PICON to PS Converter

Raster-to-vector: convert PICON to PS format online

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Batch Processing

Upload multiple PICON files at once and convert them all to PS in a single session — ideal when you have many legacy images to migrate.

Cloud Conversion

All PICON to PS processing runs on Convertio servers — your device stays fast and free while the conversion happens in the cloud.

Cross-Platform Access

Whether you are on a desktop, tablet, or phone — convert PICON to PS from any device with a modern web browser.

How to convert PICON to PS

1

Select files from Computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, URL or by dragging it on the page.

2

Choose ps or any other format you need as a result (more than 200 formats supported)

3

Let the file convert and you can download your ps file right afterwards

About formats

PICON (Personal Icon) is a small-format image type used in the X Window System ecosystem, developed by Steve Kinzler at Indiana University around 1990 as part of the picons (personal icons) database project. Picons are small, typically 48x48 pixel, color images used as visual identifiers for people, organizations, domains, and Usenet newsgroups in Unix mail readers, news readers, and other communication tools. The picon format is essentially an XPM (X PixMap) image stored with specific naming conventions and directory structures that allow software to look up the appropriate icon based on email address, domain name, or newsgroup name. The picons database organized thousands of these small images in a hierarchical directory structure keyed by domain name components (e.g., faces/com/example/user.xpm), enabling mail clients like exmstrstrstr and faces to automatically display a sender's photo or organizational logo alongside their messages. The system predated the modern concept of contact photos and avatars by more than a decade. One advantage is the system's pioneering role in visual identity for electronic communication: picons introduced the idea that email and Usenet messages should display a visual representation of the sender — a concept that eventually became standard in every modern email client, messaging app, and social media platform. The XPM-based format ensures that picons are displayable on any system with X Window libraries. Picon images are supported by ImageMagick, GIMP, and X Window display utilities, and the historical picons database remains archived online at Indiana University.
Developer: Steve Kinzler
Initial release: 1990
PS is the standard extension for files written in PostScript, the page description language created by Adobe Systems and first shipped in 1984 with the Apple LaserWriter. A PostScript file is a complete program that describes the precise appearance of a page — text, vector graphics, curves, fills, and even embedded raster images — using a stack-based interpreted language with full programming constructs. When sent to a PostScript-compatible printer or interpreter (such as Ghostscript), the program executes and produces rendered output. PostScript introduced cubic Bezier curves as the standard representation for smooth outlines, a mathematical model that became the foundation for virtually all subsequent vector graphics and font technology including PDF, SVG, and OpenType. The language also serves as a font format: Type 1 PostScript fonts encode glyph outlines as PostScript programs with hinting instructions for sharp rendering at low resolutions, while Type 3 fonts use the full language to define arbitrarily complex glyphs. One advantage is device independence — a PostScript file produces identical output whether rendered on a 300 dpi desktop printer, a high-resolution imagesetter, or a software rasterizer, because it describes shapes mathematically rather than as pixel grids. The human-readable text format provides another practical strength: PS files can be inspected, debugged, and modified with any text editor, and they can be generated programmatically by any software without requiring specialized libraries. PostScript files are widely handled by Ghostscript, Adobe Acrobat, preview applications, and numerous publishing and graphics tools.
Developer: Adobe Systems
Initial release: 1984

Frequently Asked Questions

Why convert PICON to PS?

PICON is a legacy raster format from Unix file managers. Converting to PS gives you page description language for printing — ideal for scalable graphics that stay sharp at any size.

Which software can view PS files?

PS files can be opened with Ghostscript, Adobe Acrobat, Evince, macOS Preview. Most of these are available across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Is my PICON file safe when converting online?

Convertio takes privacy seriously — your PICON uploads are deleted after conversion and the PS results are cleared within 24 hours.

What platforms support this PICON converter?

The converter works on any platform with a web browser — Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS all supported for PICON to PS conversion.

Is PICON to PS conversion free?

Standard conversions are available for free on Convertio. Larger volumes or higher usage may benefit from a premium plan for additional capacity.