Are any icon editor & manager decent priced?

[Curt]

For some time I've been looking for an icon editor & manager. I've found many, but none that was both cheap and good. Of course I've found some very fine apps, but they were too expensive for me; $30 for an editor, and $40 - 60 for the combination, editor and manager.

But of course there must be at least one that I don't know of... ?
Do you know of any fine icon editor & manager, reasonable priced (or free)? 

I am driving Win2K

[Darwin]

I know next to nothing about icon managers and editors However, Bits du Jour is featuring aHa soft's ArtIcon and ArtIcon Pro on Tuesday the 23rd... aHa's products were reviewed favourably in the recent donationcoder review, but note the caveat about customer service response at the end of the review! If Bits du Jour lives up to its usual deals, you can expect 35%-90% off the price for the app (ArtIcon is $29.95 and the Pro version is $39.95). I have no idea if either tool will satisfy you need for a manager as well...

EDIT: just found this comparison table (courtesy of the review!) and note that icon management IS part of both ArtIcons and ArtIcons Pro, so there...

[Darwin]

Also found LiquidIcon XP courtesy of Bear Bottoms Freeware...

EDIT: this is in the review too 

[mrainey]

Another one.  There's a pro version for $39.95 and a free lite version.  Claims to be an editor and manager.

http://www.awicons.com/index.html

[lanux128]

HamRadio did a nice & well-covered Icon Tool Shootout review, you might want to check that out..

[mouser]

Considering that HamRadio's review is the most comprehensive and useful review of icon editors ever to come into existence in this universe, I think lanux's advice is probably worth listening to 

It's too bad you missed the November discounts we had on all of the tools.. I don't suppose any of those discounts are still alive past their planned expiration date?

[lanux128]

maybe we should expand 'Reviews and Features", to include "Best of..." text or button so that ppl can pick-up easily..

[CodeTRUCKER]

I've contacted two different companies ( not the icon ones) about expired s/w explaining that I was associated with DC and how I wanted to use the product and why I chose them over the competition. ... Try the links on DC first and see if they still work.  If not, just write and ask if they will still honor the offer.  Can't hurt

[mouser]

I've contacted two different companies ( not the icon ones) about expired s/w explaining that I was associated with DC and how I wanted to use the product and why I chose them over the competition. ... Try the links on DC first and see if they still work.  If not, just write and ask if they will still honor the offer.  Can't hurt

This is really great advice and i can't emphasize enough how important it is.  Farmsteader's advice is spot on.  Tell them about the discount you missed out on, tell them you aren't swimming in money (definitely mention if you are a student), tell them you prefer their product after investigating the competition, and ask them if they would be willing to extend the discount to you.

Many people don't realize that companies are very very frequently willing to do this - it's almost rare for them not to.  It also will give you some insight into the nature of the company.  If you don't get a response from your inquiry, or you get a response from someone who says flat out we don't do that - then you have some additional info to the way the company works.  You might even get a friendly personal response from the author of a small program which increases your respect and appreciation for the company+author.

[Curt]

Right now it is early morning in Denmark, and, boy, did you guys give me answer, while I was asleep!  I'll follow your advices, and report back. Thanks a lot!

[lanux128]

well, this is the website that never sleeps. keep those questions coming..

[Curt]

Bits du Jour is featuring aHa soft's ArtIcon and ArtIcon Pro on Tuesday the 23rd... aHa's products were reviewed favourably in the recent donationcoder review, but note the caveat about customer service response at the end of the review! If Bits du Jour lives up to its usual deals, you can expect 35%-90% off the price for the app (ArtIcon is $29.95 and the Pro version is $39.95).

Thank you for this help, Darwin.
I've tried ArtIcon Pro for a couple of days and have desiced to buy it today at Bits du Jour at $24.

However, I'll have to say that I am most certainly not impressed with the offer. The normal price for the Pro version is said to be $40 - but I installed the program last Friday, tested it, and pressed "Feedback"... and was asked why I was removing the program (I was not, I was trying to give feedback), and without any more questions asked I was offered to have it at $30 - and so $24 is not much of an offer, is it. 

However, the program is fine, so I am buying it anyway. 
- but if the price was $40 I would choose another program...

I have had no problems with support questions. I asked a question Friday night and received their answer by Tuesday morning.

[Darwin]

Ha ha... this is a technique that I have been learning to try when trialling/buying software - uninstall before buying and/or cancelling an order before it's complete. Often I'll be offered a (sometimes big) discount or a freebie to complete the purchase or to keep using (and buying) the application.

Anyway, I'm glad that it worked out!

[Curt]

I should tell that I hardly use the $40 ArtIcon Pro (that I had at $24) anymore.
The new kid in town is the FREE (Romanian) IcoFX 
- which I think is easier to use and just as good.

Actually the design of the User's Interface makes me wonder if maybe both programs were written by the same guy, with IcoFX being a new and better version!

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Edit: replaced "I don't use" with " I hardly use"
- because IcoFX is an editor, not a manager. ArtIcon Pro is both.

[Jimdoria]

I was going to post about IcoFX but Curt beat me to it!

I use this in combination with IconsExtract (www.nirsoft.net) which can pull the icons out of any exe, dll, cpl, running process, etc.

For icon management, I just use the file system. They all show up in the Explorer window!

[Curt]

I too have the IconsExtract from Nir Sofer, but have noticed that some icons are being a little distorted in the extracting process. Was this just my copy?