Say hello to Octicons
Good idea, but, sorry, don't like 'em. Neither the execution nor the conceptualization.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.The conceptualization is off too. The fact that they need to explain 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 in through the door? Why is the letter A transmitting, when it's actually about receiving?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.