This directory contains a collection of icons intended for use as directory icons. Each icon included includes a `closed' and an `open' version (the latter has the same name with the addition of `_O'. To use these icons, copy them into the desired directory and save them as .dir.tiff and .opendir.tiff, respectively. For example, the folder the icons are stored in contains a copy of of Icons.tiff stored as .dir.tiff, and a copy of Icons_O.tiff stored as .opendir.tiff.
A word on icon philosophy...
I like having icons on my workspace, because it allows different folders to be identified at a glance. The problem with many icons, however, is that one has to remember what each represents. Moreover, if icons are used both for executables, for documents, and for folders, distinguishing between them can become difficult. At the extreme, a workspace full of icons could become as difficult to read as Chinese: either you know what a particular pictogram means or you're out of luck.
To avoid this problem, many of the icons in this collection combine known elements. In particular, many combine an icon representative of particular applications or documents, or classes of applications or documents, with the standard NeXT folder icon. Thus one could use the Spreadsheets.tiff icon for a folder that contained spreadsheet apps or spreadsheet files. The folder icon reminds that the icon represents a directory rather than a file or app.
For the files in which I store my correspondence, the folder motif is replaced by an envelope, but the principle is the same.
Of course, not all icons follow this principle: Games and Misc, for example, do not... mainly because I had ideas that I liked that diverged from it.
I've also included the blank icons that I used to build up some of the icons in the collection: make your own variations.
... and then send them to me.
Comments and other icons in exchange for these are most welcome at
