The icons were vectors, but typically drawn at an isometric view and combined with other components (like the "sheet of paper"/"magic carpet" underneath apps).

The icons were vectors, but typically drawn at an isometric view and combined with other components (like the "sheet of paper"/"magic carpet" underneath apps). When you click once to select the app, the paper turns yellow. When you double click, the paper back and up behind the icon. A screenshot of the Icon Catalog: http://techpubs.sgi.com/library/dynaweb_docs/0650/SGI_Admin/books/PCP_UAG/sgi_html/figures/a12193.gif http://techpubs.sgi.com/library/dynaweb_docs/0650/SGI_Admin/... And the docs for IconSmith, used to draw icons: http://techpubs.sgi.com/library/tpl/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi/0650/bks/SGI_Developer/books/IIDsktp_IG/sgi_html/ch12.html http://techpubs.sgi.com/library/tpl/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi/0650/... And Motif was used for all the widgets, I guess that would make it vector-based.