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delano — The GIMP is NOT better than PS
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Published: 2010-02-03 15:04:23 +0000 UTC; Views: 2050; Favourites: 21; Downloads: 15
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Yeah. GIMP is alright. I even used it to make this stamp. As far as free graphic software goes, it's one of the best.But better than Photoshop? Puh-leeze. The interface is ugly and cumbersome and it doesn't have half the features of Adobe's masterpiece. Yet deviantArt is full of folks who think GIMP is superior. Only those who are unfamiliar with the power of Photoshop would think such a thing.
Update: to be more constructive, here's a good list of freeware graphic applications: [link]
There's a few issues, though. The list claims there's 11 entries when there's in fact 12. It also lists GIMP as #1, which is debatable. Finally, the "photoshop alternatives" qualifier is misleading, as none of the programs really even come close to PS' power. Nonetheless it's a good intro to the freeware graphics apps scene and lists apps for many platforms.
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Comments: 45
I'm more of a traditional artist myself but I do acknowledge digital art as a valid medium.
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I'm not saying its not a valid medium- just that, by nature, digital art is made to imitate traditional art
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I agree with you on this, however, the ui of newer versions (2.6) isn't as cumbersome as older versions (at least on linux lol)
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I've been using 2.6 and while I agree that the designers have definitely streamlined the UI a bit, it's still woefully clunky and cumbersome. I find that doing stuff in GIMP takes longer because I spend a lot of time re-arranging and closing windows. Keyboard shortcuts help a bit, but not by much.
This guy gives some good tips about the UI and how to combine and streamline the windows at a user level: [link]
But again, the benefits are minimal and it doesn't address issues that lie at the heart of UI design. GIMP can be streamlined but the interface needs a major overhaul to be more pleasant to use and to be an honest contender to other applications.
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if course, you can always customize the keyboard shortcuts. When I first switched to ubuntu and began using gimp in place of photoshop, I found the same thing. But when I got used to the UI it became a lot faster to do things.
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Google uses Ubuntu internally, yet they do not use GIMP. They've all gotten Photoshop to run via WINE. That should tell you something.
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tells me about what google does, not what I should do
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It tells you that nobody with a lick of sense uses GIMP professionally, not even a company which strongly embraces open-source
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What do you think this is? Wikipedia?
But, okay: [link]
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that just means they want to improve wine, not that they use photoshop more than the gimp
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[link]
To quote:
"We also contracted with Codeweavers to improve Wine so it could run Photoshop CS2 properly. As a result, about 200 patches were committed to winehq, and as of wine-0.9.54, Photoshop CS2 is quite usable."
Dude. Google is *paying* people so they can run Photoshop specifically.
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"We also contracted with Codeweavers to improve Wine so it could run Photoshop CS2 properly."
it != we
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Rule of Internet debates: instead of admitting the other person has a point, define words
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lol, inferring vaguely from quote won't get you anywhere
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I don't quite get where anyone can "infer" anything. The article, published by Google themselves, makes it abundantly clear that they are actually paying people to work on WINE with the *specific* goals of making Picassa and Photoshop CS2 usable. Upstream benefits to WINE are anecdotal to getting Photoshop working, but not the other way around.
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No where in the article do they make it abundantly clear that google mainly uses photoshop, they just want it to work.
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Hahahaha.
Oh come on. WHY do they want it to work, do you think? I dunno, so they can, like, use it maybe?
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lol I dunno, still doesn't prove the gimp can't be better than photoshop
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I think a pretty good case can be made for that when a large corporation with strong ties to open source and an intimate knowledge of Linux would rather spend money on making PS compatible than using GIMP.
If GIMP can, as you suggest, be better than Photoshop, why does Google not use it? It's not that Google are Microsoft fanboys and are ignorant of open-source offerings. If all GIMP needed to be a Photoshop replacement was have some extra plugins and re-arrange the menus, why didn't Google do that internally instead of throwing dollars towards getting PS workable in Linux?
Google uses Linux internally. They contracted Codeweavers to specifically work towards making PS usable in Linux. I dunno how much more logic it takes to see that Google clearly has an interest in using PS on Linux, and that GIMP obviously can not fill that role. If it could, then they would have saved their money.
I'm not saying that GIMP is useless. It has a place and for a free graphics app, it's excellent. But it's a far, far cry from being close, equal to or superior to Photoshop.
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Amount of plugins?
[link]
all free and open in a easy to access place.
also the ui is clunky, to a photoshop user. It's like any software switch, you get used to it and develop an efficient workflow. When I first started with gimp I was very confused, but eventually I got used to it.
Perhaps google wants to get photoshop working because all the graphic designers they're hiring are too used to it?
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So much fuss about a stamp...not healthy...fact is, if one is not creative any software is crappy...these programs are not in the same league,so comparison can not be objective...anyway about the stamp : I use GIMP, and I like it,but I must say this stamp is almost genius.
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Another commenter said something similar, so I won't repeat myself too much.
Again, the point isn't that GIMP is bad. The point is that people are ascribing attributes to it that simply aren't true. If you think GIMP is great and you've done great things with it, then power to you. I'm just sick and tired of it being compared to Photoshop and being pushed because of license rather than merit. Just because something is free and open source does not make it superior, and just because something seems complex to the uninitiated does not mean it has the same features as PS. Folks must start promoting GIMP on its own terms instead of ideological reasons and false comparisons.
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That is as true as can be.And that's why this stamp is great!I say it should inspire people not to hate PS just because they love GIMP...they should not be rivals by default...
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It's a matter of opinion. I'll be able to comment on this more later as I have used photoshop extensively at school and used to have it at home and am at the moment downloading gimp which I will try out later
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Fine. But make sure you judge GIMP fairly and not give it undeserving admiration simply 'cuz it's the underdog.
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The Art Program isn't what matters. It's the Artist that matters and the way they make they're art ; ) I for one, use both PS and GIMP.
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Sure. It isn't a tirade against the GIMP. If you like it and make good use of it, fine. I'm just sick of the know-nothings who insist that it's equal - or even close - to the power of Photoshop. They don't really know Photoshop and push the GIMP because they're sour grapes about Photoshop's price and/or they're caught up in the FOSS cult. It's ignorant at best, dishonest at worst.
GIMP can have its place, but at least be honest about what it can and can't do.
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I do agree with you somewhat. There are things that GIMP can't do that PS can. And yes some people say GIMP is better and what not, when they haven't used PS. That does get a little annoying. I still think GIMP is a good program to start with, like MS paint is normally what alot of people start with right? And moving up to more advanced programs little by little.
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Sure, GIMP can be used as a stepping-stone to more advanced applications. And yes, you can do stuff with it. There's a good online book, Grokking the GIMP, which showcases GIMP tricks: [link]
Another issue I have with the GIMP is that the interface is awful. Even GIMP fans complain about it. A few forks of GIMP address this, such as GimpShop and GimPhoto. I've not used them, so I can't really comment or recommend them, but I think they should be worth looking into. However, given that most GIMP tutorials have the original program in mind, you're gonna struggle to re-learn the menus and object placements. It strikes me as a bit of a waste of time.
Another program, Paint.net, is very good and comes close to having the same abilities as the GIMP. It also has a much better interface, is expandable via plugins and is a smaller download. So why is it not recommended as much as the GIMP? Simple. It's not open source and it runs on the "dreaded" .net platform, which comes back to my argument about people promoting GIMP because of ideology rather than value.
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EXACTLY. Ugh, to think that GIMP is even close to being as good as Photoshop is.. just stupid. GIMP makes a good poor-man's Photoshop, I'll give it that, but there's a reason it's free.
I've been looking for a stamp like this for a while. Kudos!
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Yep, so true. Thanks for pointing that out. GIMP is great... for free software. But it's nothing as good as PS. There's a lot in GIMP that I'm missing.
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Yeah... there's other free art programs which are pretty good too but which are unfairly overshadowed by GIMP. Paint.net is one example that comes to mind. It certainly has a far, far better interface and is a smaller download to boot.
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I only like GIMP better because it isn't as good, less stuff to confuse me. It's good for a noob to coloring programs.
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This guy I loathe that is Macintosh obsessed and stalks me would constantly go on and on about how Gimp is so much better than Photoshop. It made me want to punch him, but I couldn't because I know my fist will get sucked into his enormous man boobs and pull me in.
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Heh, what a n00b. Mac is *the* graphics platform, and your Mac friend has GIMP as his software of choice? Hahaha!
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Don't think GIMP is better, but would never buy PS in near future cause it doesn't suite to my needs. For me, atm, GIMP is indeed the better choice!
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