Table of Contents
With all this discussion, you may be beginning to think that having a well-designed program means that it is going to be boring to look at. You can definitely have it more interesting to look at than drying paint. There is plenty of freedom for creativity along with some suggestions to help get you started.
Your program's icon is one easy way to set it apart from the rest of the pack. BeOS-style icons follow one of two perspectives - flat and isometric. Flat icons look like a head-on view. Isometric icons "look down" on the icon from a point above and to the right of the object with angled lines being about 30 degrees from horizontal. A good icon can give your program a favorable and professional impression to people who otherwise doesn't know a thing about you or your program. Take some time to create or find a good-looking icon. Whatever you do, don't just slap together a shabby-looking icon. It would be better not provide an icon at all and rely on the system to show the default application icon than to have one which reflects poorly on your program's reputation. For more details on icon creation, consult the Haiku Icon Guidelines.
Design Tips