JPPAGLIARO  Thanks for the 3/5 stars, but...

It's just your opinion that this software is 100% useless. Didn't you read the review which preceeds yours? That person, along with many others, don't seem to agree with that. It makes me wonder if you really tried the program or not.

You're comparing software programs which are of different types. The primary advantage of Icon2Image is that it is a contextual menu, not an application. This can simpify your workflow dramatically.

For example. Suppose you want to get a 128x128 image of an application icon. With your method, you probably first have to change the Finder option to view the window with icons sizes set at 128x128. Then you need to launch an application to take a screenshot.Now come some of the problems:

a) Does the screen shot you just took preserve the transparency that resides inside the icns file?

b) Is the screenshot exactly 128x128, or do you have to open it in an image editor to trim it?

c) How easy is it to change the selected output format of the image?

Icon2Image makes this process much easier since it is a contextual menu in the Finder. All you need to do is control-click on the application and make a menu selection - and the image of the icon is generated in whetever format you like, with transparency for image types that support it.

Selecting the image size with Icon2Image is trivial. It's pretty much just another menu selection from the contextual menu.

On top of all this, Icon2Image does more than just generate images from icons. For example, it can add custom icons to image and movie files (using the movies poster frame.) It also works in the opposite direction, i.e. it makes icons from image data.

Finally, if you read the current description of the product on MacUpdate you'll have noticed that IU am offering the program at half-price for a limited time.  
(Version 1.1.9)

DOUG S.  Wow a quick response! That's not always the case with developers and for that, at least, I commend you. However...

(a) Yes, quite a few of them do. The one I mentioned, ScreenShot Plus, preserves 100% of the icon including alpha, though that program was just one example.

(b) I have to trim away the icon's title, however since we're referring to it's use for designers they're going to be working with photoshop or some other image editing program anyway and clearing a small section of an image takes so little time and effort, there's really not much of a strike against it.

(c) It's right in the settings for the widget, right next to allowing me to choose what it opens to and where it saves to and so forth.

As for the icon's to files, that functionality is built into OS X already. Take any icon resource (creatable by a large number of free graphic editing programs), open it's info window, click the icon and you can copy and paste it into any other info window and it will create all the necessary files for you. If you don't want to do that, there are dozens of other free apps that do it for you.

Also, I mention but one of many apps and the like that can do the job. I mentioned other apps because, though they are not contextual in nature, they may have more features. For instance, I see no mention that if you grab an icon, that it will grab all the other resources associated with it, such as sizes and variates in bit depth and open and closed states.

Again, this is all personal opinion but I can't justify paying for an application I will use relatively rarely when I can get free apps that do it with only a miniscule amount of extra effort.

So, I stand by my review. The features and stability are good (for obvious reasons) usability is alright, though maybe it does warrant a 4th star. Price, however, is still a 1 since I can do this with a variety of other programs. Sorry, but that's just one designers opinion.  
(Version 1.1.9)

JPPAGLIARO  I'm sure the alternative tools you are referring to are well suited to similar tasks. But even if those alternatives require as little as twice the amount of time or effort it's worth considering a more convenient option like Icon2Image.

For example, you mention that you need to trim off the icon name using one of your tools. This is not necessary with Icon2Image. And what if you wanted to process mulitple icons at once? With Icon2Image you can select multiple items in the Finder and process them all together, i.e. batch process them.

With your free tools, can you rely on technical support and continual updates? Often times you can't (and you did seem surprised I came back with a response so soon, indicative of my constant attention to what I am doing.)

I consider Icon2Image one of my best programs, and if you browse my website, http://www.limit-point.com, you'll see I've written quite a few programs. So there's no doubt I will continue to provide updates to it. I use it all the time.

But, if you review the history of comments here on MacUpdate you'll notice, and it's quite funny, that almost every update I post ellicits a comment or review like yours, i.e. sort of acknowledging or hinting the product is good, but you want it for free, and the pricing is the most outrageous thing you've seen. So you'll write a comment pointing out supposed alternatives, which usually turn out to be a vatsly different entities than what is described, or unsupported tools that haven't been updated for 5 years or so. It's crazy.

Please note, however, I always offer updates for free, for all my software.  
(Version 1.1.9)

LEE123  I totally agree, everyones thinks software should be free or the developers should work for peanuts. Where does this come from?  
(Version 1.2.5)

DOUG S.  They shouldn't. However, if they expect to be paid they should offer something that either isn't on offer anywhere else, or if it is that they do it in a much better way and therefore justifies the money.

This coming from someone who develops and designs. I don't expect to be paid the same thing for processing an image as I do for making a Flash slideshow.  
(Version 1.2.5)

KOBALT  I've just found this app and haven't had time to check it out - so no comment from me regarding functionality at this point.

My comment concerns the dev mentioning 'the review which preceeds yours' by way of showing that there are people who really dig this app and happily pay for it. BUT the writer of 'the review which preceeds yours' has paid $5 for the app and not the now charged $25. Whereas $5 seems reasonable, $25 appears less so.  
(Version 1.2.6)

JPPAGLIARO  All registered users feel the way you do, judging by the email I receive. So thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on MacUpdate!  
(Version 1.1.8)

JPPAGLIARO  The demo is free, it's unrestricted and time limited to ten days.

If you like the features of the program you can register it for $5.  
(Version 1.1)

YNOT  Program works great for me. Great time saver.  
(Version 1.1.3)

JOE PAGLIARO  Icon2Image is a contexual menu in the Finder, not a standalone application.

This simplifies workflow since it's conveniently available and conversions between icons and images is performed usually in just one step or two. Then it's out of your way.

I've been checking out the alternative (yes, free) products, and most of them don't seem to be contextual menus. I think these tasks are perfect for a contextual menu - and that's why I work on it.

Did you try it before you wrote your anonymous comment?   
(Version 1.0.9)

MACONNECT  how about copy / "new from pasteboard" in Preview.app ?  
(Version 1.0.10)

ANONYMOUS  Agree.

Good program.

Mac DVD Ripper|Mac Video Converter  
(Version 1.3.2)

JOE PAGLIARO  You don't back up your comment with any specific information so it is not too useful. Can you please provide more information on how the features of Icon2Image can be reproduced by Graphic Converter? Thanks!

Even if the feature set is identical, Icon2Image is different because it provides all its functionality conveniently from a lightweight contextual menu in the Finder, and not as an application.  
(Version 1.0.9)

JOE PAGLIARO  Iconverter provides many similar features, yet Icon2Image is not an application but rather a contextual menu which makes it much more convenient and readily accessible o some people.You access its functions from a menu in the Finder, and then it goes away.  
(Version 1.0.9)

FRANCKY  Hello,

There is also Iconverter (http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/9477), but it's non a contextual menu... but it's free, but 5 bucks, it's not that much... Ho I don't know ! too much choices lol :P  
(Version 1.0.6)

JASON  $5 to have it done nicely and without effort of installation? I'd say it is worth it.  
(Version 1.0.7)