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List Icon
Icon sizes: 256x256, 64x64, 48x48, 32x32, 24x24, 20x20, 16x16
File formats: ICO, GIF, PNG, BMP
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What Are PNG Icons?
A number of independent vendors are providing custom icons in sizes and resolutions common to certain computer platforms. The article explains what icons are, how they are used and implemented in various systems, and what standards are defined for Windows icons, Mac icons, and PNG icons.
Computer icons are an integral part of any graphical user interface. Icons are small pictograms of standardized sizes that visually represent objects, actions, and symbols. In graphical user interfaces, icons are used as a faster, more intuitive way to communicate with the user. Icons depicting typical elements of a user interface are better visible than text, can be recognized faster, and are easier for new computer users.
Originally introduced in 1970 by the Xerox Research Center and widely deployed by the Mac OS and Microsoft Windows systems, icons make new users feel more comfortable with computer systems, learn faster and interact more efficiently. Icons can be employed to replace or supplement text messages. Commonly used in menus, toolbars, on buttons and in new ribbon-style user interfaces, icons have come a long way from the original concept.
There are several file formats for storing icons. Microsoft Windows systems use Windows icons in the platform-specific ICO format. Apple Macintosh computers store Mac icons in their specific formats, while Unix-based systems use PNG icons for most applications. As such, icon editing software is generally available for the Windows and Apple platforms, while Unix users can design PNG icons with just about any image editor.
Generally speaking, icons are square pictograms that come in a variety of standard sizes and color resolutions. Most platforms support icons of 16x16 to 128x128 pixels, while some platforms readily accept icons as large as 512x512 pixels. The big 512x512 pixel icons were first used in Mac OS Leopard.
Pixel dimensions of all icons are operating system dependent. For example, Windows icons are specified as pictures in 16 and 256-color gammas as well as True Color pictures with alpha channel. Windows icons are supplied in standard sizes of 16x16, 32x32, and 48x48 pixels. Windows Vista implements new standards for Windows icons, including icons in resolutions of up to 256x256 pixels in True Color only. Optionally, images of 128x128 and 512x512 pixels are supported. Interestingly, the high-resolution Windows Vista icons are stored in compressed PNG format instead of Windows ICO used in previous versions of Windows and for lower resolution images. Other systems such as Windows Mobile can use standard icons of other resolutions, e.g. 24x24 pixels.
Many independent vendors are providing custom icons. Aha-Soft offers a variety of Windows icons, Mac icons, and PNG icons in all sizes and resolutions common to those systems. The company sells royalty-free icons individually and in matching sets incorporating icons drawn a common style or theme.
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Individual Ready Icons
You can buy individual icons to suit your needs. Each icon is $1 when purchased individually.
Icon Usage Agreement
16 x 16 Office Toolbar Icons set contains all the images that are required for your word processing software.
Database Icon Set delivers you a variety of bright and colorful icons for database software development. The images are provided in all the common icon sizes and file formats include GIF, PNG, BMP and ICO.
Music Icon Library will illustrate all the musical instruments and actions. Provided sizes are 16x16, 24x24, 32x32, and 48x48, the file formats are PNG, BMP, GIF and ICO.
A collection of Large Education Icons is all you need to make your educational application shine. The images are readily available in sizes ranging from 16x16 to 256x256.
Create city maps that are flawless both digital and printed. Standard City Icons come in a variety of sizes and resolutions and in file formats of PNG, GIF, BMP and ICO.
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