You have a point, but one thing logo contests do well is they get a wide variety of concepts, from a community that knows what tarsnap means to them. Then you

You have a point, but one thing logo contests do well is they get a wide variety of concepts, from a community that knows what tarsnap means to them. Then you call in a real designer to look over the submissions and pick the one that inspires them, and do an improved version of that.