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Being first is definitely important and something we should focus on, but differentiation in open source is a hard challenge and branding is a big part of it. We are not GNOME, just like we are not the linux kernel or systemd or glibc. Yes, we happen to make use of all those projects, but what we are is the sum of all of those and more plus the testing, integration, customisation, extensions and specific combination of things. And making sure that totality has a clear and easily identifiable visual identity is not wasting time. It is to build a design and branding that highlights that Fedora Workstation is a unique thing and not just one of many ways to run a generic GNOME desktop.
In which case the problem is that we don't consult with designers, or work on that branding work upstream. Case in point, our changes to the Details panel in Settings aren't upstream, nobody tested the performance impact of the logo watermark in gnome-shell.
It also seems bizarre to me that we would push that branding on Fedora Workstation, but not in other variants with a Fedora branded motd before login on the server variant for example.
Do we *actually* have a problem with Fedora being identified as such? In which sort of deployment do we have that problem?
We already have branding in GRUB, in plymouth, in gdm, in the default wallpaper, in the Details panel. I'd rather we sent our stickers for laptop covers, and Windows keys, and toned down the branding on other parts of the OS, as well as investigated other possible branding (changing the default hostname, and .local name seem like no-brainer with no performance impact, and greater reach).