My 0.02$ on Opera Community development

I had to write this... This topic was the thing that made me start posting (my first post) on My.Opera forums and the thing that was lately talked about a lot (main topic)...

I'll try to sublime other's impressions and write my own...
[img]http://my.opera.com/SerbianFighter/homes/myopera/comparison.png

I took these 5 logos in comparison simply because they represent the most popular 5 browsers... Depending on country and type of website they change their orded, but all in all they pretty much always, everywhere hit top 5 spots.

First... non-troppo's critique
[img]http://nontroppo.org/test/Op7/Opera-logo-critique.png

Second... dantist's quick fix
[img]http://webuser.fh-furtwangen.de/~sucke/_stuff/o.jpg

Third... EivindFS retouch
[img]http://my.opera.com/SerbianFighter/homes/myopera/retouch.png


Ok... now my point of view....
Sometime ago I play around with "the big O" so I made simple crystal retouch...
People liked it pretty much....

Wallpaper:
[img]http://my.opera.com/SerbianFighter/homes/albums/9482/1opera9.jpg

So.. then some of people asked if I could make clean white O from that... and so I did:
[img]http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/2860/oooo7sm.png

Anyhow...
This "logo" Isn't anything special, it is just a retouch of current style and I personally believe that new logo and identity should be changed....
How and why... take a look at this (just examples):
[img]http://my.opera.com/SerbianFighter/homes/myopera/ologo.png

We all know that the most important market in the IT world is US...
And when you have (at least) 2 such giants as "the big O" there, how do you expect someone fight with them?
Also.. 95% internet users are noobs...
Does anyone actually think that big red roman style O is a real way of suggesting users "this is internet browser, click it!".
I made a small test the other day on one computer (usually only used for internet by complete begginers)... I deleted all icons on desktop and installed Netscape 8, Firefox 1.5 and Opera 8...
I counted how many people clicked on each of them to start using their internet..
15 people...
- 10 clicked Firefox.
- 4 clicked Netscape.
- 1 clicked Opera.

Why did that one click on Opera... I asked him... He has Symbian phone with Opera preinstalled...
And.. we are talking about "survey" in a country where lets say 5-7% people use Opera as their browser, and... that my friends.. is quite a lot.
I asked some who clicked on FF and NN and these are some of their anwsers...
FF : The Icon is so cool and shiny and all that..
FF : The Globe suggested to me that I should try that one...
FF : I've heard / read about it...
NN : The icon looked like N is wathing on earth... seemed logical...
NN : My friend has email @netscape.net

Ok... now let me show you logos that were submited lately as users suggestion:

User suggested logos:
Prodea: Opera.png
rethompson808: opera_07.blue2.png
PKO: Opera_03.png
marcoledingue: opera-mask.png
chris2000: logo-concepts.gif
CaFFeinE: opera_speedy.png : opera_flames.png
Willnight: Opera_id1-1.jpg
idbeu: 3.gif
momo2: opera_logo_redesigned.png
trollop: OperaHumming-1.png : OperaHumming-2.png

Jairo Boudewyn
Opera 8 Icons 2.0 - [Here]
Opera 8 Icons - [Here]
Opera Morph Icons - [Here]
Opera Browser 7.5 Icon 2.0 - [Here]
Opera 7 - Generic Opera - [Here]

Conclusion?
Opera needs a new logo...
A nice sleek, modern and easy to remember logo that will be related to internet, network and browsing.
One logo suggested is IMHO very nice.. Opera Morph Icons - [Here]
I think this kind of look is something Opera should coinsider... Maybe not exactly that logo, that color scheme (although red white and blue are so well together and are used in may flags around the world and so...)...

What it should be.. we will see

Update:
+ Opera logo as I see it. [Mockup] + Step 2