In this post, I will summarize the first chapter of the book Rockstar Icon Designer, which is dedicated to icon design and its philosophy. This chapter discusses the history of icons and their user interfaces in a clear and illustrated manner. By understanding and contemplating it, we can predict the trends that will be used in future icon design, starting from the user interface philosophy and icons of the first Apple Lisa device, all the way to Windows Vista and other famous systems.
Overall, the book is fantastic and unique, though the author’s personal style may be a bit divisive—you might agree with some points and disagree with others. However, it provides information in a unique way for anyone who loves the field of icon design or is even interested in logo design.
Now, I leave you with a summary of the history of icons, from old to new.
Xerox Alto 1973 / Star 1981
One of the first devices to use a desktop interface (Graphical User Interface - GUI), which became the standard for future operating systems. It was also the direct inspiration for Apple’s Lisa in 1983, and over time, it became an excellent example of design and ease of use.
1983 Apple Lisa
Apple’s actual development began in 1978. At that time, Steve Jobs (Apple’s CEO) was leading the Lisa development team. He was greatly influenced by his tour of Xerox PARC in 1979, where he realized that the true value of computers and their ease of use would lie in the graphical interface, a concept he incorporated into the Lisa.
1984 Apple Macintosh 1.0
In 1982, Steve Jobs left the Lisa project and joined the Macintosh team. The icons for the Macintosh were designed by Susan Kare, who is considered one of the most important and best icon designers of that time. She gave those icons unique attention in terms of simplicity, clarity, ease of understanding, and visual balance, all of which aligned perfectly with Apple’s philosophy of clarity and simplicity.
1985 Atari TOS
It is important to note that graphical user interfaces were not exclusive to Apple systems. Atari also used them, but at the time, Atari’s interface was smaller and lacked some of the features found in Apple’s interface.
1985 Amiga Workbench
This marked the beginning of using four colors in icons, introducing new and unique labels and expressions, attempting to distinguish itself from other “user interfaces” of devices at that time.
1985 Windows 1.0x
After the success of DOS, Microsoft announced to the public that it was developing a new Windows system with a user interface. However, it was not released until two years later, leading critics to describe it as “Vaporware,” a term used for software that is announced but not released until much later. It is said that the delay was due to additional features and developments added to avoid resembling the Macintosh interface. Its sales were very slow, and the system did not gain popularity until version 3.1 in 1992.
1986 GEOS for Commodore 64
This interface became the second most popular graphical user interface after Macintosh, sharing the same philosophy of simplicity, clarity, and ease of use.
1989 – 1995 NeXTSTEP
The user interface of NeXT, the company founded by Steve Jobs after leaving Apple, was designed by Susan Kare, who had also designed the Macintosh interface. The interface was used in both home and work environments and marked the real beginning of the interfaces we know today.
1991 Macintosh System 7
The Macintosh system introduced colored icons, which were only available on devices capable of displaying colors. For monochrome devices, the icons would switch to black and white. The system also included font styles used for the first time.
1992 Windows 3.1
Once again, Susan Kare, who designed Apple’s icons, was hired by Microsoft to design this interface with its colorful and distinctive icons.
1994 Apple Copland
One of the interfaces used by Apple’s operating systems during Steve Jobs’ absence, featuring 3D icons, shadows, and some unique symbol concepts and new expressions.
1995 Windows 95
More colors and improved graphics presentation. Some elements remain part of Windows designs to this day.
1997 Macintosh OS 8
This system improved Apple’s image, which had been damaged during Steve Jobs’ absence. Apple sold around 1.2 million copies within weeks. The icons were brighter, and Apple standardized the use of shadows in this version of the system.
1997 – 2001 BeOS
Launched as a competitor to Windows and Apple, despite some confusing and complex icons, it gained popularity among the design community at that time. It was an example of unique and distinctive icon design.
2001 Mac OS X v10.0
The remarkable leap in user interface and icon design came with Apple’s new operating system, which offered a complete overhaul in appearance. In a speech at Macworld Keynote 2000, Steve Jobs introduced the “Aqua” interface, describing it as something people would want to “lick.” 🙂 The details were far superior to previous versions, with the use of gloss, shadows, and the increased icon size of 128 × 128 pixels, and 8-bit transparency.
2001 Windows XP
In the same year that Apple launched its revolutionary Mac interface, Windows launched its “Luna” interface, which included many developments, but Apple was clearly superior.
2005 Tango Desktop Project
One of the icon sets that became popular during that period, known for its simplicity, clear meanings, and ease of use.
2008 KDE SC 4
KDE is an international free software community that adopted a simple philosophy to create better desktop software. KDE grew with hundreds of developers, aiming with its new user interface to break the idea of cartoonish icons and move towards a more mature user experience. KDE became a real competitor in its user interface to Apple and Microsoft, especially after winning the “Innovation of the Year” award in 1999.
2007 Windows Vista
The Windows Vista user interface and icons marked a significant shift in the desktop environment, capable of delivering stunning visual effects like glass and 3D transitions. Vista increased icon support to 256 × 256 pixels, adopting a semi-realistic style similar to Mac OS X. It took two years to design the system’s icon proposals to align with Microsoft’s vision.
2011 GNOME 3.00
GNOME is an open-source desktop environment that originated as an extension of KDE in 1997.
2011 Ubuntu 11.04
Ubuntu is an open-source, free-to-use operating system. The first version was launched in 2004, where the system’s icons were given a unified and simple style, differing clearly in expression from other systems.
This was a summary of the first chapter from the book Rockstar Icon Designer, which discusses icon design. I hope I succeeded in summarizing and clarifying this chapter 🙂