Beginner Anyone use GIMP?

boffin

boffin

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Denis
Edit My Images
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I have been looking around for a while trying to decide which editing software would best meet my needs as well as my budget. I came across GIMP a couple weeks ago and started messing around with it, however it doesn't seem like it has a very user friendly interface. Does anyone have more experience with GIMP who could attest to whether or not its worth the trouble? Or anyone who may have some tips as to make it easier to use? Thanks!
 
Yep, I use it alongside Darktable.

Very powerful, similar learning curve to Photoshop - much easier than most specialist packages.

There's a few GIMP books and a free Gimp magazine. Youtube is full of how to videos.

Just wish that they'd hurry up with the new 16bit optimised version.
 
Yes, I Ike gimp too. Generally I find people will mention something in photoshop and I just do a quick Google for that and gimp. If you're windows I like a bit if rawtherapee too to process the raw files.
 
I've fiddled with Gimp but never got to grips with it. I use Paint.Net [a freeby] for my editing needs, but discovered a wonderful Gimp tool ... Perspective Shift + P

So I can copy my image in PDN, paste it into Gimp, hit Shift + P, stretch the image, copy it, paste it onto a blank canvas in PDN, continue editing.

HERE is an example of how I got something slightly wonky to fit the frame better when rotation is not enough.
 
Gimp is excellent. A lot of features on Photoshop were borrowed from Gimp. For RAW processing, I use UFRaw which I find much simpler to use than Rawtherapee.
 
GIMP is powerful, but it's not very intuitive. The learning curve is similar to Photoshop, as a previous poster said.

You can download Photoshop CS2 and a key from Adobe without payment. It's not freeware, despite what some websites suggest, but Adobe made it available when they shut down the servers that managed the registration process and existing users pointed out that they would have no way of reinstalling the software if necessary. There's been discussion about this in the past and, as far as I can remember, the consensus was that Adobe realised that lots of people would take advantage of it to grab a 'free' copy but don't really care because it's unlikely to impact their current sales.
 
GIMP is good if you need to perform major editing on an image. For simple stuff I'd recommend Irfanview, and for more sophisticated image development DigiKam. Darktable and Rawtherapee work acceptably as FOC LR replacements, but are less user-friendly and slick.
 
I use Digikam for cataloguing and batch resizing but I don't find the editing suit easy to use at all.
 
Anyone tell me the difference between: PS 7.0 and PS CS2 (as mentioned above), and the relevance of a licence and a key.

I notice the above Softlay link states "Softlay do not Provide any crack, patches, serial numbers or keygen for Adobe Photoshop 7.0 Free Download Full Version". o_O



 
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Well, they are fairly old versions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop_version_history) and may well not run on newer OS. There may be a serial included in the download link going by some of the comments. You need a license key to use them, but the servers that check if it is still a valid key are offline, so they let you use old ones. People therefore assume because you can get away with it, they are "free" to use them, but I don't think I have ever heard officially from Adobe that they are actually free.
 
d00d said:
Anyone tell me the difference between: PS 7.0 and PS CS2 (as mentioned above), and the relevance of a licence and a key.

I notice the above Softlay link states "Softlay do not Provide any crack, patches, serial numbers or keygen for Adobe Photoshop 7.0 Free Download Full Version". o_O
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When I downloaded it I received the serial no and it worked - but I haven't really tried it much.

But for free worth downloading and trying - I also checked it for viruses and Avast said it was safe.
.
 
J Veitch said:
Well, they are fairly old versions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Photoshop_version_history) and may well not run on newer OS. There may be a serial included in the download link going by some of the comments. You need a license key to use them, but the servers that check if it is still a valid key are offline, so they let you use old ones. People therefore assume because you can get away with it, they are "free" to use them, but I don't think I have ever heard officially from Adobe that they are actually free.
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Well I use win 7 and XP and it works on them - don't know about newer versions since these OS do everything I want.
 
I always find it weird that on any given day, there will be 2 or 3 threads about photographers having their Intellectual Property infringed, but they seem to see no problem in doing this to software authors.

GIMP is available for free under a GNU licence. Photoshop (any version) requires a licence key to be used legally. Some servers no longer respond to checks, but that doesn't mean that the licence conditions allow their use without the key.
 
st599 said:
I always find it weird that on any given day, there will be 2 or 3 threads about photographers having their Intellectual Property infringed, but they seem to see no problem in doing this to software authors.

GIMP is available for free under a GNU licence. Photoshop (any version) requires a licence key to be used legally. Some servers no longer respond to checks, but that doesn't mean that the licence conditions allow their use without the key.
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There's no argument about pirating software, and I think TP rules prohibit posting links to key generators and other cracks, but the jury's still out on the CS2 download. Adobe shut down their registration/validation servers a few years ago (IIRC, they said it was becoming too expensive to maintain them for very limited usage), but existing users complained that they wouldn't be able to reinstall the software if necessary. They put the downloads and the keys on their website to support customers with licensed copies, and never said or implied that it was freeware, but it was all over the interwebs that CS2 was now free.

There's no doubt that Adobe were aware of this, and they must have known that people would take advantage of it, but they have never attempted to put a stop to it or enforce their rights. This stops short of stating that anyone is free to use it, but I suppose you could argue that it constitutes unspoken consent.

I recall a few debates about this on the forums. From a practical point of view, it probably comes down to the individual. If you want a 'free' copy of CS2 go ahead and download it, if you think it's unethical/wrong, don't do it.
 
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With regards to CS2 as far as I can remember it was given away free by Adobe about 2-3 years ago.

I downloaded it and still have it somewhere but don't think this is the same because as far as I remember the CS2 download was in 2-3 parts.

At least I think it was CS2 but I could be wrong.
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boffin said:
Does anyone have more experience with GIMP who could attest to whether or not its worth the trouble? Or anyone who may have some tips as to make it easier to use? Thanks!
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Yes. As others have said, it does a lot so theres lots to learn. If there are any specific things you want to do, just ask.
 
boffin said:
I have been looking around for a while trying to decide which editing software would best meet my needs as well as my budget. I came across GIMP a couple weeks ago and started messing around with it, however it doesn't seem like it has a very user friendly interface. Does anyone have more experience with GIMP who could attest to whether or not its worth the trouble? Or anyone who may have some tips as to make it easier to use? Thanks!
Click to expand...
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Gimp+tutorials
I also use CS6 so GIMP I only use for one thing Median option, allows you to remove people or moving subjects from your images and Adobe in there wisdom only offered that option in the extended version of CS6 in GIMP it's free!!
Russ
 
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