David Corbin wrote:
> The problem with this is that when rendered in black and white (and it
> will have to be at times...), you can't tell a ruby from any other
> gemstone.  And in fact, because they're ususally rendered with black
> edges and white faces, people seeing the white will think "diamond" more
> than anything else.

Black and white is a problem with all suggestions so far, aren't they?

As for distintion from a diamond, how about going for a more oval shape
or the teardrop shape? 
	My evoked set when someone says diamond is the 5 sided pointy shaped
thingie, such as the topaz seen from the side. (
http://www.1st-gemsource.com/topaz.htm ) but then I'm probably
braindamaged anyway.


Ok,  I'll turn off my mental filter now, so I hope no-one gets offended.
Here goes my 0.02 NOK of brainstorming:

#1: Sunset.
Would a Ruby gemstone as the Sun of a Sunset be enough hint of the
redness? (And are there any yellow gemstones ppl could confuse it with?) 

#2: Pickaxe, hammer and sickle?
Another source of "mental redness" is the old USSR flag/logo, the hammer
and sickle( http://russiandolls.cc/Hammer.gif ). So I think the pickaxe
should remain in the logo. (Programming Ruby has got that image out
there already) The communist load of such tools might tick some ppl off,
but personally I'm comfortable with the socialistic roots of Open
Source. (I'm not suggesting using the hammer and sickle in the logo,
well maybe the hammer.) 
	One way not to do it: http://www.cdaorlando.com/logo8.htm

#3: Ninjitsu
The word ninja may have too many commercial bearings from the US, and
Matz is probably gonna pounce on any misconceptions I bring along here,
but the image of a Red Panda in a Ninja outfit throwing a Shuriken with
a Ruby in its center, tickles my fancy quite a bit. (And it also fits as
a mascot!) Maybe he could also wield something like a pickaxe, or a
pickaxe-ish ninjutsu weapon?
	Now, I know there are alot to be said of the commercial US influence
here, since I grew up with it. The falacious "ninja==assassin"
conception they spread is a bit bad, not to mention anything related to
_turtles_ (please don't mention any puns about running Ruby in a shell
here :-P) 


Ok, you can push the "Flush" button on your mental toilets now :-)


-- 
<[ Kent Dahl ]>================<[ http://www.stud.ntnu.no/~kentda/ ]>
  )____(stud.techn.;ind..data)||(softwareDeveloper.at(Trustix))_( 
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( "the University, my girlfriend, stray cats, banana fruitflies,  " )
 \"nor the frontal lobe of my left cerebral hemisphere.           "/