Can I use icloud to transfer all of my photos to my computer?

I recently started using icloud with an iphone I've had for several years. I was hoping to use the photo stream to transfer my almost 950 photos from my phone to my computer so I don't have to spend hours emailing them to myself. However, only about twenty of them show up when I open the photo stream folder on my computer. Why is this and what can I do to fix it? Am I going to end up having to email all of those photos to myself after all?

Added (1). Also, if this doesn't work, is there another way to get those photos onto my computer without having to spend an entire day working on it?

Photostream is meant for photo sharing not permanent storage and transfer. In fact after 30 days the photos in photostream will automatically delete. But they will still show up in you phone since they were taken on the phone.

You would have to physically connect the phone to the computer to do that.http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4083