Newgon flag contest
In 2009 a map organization Newgon was planning to organize a contest for a flag that could be used to represent the map community. Several entries were collected, however, the voting stage never took place.
Contest entries
Here are the flags, created in 2009 by the participants. The Newgon Wiki page about the contest also provides edits of some of these flags[1]
Abstract
AmaroSymbol
CLogo
Diagonal Stripes
Dolphin
Five-Pointed Star
Gradient Stripes
Heart
Horizontal Stripes
Human Embrace
Phoenix
Rainbow
Rectangles
Ribbon
Sea Star
Spiral
Star & Stripes
Stuffed Bears
Sun
Taijitu
Triangles
Vertical Stripes
Another unique flag proposal, not featured on the Newgon Wiki page, was made by Steve Diamond[2]:
Steve Diamond's flag
History and influence
Plagiarism claims
None of the flags presented for the contest were used till 2021, when Newgon reemerged from a long hiatus. On their wiki they made a claim that the Gradient Stripes flag was the original concept the MAP flag was based on and referred to the latter as a "contrast version"[3]. After questions and criticism, they reinforced their statement:
Initial tests on the "relative luminance" difference between the two outside blue bands in the 2018 and 2009 flags, reveal those differences to be almost identical (within 0.5-1%) suggesting that the former could be a very slightly darkened and tinted adaptation of the latter, with respect to the blue portion of the graphic.
- The article MAP Flag on NewgonWiki as of 15 Dec 2022[4]
The linkage to the 2018 NOMAP Flag is contested by Map-Wiki, however the rationale given for our 2009 design is eerily similar to the 2018 NOMAP Flag. To say that the probability of the concept being copied/adapted is around 80% would probably be an understatement, but ultimately, we will never know if the flag was copied.
- The article Debate Guide: Newgon's History on NewgonWiki as of 1 Feb 2023[5]
Currently these phrases, as well as the word "version", are removed from NewgonWiki, and the edit history of these two articles is erased (the MAP Flag article in particular has a note that "older edits on this article are being used to make false claims offsite"[6]).
Yesmap/United flags
Simultaneously with implying plagiarism, Newgon developed a merged edit of their Gradient Stripes flag and the MAP flag. Initially titled "yesmap" as a pun on the NOMAP identity[7], it was renamed to "united map flag" around May 2022[8].
The 2021 "yesmap"/"united" flag
Eventually a separate, exclusively pro c, flag was made for the "yesmap" label.
A 2022 "yesmap" flag
Newgon continued promoting their flag under the "united" brand till August 2023, when it was renamed to "2021 version" with a note denying its previous name.
This screenshot was taken before the edit history was deleted.
A new flag edit, titled "MAP union", was then posted to NewgonWiki[9].
See also
References
- ↑ Flag proposal 2009, Newgon Wiki.
- ↑ The MAP [Miner Attracted Person Flag Project: A New Submission…], Our Love Frontier.
- ↑ MAP Flag on NewgonWiki as of 12 Dec 2021, via archive.today.
- ↑ MAP Flag on NewgonWiki as of 15 Dec 2022, via archive.today.
- ↑ Debate Guide: Newgon's History on NewgonWiki as of 1 Feb 2023, via Wayback Machine.
- ↑ MAP Flag: Revision history on NewgonWiki.
- ↑ MAP Flag on NewgonWiki as of 12 Dec 2021, via archive.today.
- ↑ MAP Flag on NewgonWiki as of 19 May 2022, via Wayback Machine.
- ↑ The "MAP union" flag on NewgonWiki
