Definitions
icon
sign/symbol
metaphor

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The purpose of this website is to provide a directory of Internet icons used on websites from around the world. These icons are grouped and rated for their semantic value together with the words that normally accompany them.

Computer icons found on websites in North America or Europe are no different from those that appear on interfaces in Central America or Asia. The overall intention of this website is to make a contribution towards the understanding of how computer icons have naturally developed as visual language, and if used, which icons would have greater global understanding.

Susan Kare noted that icon design is the art of switching pixels 'on' and 'off'.

Directory contents

This is stage 1 of the directory and contains icons that are the result of a survey which sampled 21,577 ISPs. The research established how icons appear on interfaces and to explore the notion that they do indeed influence each others' development in some form. Another reason for choosing ISPs was that many design websites for other organisations, therefore this influence possibly continues to other parts of the Internet.

Each category is grouped, for example 'communication' has icons semantically rated for contact us, email, chatroom, feedback, sign-up, write to us, forum, guest book and so on. The full version, published at a later date, will exceed 10,000 icons.

The directory can be used as a reference to establish which icons have appropriate appropriate meanings.