哈人。
I like this. I like this a lot.
Could even be a salamander curled up in the shape of a staircase. Let dall-e make it xD
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The tapir might be a candidate for the mascot. The Programming Scala book uses the tapir on the cover. And the Tapir library use this anime too.
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The company Scalamandra (Scala and JS consulting) uses a Salamander for their logo:
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You can turn the spiral into a snake by adding the head
I just realized when said fast it’s pronounced “s’ga-la”
Was that on purpose?
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Indeed!
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The pangolin is very scaly and rolls up into a ball when it feels unsafe. Arguably, it is “cute”. It hosts a large variety of parasites and bacteria.
“ Baba does not flinch. He is unfazed by the throng of excited kids who have gathered around him. He is unperturbed by the Californian summer heat. He does not mind the cotton swabs that brush his face, body and paws. His nonchalance makes sense, for his life is safe and cushy. He lives in San Diego Zoo, wears an impregnable suit of armour, and is currently curled around the waist of a zookeeper. Baba is a white-bellied pangolin – an utterly endearing animal that looks like a cross between an anteater and a pine cone. He’s about the size of a small cat.”.
From Ed Yong’s “I contain multitudes”
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The Scala logo/EPFL staircase resembles a seashell:
A hermit crab wearing it would make a cute mascot (while reinforcing the theory that everything evolves into crabs 
).
Myself, I’m partial to cats but that may look like favouritism to a particular Scala ecosystem. 
(Although we already have Toolkitty as the Scala Toolkit mascot.)
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Scala is a mixture of paradigms, so maybe platypus would fit? It looks like a mixture of different animals (duck, otter, beaver, whatever).
Logos with platypus look quite cool: https://www.google.com/search?q=platypus+logo&tbm=isch
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consider, a cat wearing that shell
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There is also a Toolkitty’s sidekick - Scaniel.
I don’t know, however, what exactly it was meant to represent.
Given the etymology of Scala, an ant could also be given how they scale and grow
Ants can also pick EPFL stairway leafs
I have a few ideas. First, instead of a salamander or any other animal, a Pangolin. Why a pangolin? It’s an animal with unique characteristics – it has double-layered scales serving as a defense mechanism against predators, and it’s currently threatened with extinction. Additionally, pangolins are known for their distinctiveness, being the only mammals entirely covered in scales.
They exhibit a rare blend of traits: resilience, adaptability, and a specialized skill set (their insect-eating habits with a long, sticky tongue). These qualities parallel well with the Scala programming language, which is known for its unique combination of object-oriented and functional programming features. The pangolin’s adaptability and specialized abilities can symbolize Scala’s flexibility and its powerful, distinctive features in the programming world.
Firstly, I thought about drawing it in the most detailed and realistic way possible:
And I’m now in the process of simplifying the design. What do you think about this idea?
Then, by simplifying the design, you can make it more suitable for a wide range of applications, such as a programming language mascot, which often requires a simpler, more iconic representation. This process can help in creating a mascot that is both recognizable and versatile, capturing the pangolin’s unique attributes while being adaptable for various uses in branding and visual communication for Scala.
Did you like it?
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This was already my favorite forum thread ever, but your contribution really puts it over the top.
My OP idea was armadillo, so I would also go for pangolin.
It’s especially relevant because Scala is also threatened with extinction, they say.
My personal favorite would be the realistic version where the pangolin is smirking, or is that a grimace.
The other reason to use the pangolin is that, post-pandemic, the pangolin is most likely to make Scala “go viral”.
The Marianne Moore poem, which I ought to have mentioned in the OP:
at poetry.com
or
allpoetry.com (dark theme)
Moore is less spare with the puns.
scale lapping scale
is for Scala. Who among us would not cop to:
the night miniature artist engineer
Here, “one” means “one animal” and also “man [auf deutsch]”; I know that when among dogs, humor is my sixth sense:
Among animals, one has a sense of humor.
I would read or misread “uningnorant” to mean, “something more than an Ingenieur”, or not ignorant in the way an engineering curriculum can make one.
My favorite twist:
Not afraid of anything is he,
and then goes cowering forth
It’s a bit long for a t-shirt, but just right for a tombstone.
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The realistic depiction of the pangolim is somewhat troublesome for me, as it poses challenges when trying to incorporate it into icons or articles, which typically call for simpler designs. The initial intention behind presenting the pangolim realistically was simply to appreciate the animal’s natural beauty. However, considering the pangolin’s unique characteristics, it also makes a fitting mascot for the Scala programming language. Its distinctive scales can symbolize the robust and layered features of Scala, while its ability to adapt and thrive mirrors the flexibility and scalability that the language offers.
I particularly loved this last one
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Nice! That is my expression when SystemFw explains something on the typelevel discord.
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