Echelon 8.5
May 1999

Introduction: God, I love Mac OS 8.5. Since its introduction late last year, the OS continues to impress me. All the factory workers have been pushing the envelope with what 8.5 can do, and Echelon 8.5 is the latest testament to this. The ability to create smooth blends, and especially to have true transparent effects like transparent drop shadows or translucent "glass-like" effects are very attractive to interface designers, and you'll immediately notice these kinds of effects in Echelon.

The power and flexibility of what is now possible to create on the Mac platform in the area of icons proves once again the driving force behind Apple and the Mac in general. The visual designs contained in Echelon 8.5 are simply not possible on Windows™. I occasionally get emails from disgruntled PC users "letting me know" that millions of colors icons have been available for Windows longer than they have for the Mac. This maybe true, but how many PC companies take advantage of this? Why isn't Microsoft pushing the envelope of interface design in its software by designing cool icons for their software? Why is Apple continually moving forward with how users interact with the desktop when companies like Bill's are not? The difference is that Mac users WANT their Macs to look cool. They love their computers. They don't hide their G3's under the desk like most PC users do, they display them for all the world to see. They love their computers, and their OS and they want to make it look even better than it does now. For all of them, something like Echelon is their baby. Well, here it is.

The enclosed folders contains 100 icons, a complete Echelon Kaleidoscope 2.0 scheme and a bonus appearance "skin" for MacAmp lite to turn your Mac's appearance to that of Echelon 8.5. The icon collection contains replacements for virtually every icon in your System Folder plus additional bonus folders for various color choices. The enclosed KAL scheme by master KAL artist, Albie Wong, works with Kaleidoscope 2.0 or later and lets you customize the menu bar, the trash can icon, desktop patterns and more in the Echelon style. Lastly, for users of MacAmp Lite, Albie has also included a bonus "skin" that can be used to give the MP3 player the look of Echelon so it fits right in on your desktop. If you use Mac OS 8.5 and Kaleidoscope 2.0, you're about to give your Mac a total make over. Enjoy!

Legality: Echelon 8.5 is Copyright ©2001 by The Iconfactory. The icons contained in this set are intended for free, and non-commercial use ONLY. These icons can only be distributed as freeware, and MAY NOT BE REDISTRIBUTED, SOLD OR EXCHANGED FOR ANY GOODS OR SERVICES WHATSOEVER. Usage as part of websites is by permission only. In addition, the read-me file must accompany the set at all times. By downloading this file you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this agreement.

How To make Use of Icons: Changing icons on Windows can be done in many different ways. The two easiest, and most common methods, are described below.

To change the My Computer, My Documents, My Network Places (also called the
Network Neighborhood), or Recycle Bin icons, follow these steps:

1) Right click the desktop.
2) Choose Properties from the menu.
3) In the properties dialog, select the "Effects" or "Plus!" tab.
4) Select the icon you wish to change.
5) Press the "Change Icon" button to open the icon selection window.
6) In the icon selection window, press the "Browse" button.
7) Use the file selection dialog to locate to the folder that contains the
icons you downloaded.
8) Choose the ICO file you want to use as a replacement and press "Open".
9) Press "OK" in the icon selection window and on the properties dialog.

You can also change the icon for a shortcut using these steps:

1) Right click the shortcut.
2) Choose Properties from the menu.
3) In the properties dialog, press the "Change Icon" button to open the icon
selection window.
4) In the icon selection window, press the "Browse" button.
5) Use the file selection dialog to locate to the folder that contains the
icons you downloaded.
6) Choose the ICO file you want to use as a replacement and press "Open".
7) Press "OK" in the icon selection window and on the properties dialog.

There are many other ways to change icons by editing the Registry. These
techniques are more complex and potentially dangerous to your system, but
they do allow you to completely customize your computer. For more
information, we suggest that you visit Virtual Plastic at
http://www.nikkie-luuc.demon.nl

Contact the Author: Gedeon Maheux

Related Sites: If you enjoy this freeware icon collection, be sure to check out these other, killer GUI web pages:

The Iconfactory - The web's best place for killer Mac icons
The DeskStop - Windows wallpapers, desktop picts, icons and more