A couple of points:
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No users didn’t complain about cosmetics. Changing things only if users complain isn’t a good strategy when it comes to community web sites. In particular, the brand is used when discussing the site with potential sponsors who, in turn, support the site with advertising. Without that revenue, we won’t have the budget to maintain the site.
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For the most part, a cosmetic change like this doesn’t take resources away from addressing functional issues. It’s different skill sets.