Icons
Document status: archived
IBM icon files: 
Bits&PCs-icons.zip, 94 KB
This collection of IBM icon files supplies icon designers with a kit of visually consistent, reusable components. All the icons in this IBM clip art collection are free of third-party copyright constraints. IBM does not surrender copyright but licenses others to make copies. Use the icons as they are or modify them to your needs. These files were initially available from the IBM Ease of Use website, but the files are no longer available.
The components can be merged to create icons for software products that are for Windows. Possibly, for other operating systems the files must be saved in a different format (for example GIF format for Java) or the colour palettes must be changed.
All of the images reflect the current Windows interface style (that is 3D, typically isometric views, with the light source from the upper left). The files supplied here are in .ico format and use a 4 bit (16 colour) palette.
Some of the files contain '(ISO)' in their titles. This denotes that the graphics will conform to the applicable parts of the ISO/IEC 11581 international standard if they are used in conjunction with correct functions, requirements, guidance and global variations as detailed in ISO/IEC 11581, Information Technology—User system interfaces and symbols—Icon Symbols and Functions. You can buy this six part international standard from your national standards organization (for example, the British Standards Institution (www.bsigroup.com) in the UK or from ISO (www.iso.org).
For information about designing icons, read these articles:
- Icon clip art and metaphors, Richard Hodgkinson (ex IBM)
Bits&PCs.pdf, 93 KB - Bits & PCs - Designing Icons for Software Interfaces, Richard Hodgkinson (ex IBM) and Denise Bell (Tivoli Systems)
Bits&PCs-RH&DB.pdf, 173 KB
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