Say hello to Octicons
Good idea, but, sorry, don't like 'em. Neither the execution nor the conceptualization.<p>The execution is too detailed. Details, regardless of how pixel-perfect they are, do blur upon quick glance, and the more details there are, the more it looks like a gray blob. The execution is also inconsistent - why the book is 3D, but the rest is flat? Except for the coffee mug that is neither.<p>The conceptualization is off too. The fact that they need to <i>explain</i> an icon is a red flag. Why book? They answer that with 5 lines of text. Why wrench and a screwdriver, when a gear is a visually simpler icon that is widely understood? Why the Logout arrow implies that someone walks <i>in</i> through the door? Why is the letter A transmitting, when it's actually about <i>receiving</i>?<p>So not to sound like a complete ass, here's what I would've used instead - a gear for preferences, a "power off/on" symbol for logout, a simple blank page with a plus sign for "new", some sort of inbox or even an envelope for "notifications". Just keep it simple and don't overthink.