in the shape of a W)

Ant's are the ueber-cooperative animals. They work together for a common goal, they are most important to any forrest they are in. with their multiple feet ant antennae they are bound to make a good picture as a mascot much like the centipede that reads. An ant would be the perfect Wiki-Pet :-)

(*) Miwiki is an artwork of french workgroup on french Wikipedia. All products about Miwiki on fr:Utilisateur:Oliezekat/Miwiki and discuss fr:Discussion Utilisateur:Oliezekat/Miwiki.

Miwiki was suggested on several logos, such as :

(n°3) (n°17) (n°132)

Meerkat

Support: 6 Maveric149 (read why the meerkat would be a great choice here) -- Cassini -- GGano -- Menchi (it's so odd and cute!) -- Cimon Avaro on a pogo stick (actually there is a meerkat-like critter in Southern Africa that builds these massive pointy mounds, that would be my suggestion. Does anyone know what animal I mean?) -- Angela

One support vote from Finland, just adorable meerkat. -- user:128.214.205.5

Should unsigned anons be counted? -- user:zanimum

Stevertigo - I like this animal... Kinda racconish, with a lot of weasel in it :) so i did some sketches



Problem: O'Reilly already uses this for their meerkat service. http://www.oreillynet.com/meerkat/ Well, O'Reilly uses so many animals... Would it really be problem? I really like the idea of a meerkat. They are cute, cooperative animals, and at times a little strange. -- Costyn

different problem The Lion King has a meercat... do we want Disney horning in on this?

it looks creepy

Mice

Support: 2 Aoineko -- OneJul --

Rationale: There are mice everywhere there are Wikipedians. Reference to the Hitchikers Guide to galaxy.

monkey behind a typewriter

see: en:Infinite monkey theorem

http://pl.wikipedia.org/upload/6/60/Wojpob.jpg

Rationale: "10,000 monkeys with 10,000 typewriters will never produce Shakespeare" [20]

Problems: Wil Wheaton Dot Net uses a slogan based on this (although not a logo).

I doubt Wil will care. -- Stephen Gilbert



He has actually already endorsed Wikpedia, see here.



Sure he has, I originally came to Wikipedia by following that very link! My objection was just on the grounds that it's his site that I think of when I think of monkeys and typewriters. But, of course, whatever we choose is likely to be somewhere else. 'Twas just that this one happens to be one of my favourite sites :) -- sannse 18:57 Feb 26, 2003 (UTC)



Wheaton is just using the old idea of an infinite number of monkeys working at an infinite number of typewriters banging out a copy of Hamlet . It's used many places. -- Stephen Gilbert



There used to be a monkey logo at Logo suggestions--humorous logos, however the images were stored offsite and have vanished.

That one, along with most of the others, are back. If anyone has copies of the missing ones, please upload them.

I agree strongly with the symbols evocked higher, but this would be so fun I cannont resist to be pro Jul

If the monkey is chosen, it would look best typing with its feet! Not only would it be funny (even funnier than a regular old monkey), it would be a good reason for explaining why Wikipedia isn't perfect.

I think that the monkeys working on it would be a definite show of the collaboration in the process of creating the wikipedia. Of course, thousands of monkeys, in addition to writing shakespeare also produce a fair amount of crap. I don't really like the idea of having a mascot at all; I feel a photograph, such as the one given, would be better. It would function as a graphic illustrating the wikipedia, not some kind of cutesy mascot that makes it look unprofessional.

Support. 24.190.96.44 14:43, 17 Oct 2004 (UTC)

Choosing the monkey behind a typewriter as a mascot means a certain amount of self irony and distance to yourself and what you are doing. I like it. /Habj 22:01, 21 Jun 2005 (UTC)

I do not know about a monkey behind a typewriter for wikipedia but three monkeys fighting over one typewriter would be great for anarchopedia.

Octopus

Support: 5 Angela - Piolinfax (My second choice. Anyway, I wouldn't make an schematic octopus but a massive-like, full of tangles tentacles maybe with colourful letters as suckers) - TJ (2nd choice, though the lack of a better picture is a bit unfortunate) - Lapinmies (I don't know how to add a link to my userpage :I )

[source for info on octopus www.germantown.k12.il.us/html/octopus.html [ first hit in google for octopus]but ideas already developed by me.] - Tmh I like that picture enough :) --65.172.213.123 16:44, 12 August 2005 (UTC)Octopi are cute! So I'm in!

The octopus has a soft body with a well-developed brain, similar to a human's. It is known to be very intelligent.[ Analogy- wikipedia- amorphous/ undefined/ ambiguous body and intelligent mind]

Octopi hunt primarily at night or on dark dreary days, thus this is the best time to see them out and about[Analogy- wikipedians? moonlighting [ I think that's what Westerners call working on alternate job at night?]

The octopus seizes its prey with its eight long arms. These arms bear two rows of suckers each. The hundreds of suckers that line their arms help the octopus to hold on to almost anything.[ Analogy- no explanations necessary- wikipedians grab on to lots of info and there is no corner unreached, second important reason why I suggested this mascot]

Octopus head= wikipedia, tentacles= wikipedians.If an octopus loses one of its tentacles, it will soon grow another one in the same place.[ Analogy- most important reason why I chose octopus for wikipedia- bad users are banned- new ones are taken in, good ones are retained... and so on- there is an element of regeneration and constant renewal, and the idea of the whole being more than [and more important than] the sum of its parts]

minus points- is there an element of cruelty in the catching of prey and tentacles?

my opinion: No! If the tentacles are the members, then we members are sucking up information! We are the tentacles catching the prey, knowledge!--65.172.213.123 16:44, 12 August 2005 (UTC)

Octopus is like a spider. Google is using a spider. Spider collects information and octopus could do the same. But Wikipedia's mascot shouldn't be spider coz it's already used idea.

Will work on a graphic for the above, an octopus will look cute abstracted KRS

(Local image Image:Octopus.jpg commented out, as it was deleted for having no source. Korg 15:01, 13 June 2008 (UTC))

Otter

Rationale: There are several species, but perhaps freshwater (river) otters might be the best choice. They embody all of the qualities listed above with perhaps special emphasis on playful and curious. The appearance and behavior is appealing at least to humans and other otters, and though rather incompatible with an orderly environment due to their playfulness and curiosity, they are not known to be vicious, hostile, or agressive. Regrettably, unlike centipedes or milipedes, they have only a few feet, thus not stressing the "...pedia" aspect of Wikipedia. Perhaps this could be remedied by adopting an appropriate name, eg Pede, the Otter? Public domain images, a la those used by O'Reilly Publishers for their covers might be appropriate, or perhaps a cartoon akin in spirit to that used for Tux (the Linux mascot) would be better. Artists are invited to have a go. The aspect to be emphasized in such a cartoon otter is a impish curiosity, with perhaps a touch of satisfaction at recent excellent meal of insufficiently quick fish or newly found understanding.

Support:

Points in favor:

Oppose:

Problems:

Owl

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:Xrx140YOBNwC:www.callawaygardens.com/tosee/bop/images/great-horned-owl.jpg

Rationale: An old symbol for knowledge and searching for facts. An owl head could easily be integrated in the logotype. Maybe boring but respected and traditional. The eyebrows could form a W shape too.

Problems: Encyclopedia.com and Wikinfo use a cartoon owl as their logos. Also, owls work alone. Owls aren't actually all that intelligent, I've heard. -- Kwekubo

Overused!!! 63.155.186.52 03:27 25 Mar 2003 (UTC)

Owl = knowledge as opposed to understanding, dogma, static, opposite of Wikipedia? -- samsara

Platypus

http://www.totcity.com/Parents/preschool/Coloring_book/In_the_ocean/platypus/platypus.gif http://www.julbox.net/platypus.gif (please backup somewhere else)

source : http://www.funet.fi/pub/Linux/doc/logos/

Rationale: It most resembles "an animal designed by committee"

Problems: The en:Darwin kernel uses a Donald Duck look-alike platypus named Hexley. Also, the Gnu has been remarked upon as an animal most likely built by committee, and it's an old free-software joke.

Puzzle piece

A new mascot idea (with the puzzle globe): the wikipedia puzzle piece. Like this one:

Tillwe 20:11, 29 Sep 2003 (UTC) I like the above idea, looks like puzzle pieces are people holding hands... but I voted no mascot Pedant Something similar from Spanish Wikipedia, by Comae.





Support: 4

Tillwe -- Drbug(original) -- Ankur (Can be made a lil more cute, Demonstrates collaboration, related to Logo, Human like and yet a puzzle piece, Simple to redesign or animate, colourful RGB the primary colours, shades of RGB can be adopted by wikipedia for the main page, moving forward together, what not... :-) -- \Mikez 10:34, 10 May 2004 (UTC) (I was going to vote 'no mascot' - but then I saw this one. ;)

spirit of Wikipedia social, cooperative, growing.

Pythia

Pythia was the all-seeing oracle. JWSurf 17:55, 25 Mar 2004 (UTC)

So were the Sibyl and Cassandra -- See Delphic Research. -- Derek Ross 18:42, 25 Mar 2004 (UTC)

Sibyl is almost as nerdishly obscure as Pythia, but due to my familiarity with the unsavory character "Sibil" in Jack Vance's book Araminta Station , I would not like "Sybil" as the mascot. The name "Cassandra" is too commonly used. JWSurf 19:27, 25 Mar 2004 (UTC)

, I would not like "Sybil" as the mascot. The name "Cassandra" is too commonly used. JWSurf 19:27, 25 Mar 2004 (UTC) Unfortunately, these two names have been brought into the mainstream by J.K. Rowling: Sybil Trelawney is the Hogwarts Divination teacher, and Cassandra was her famous clairvoyant great-grandmother. User:The Noodle Incident Well Cassandra was my favourite female character from the Aeneid but since she was always correct but was never believed, she might not be the best choice as Wikipedia mascot. -- Derek Ross



against: wikipedia is the reverse of the oracle

Sand Puppy

Concept art. Imagine more of them scurrying about.

(a.k.a. the "Naked mole rat")

Support: 1 Kraut1138

Rationale: Social and massively cooperative. Busy, chaotic colonies. Not easily contained (can chew through concrete). A mammalian alternative to ants and bees. Sand puppy sounds friendlier than naked mole rat.

Problems: Not cute. Nearly blind.

I have a problem! there the ugliest thingon planet earth! - jedi of redwall

La Serpiente

El movimiento forma parte de la energía y de lo más íntimo de la materia: El movimiento es la energía y la materia.

Todas las capacidades y expectativas del conocimiento humano permanecen ligadas a la idea de movimiento.

La mascota que sugiero es la serpiente que mira una onda senoidal que representa el movimiento y al mismo tiempo la representa a ella misma.

Además la serpiente es femenina, como se intuye el futuro, y está estrechamente ligada al pasado del conocimiento de la humanidad (El Edén, Egipto, la medicina...)

En la representación, la fusión de la serpiente con los ejes cartesianos sugiere la unión entre las líneas rectas y curvas, la cruz y la luna, es decir la herencia del conocimiento de occidente unido con la de oriente.

please, if you´re able translate this into english, thanks, the author

[Here the translation into English]

Serpent, movement is part of the energy and most intimately of the matter: The movement is the energy and the matter.

All the capacities and expectations of the human knowledge remain bound to the movement idea.

The mascot that I suggest is the serpent that watches a sine wave that represents the movement and at the same time it represents herself.

In addition the serpent is feminine [in some cultures: note of the translator], as it is intuited the future, and closely is bound to the past of knowledge of humanity (Eden, Egypt, medicine...)

In the representation, the fusion of the serpent with the cartesian axes suggests the union between the straight and curved lines, the cross and the moon, meaning the inheritance of the knowledge of the West united with the one of east.

Mustard tree

Support: 1 Node

Node Weak support: user:zanimum

Wikipedia should not be referred with any animal, because it is not a computer programme processing data as MySQL or Linux. Therefore instread of fauna, it should be part of flora, because it is data more than just a programme processing data. -- Node

I don't get your point. Programs use animals, so projects and organizations shouldn't? -- user:zanimum



The second problem is, that if Wikipedia is animal, it could become in some circumtances be an unacceptable animal like pig (for exampe one of Walt Disney's three little pigs http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/pigs/mstory.htm ) in Jewish or Moslem cultures. A red cross and red half moon are examples of the risk. -- Node

Exactly why the centipede, in the lead in terms of votes, is beyond being simply a deplorable choice. It's an equal opportunity turn off. While no religion or culture is offended by the tree, mustard gas started all the chemical warfare that's killed many thousands internationally. -- user:zanimum



How exactly is a mustard tree identifiable iconicly, versus a spruce or apple? If it simply looks like a tree, then the uninformed won't have a clue to the reasoning behind it, no matter how sound. -- user:zanimum

Wikipedism is a belief in rationality and it is neo-encyclopedism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedism What? People have based their personal spirituality on Wikipedia? -- user:zanimum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedism

Luke 17:5 (NIV) The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." Bible or any religious reasoning = ignoring other cultural groups. -- user:zanimum



In Canada, mustard is a ground-level plant, rather like a weed. Are these plants both related in any way? -- user:zanimum

It is low in cholesterol, fats, and saturated fat. -- user:zanimum

slime mold

Rationale: Their progress goes much in the same heuristic way as the wikipedians. -- Cimon Avaro on a pogo stick

Tardigrade / Tardígrado

The Tardigrade is the strongest animal ever. Don't we want our ideology to be deathless? Don't have the image yet, but you can look about this animal here in wikipedia.

El Tardígrado es el animal más fuerte de todos. ¿No queremos acaso que nuestra ideología perdure? Aún no tengo la imagen, pero pueden averiguar sobre este animal aquí en wikipedia.

Termites

Support: 3 anthere (that make a lot of sense) -- Ducker -- Cimon Avaro on a pogo stick

Rationale: Termites are co-operative animals. In some ways we are like them in our work on the House of Intellectual Property. They are so maligned that there is little chance that anyone has chosen them as a mascot before.

Problems: Termites are known as destroyers, not builders. -- Stephen Gilbert

I recently found this impressive termite home[21] which seems to prove the opposite ;-) --Elian



Oh sure, termites are tremendous builders, but that's not commonly associated with them. I simply said they're known as destroyers. People tend to think of termites infesting buildings rather than building impressive structures. I like to think that Wikipedia is fighting repressive notions of "intellectual properity" by building something better, not by undermining what already exists. -- Stephen Gilbert



Weasel

Weasels are small cute and furry. Also inquisitive. William M. Connolley 11:06, 12 September 2005 (UTC).

But rather ferocious 61.230.79.157 00:28, 11 November 2006 (UTC)

Whale, Killer

Modeled after Shamu, of course. 165.247.81.57 00:37, 10 January 2006 (UTC)

Well, it is not the most cooperative animal, they do live in pods, but it isn't really a pack/herd/group animal. and what do you mean modeled after shamu? they all look like that. I have nothing against it, but nothing for it either, except that they look cool :-) - jedi of redwall

Wikipe-tan

New and improved colored Wikipe-tan

Sockpuppet show

Support: 31 or so, judging from the commentary.

How about Wikipe-tan just like en:OS-tan.--192.192.170.2 04:39, 5 January 2006 (UTC)

Campy anime mascot? Im in. 84.231.223.11 19:02, 21 September 2006 (UTC)

Sounds good to me. --68.6.29.194 02:15, 11 January 2006 (UTC) [theredstarswl]

something like the one here? [22] if so, it has my vote --72.137.173.201 01:26, 13 January 2006 (UTC)

Um... it seems those images are GFDL... let's put them here, then. Ashibaka 04:18, 18 January 2006 (UTC) Officially lending my support to this mascot. Ashibaka 22:12, 27 January 2006 (UTC)

GFDL... let's put them here, then. Ashibaka 04:18, 18 January 2006 (UTC) ha, like this?(KJ and 虎兒)--KaurJmeb 15:39, 19 January 2006 (UTC)

Lol I like this mascot ^_^ - Nykylaihellray

looks like some sort of cartoon or aname :( i dont really like it... - jedi of redwall

Would be nice -212.171.218.88 (too lazy to sign up, IDarbert on Italian Wikipedia)

I like it, maybe Wiki-San? But it would make the site seem to anime-ish when Wikipedia holds such a wealth of other things -KomradeKomer Nobody's seriously going to give up the Wikipede, but I think maybe the foundation should make Wikipe-tan a second official mascot. Ashibaka 01:33, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

Wiki tan is good >w< --Essolo 13:20, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

Looks like the best of the lot. 65.95.241.14 23:37, 21 March 2006 (UTC)

I Like this mascotte, it's sweet and beautiful Ciny2 (Ciny2 on Italian Wikipedia).

Good!--Alex S.H. Lin (talk) .tw 02:04, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

.tw 02:04, 30 April 2006 (UTC) 萌え (Moé)! --Ellery 06:38, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

It is the best logo for wikipedia,and many otakus will enroll for her,haha.--阿儒 13:17, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

≧▽≦！！！ --Luzi82 14:18, 5 June 2006 (UTC)

She's even nicer in color. —da Pete 08:50, 22 June 2006 (UTC)

Loli is the best.--Orion tw 04:09, 26 June 2006 (UTC)

Wikipe-yes! xaosflux Talk 05:22, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

05:22, 24 July 2006 (UTC) Yes! She's GFDL'ed, she ties in perfectly with the Wikipedia logo, and she's already used by WP:anime. 216.94.87.40 03:56, 25 July 2006 (UTC) And CVU! xaosflux Talk 03:53, 23 September 2006 (UTC)

Cute! User:Alemart_the_Redeemer 03:19, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

frm:[Oni-ookami] this is nice whoever did it great job you got my vote

Strong For - Aww, she's so cute! --220.237.51.205, a wikipedian. 02:08, 29 October 2006 (UTC)

- Aww, she's so cute! --220.237.51.205, a wikipedian. 02:08, 29 October 2006 (UTC) Strong for , also. Rickyrab 06:21, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

, also. Rickyrab 06:21, 6 November 2006 (UTC) (+) - very vivid for wikipedia. Sicaral - talk 220.205.173.23

- very vivid for wikipedia. Sicaral - talk 220.205.173.23 Strong For Wikpe-tan is made of great and cute.75.132.198.130 03:40, 17 November 2006 (UTC)

Wikpe-tan is made of great and cute.75.132.198.130 03:40, 17 November 2006 (UTC) Strong Support What makes a symbol a good symbol? It has to be something that strongly relates to what it's supposed to represent, something unique enough as to gain recognition when it's encountered, something that evokes emotion, something simple and to the point. I'm no expert but I believe this thing here bests the Wikipede on all three categories and would make for a better first mascot, not second. AceMyth 02:59, 2 December 2006 (UTC)

What makes a symbol a good symbol? It has to be something that strongly relates to what it's supposed to represent, something unique enough as to gain recognition when it's encountered, something that evokes emotion, something simple and to the point. I'm no expert but I believe this thing here bests the Wikipede on all three categories and would make for a better mascot, not second. AceMyth 02:59, 2 December 2006 (UTC) Weak Support I like her mostly because she's original. My only problem is that Wikipedia is not focused on anime and the cutesy appearance may relate bad sterotypes into Wikipedia. H2P 192.122.237.11 17:44, 11 December 2006 (UTC)

I like her mostly because she's original. My only problem is that Wikipedia is not focused on anime and the cutesy appearance may relate bad sterotypes into Wikipedia. H2P 192.122.237.11 17:44, 11 December 2006 (UTC) Strong Oppose - Pure Manga, without humanity. A little Kuso. --虞海 (Yú Hǎi) 09:18, 29 October 2008 (UTC)



Best mascot better than Twitty's head coming out of wikipedia's head.