| Using professional icons in your application | | | | Web designers are faced with the challenge of |
| or website can bring a modern and | | | | building a website that is both highly |
| aesthetically pleasing appearance to your | | | | useable and visually appealing. With the |
| product or service. This will not only help | | | | right icon collection, it's easy to find |
| you to attract potential customers but also | | | | common themes that will be readily |
| give you that "edge" you need to stand out | | | | identifiable by website users. Icons can ease |
| from your competitors. In an internet age, | | | | the task of creating navigation and toolbar |
| it's important that your interface looks | | | | buttons, and most of all give a unique |
| professional or your potential buyer might | | | | "personality" to your site.XP style icons are |
| move on without really giving your product a | | | | highly stimulating with their beautiful |
| chance to prove itself.Besides a professional | | | | gradients and 3D appearance. A nicer website |
| appearance, relevant XP style icons can | | | | means more return visitors and more sales. |
| greatly increase the usability of any | | | | Professional icons can help your website |
| software application or website. Icons are | | | | stand out from the thousands of others |
| just one of the many communication tools you | | | | selling similar products and |
| have to guide a user. With good free icons | | | | services.Marketing and Documentation |
| few and far between, professional icon | | | | ProfessionalsMarketing and Documentation |
| collections are a cost effective investment | | | | Professionals can make use of XP style icons |
| and can be purchased for just around | | | | in their company brochures, documentation, |
| $100.00.For an example check out are some of | | | | multimedia presentations, and other marketing |
| the groups that would benefit from using | | | | materials. Icons can easily spruce up boring |
| professional XP style icons:Software | | | | text and turn a once simple piece into a |
| DevelopersLike I said before, your user | | | | colorful and professional looking document. |
| interface is your user's "first impression". | | | | Having unique, professional looking |
| Your program must look professional if it's | | | | documentation can give you a competitive edge |
| going to sell, making the quality of your | | | | in the eyes of a potential customer.Finding |
| interface one of your most powerful and | | | | Quality IconsSo why not look for free icons? |
| important marketing tools. A program with a | | | | Well, if you are one of the many people who |
| bad interface will appear of poor quality no | | | | have spent countless hours searching all over |
| matter how good the functionality is.Relevant | | | | the internet for good icons, you might |
| images simplify the user experience and | | | | already be familiar with a few of these |
| create a sense of comfort for the user by | | | | reasons:They don't show up well or sometimes |
| providing them with images that they are | | | | not at all.They are targeted for different |
| already familiar with or can easily identify. | | | | operating systems (Mac, BeOS, Beta XP, |
| Making your program easy to understand and | | | | etc.).They don't match in style, color, and |
| pleasing to the eye can increase sales as | | | | are generally inconsistent.They don't look |
| well as improve your return customer | | | | professional.It's hard to find useful icons |
| base.Making use of free or badly designed | | | | that match common functions found in most |
| icons can lead to numerous headaches along | | | | programs.Sites often contain viruses and |
| with possible licensing issues when icon | | | | require active-x controls to be |
| designers have found their "not so free" | | | | installed.Making professional icons requires |
| icons are being posted on free sites. With | | | | expensive tools and true artistic talent, so |
| professional icons being so affordable, it's | | | | finding quality ones is not easy; that's why |
| best to leave icon design up to the | | | | VirtualLNK has made the process of finding |
| professionals.Web DesignersWith so many | | | | the collections you need as painless as |
| internet based businesses, your website can | | | | possible.. |
| make or break the success of your company. | | | | |