Can the Finder be tricked into assigning symlinks and aliases different icons?
Symlinks are a Unix concept. They are special files that point to other files, so that, in many cases, accessing the symlink (for instance if it points to a shell script) really access the underlying file (running the script).

Aliases are a Mac concept (though OS/2 had something similar, I forget what it was called).

As far as I can tell aliases can be made only from the finder whereas symbolic links can be made from a terminal window. (It is possible to make an alias from the command line but you have to write applescript to do so).

Aliases have one advantage over symbolic links. If the underlying file that the alias points to is moved the alias is automatically updated. Not so with symbolic links; they break (i.e. point to nowhere) if the underlying file is moved.

I've been interested in this question because I'm trying to write a script that will bring up a getinfo window when typed from the command line. So far the best I've been able to do is to copy some scripts that do this from other web sites. The drawback is that, unlike selecting Get Information on a symbolic link from a finder window these scripts show get getinfo window for the underlying file, not for the symbolic link.

It is definitely a side project for me, but if I find the answer I'll post it.