What makes Windows XP icons different?
Windows XP icons are designed with rich colors and smooth edges to complement the overall style of the Windows XP operating system. Their edges tend to be slightly rounded and the light source strikes the image from the upper-left hand corner with ambient light illuminating other parts of the image. Gradients, outlines, and drop shadows are employed to give the icon greater dimensionality and contrast. Some XP icons are angled for perspective while those for documents or those that employ symbols or single objects face straight on. In general the XP look can be described as modern and upscale. In XP, icons on the right of the start menu appear as 24 x 24 images while those used on toolbars are either 24 x 24 or 16 x 16. The system supports 32-bit icons which are actually 24-bit images with an 8-bit alpha channel allowing the icon’s edges to appear smooth and to blend into the background. Windows XP icons include three color depths to support various monitor settings: 24-bit with 8-bit
