I kicked of a $500 99designs contest for my logo on Friday and received over 70 submissions already. I eliminated the most obvious suspects and asked friends and family for help.<p>The contest doesn't end until Friday and I wonder if there's an algorithm of sorts I can use to tackle existing designs and the ones that will, undoubtedly, be coming.<p>I understand that combinations of deep red and black don't make for a good web site built around the logo. I also find myself partial to the sci-fi 3D orbs -and- the flat shape designs like #55 or #11.<p>http://wagerlabs.com/logo-contest-for-algokit<p>Other bits of interest... This is for a web-based compiler (source-to-source translator) between various trading languages. The aim is to enable users to migrate between platforms at a push of a button, without having to manually rewrite their strategies. The plan is to charge $400-600 per translation.<p>Translator is written in OCaml, the backend is OCaml with Ocsigen, uses Amazon SimpleDB and S3 and Plimus for payment processing.
My algorithm would say:<p>- reject generic shapes and cliches seen ad nauseum in 99d contests: Astralify, black21, #64, KamNy<p>- promote designs that attempt to communicate transformation: #73, wenk, #31, #28, #25, #15<p>- promote designs that will print well on a budget (intricate designs and colours/gradients can print well, if you'll pay the premium for good print services): #11, #32, #66<p>Yes, some of these considerations will clash unfortunately, but it might help eliminate/promote from your shortlist.<p>I also asked friends/family for opinions with the logo for my to-be-announced project, and it really helped to uncover interpretations and connotations I'd not considered alone.<p>Good luck, and please let us know which you choose as your winner.
Hum... Using AK, why not suggest some of your designers try to use a PRISM /\ with light coming out of it to make the K. Since your software converts one type of code into others.