Any Good (Possibly Free) Alternatives To Photoshop Elements ? Thoughts On Gimp ?

Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?

Much thanks,
Bob

Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?

Gimp is very powerful (probably more powerful than Elements, in
fact). It's extremely complex to use, in my opinion, and the learning
curve is near-vertical. It feels more like a loose collection of tools
and libraries held together by a scripting language than a coherent
application.

You can get astonishing results from it, but it is a frustrating and
fiddly program to use. If you value your time at all highly, I'd
recommend the (modest) cost of Elements. There's also a lot of good
Elements books out there to help you achieve what you want....

pete
--
"Send lawyers, guns and money...."

Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?

Gimp is very powerful (probably more powerful than Elements, in
fact). It's extremely complex to use, in my opinion, and the learning
curve is near-vertical. It feels more like a loose collection of tools
and libraries held together by a scripting language than a coherent
application.

You can get astonishing results from it, but it is a frustrating and
fiddly program to use. If you value your time at all highly, I'd
recommend the (modest) cost of Elements. There's also a lot of good
Elements books out there to help you achieve what you want....

pete
--
"Send lawyers, guns and money...."

On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 18:04:46 +0000, Pete Fenelon wrote:
Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?

Gimp is very powerful (probably more powerful than Elements, in
fact). It's extremely complex to use, in my opinion, and the learning
curve is near-vertical. It feels more like a loose collection of tools
and libraries held together by a scripting language than a coherent
application.

You can get astonishing results from it, but it is a frustrating and
fiddly program to use. If you value your time at all highly, I'd
recommend the (modest) cost of Elements. There's also a lot of good
Elements books out there to help you achieve what you want....

I agree with the gimp comments. I'm using it (well, wrestling with
it) on my linux box here.

Over on my First Wife's winders box, she uses Picture Window. I have,
on occasion, used it on her machine (after which I wash my hands
thoroughhly). and it seems Very Intuitive.
Visit:
http://www.dl-c.com/pwintro.html

It is, IINM, less expensive that P$-E.

Jonesy
--
| Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux
| Gunnison, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | OS/2 __
| 7,703' -- 2,345m | config.com | DM68mn SK

On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 18:04:46 +0000, Pete Fenelon wrote:
Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?

Gimp is very powerful (probably more powerful than Elements, in
fact). It's extremely complex to use, in my opinion, and the learning
curve is near-vertical. It feels more like a loose collection of tools
and libraries held together by a scripting language than a coherent
application.

You can get astonishing results from it, but it is a frustrating and
fiddly program to use. If you value your time at all highly, I'd
recommend the (modest) cost of Elements. There's also a lot of good
Elements books out there to help you achieve what you want....

I agree with the gimp comments. I'm using it (well, wrestling with
it) on my linux box here.

Over on my First Wife's winders box, she uses Picture Window. I have,
on occasion, used it on her machine (after which I wash my hands
thoroughhly). and it seems Very Intuitive.
Visit:
http://www.dl-c.com/pwintro.html

It is, IINM, less expensive that P$-E.

Jonesy
--
| Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux
| Gunnison, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | OS/2 __
| 7,703' -- 2,345m | config.com | DM68mn SK

Look at PhotoFiltre.......an excellent, easy to learn and free program.
Download the english version and the plugins,
DonB

IMHO: "The GIMP' as essentially a 'rolling Beta.' If you are comfortable
working with that type of program, and have a lot of time and energy to
traverse the steep learning curve, it is actually capable of doing some
very good work.

I have to agree totally with Pete Fenelon's comment that "... It's
extremely complex to use, in my opinion, and the learning curve is
near-vertical. It feels more like a loose collection of tools and libraries
held together by a scripting language than a coherent application. ..."
Additionally, there is NO capability to work with 16-bit files, and many
other things that users of the full version of PhotoShop or Picture Window
Pro have available. Another limitation is that 'The GIMP' cannot use
PhotoShop plugins.

Additionally, most of the comments / postings I've seen in

comp.graphics.apps.gimp

have been MUCH more orientated toward 'programmers' rather than graphics
users. A typical posting would be something like "... how do I compile the
program for Mandrake (a flavor of Linux) version 47.3.9.a Release 2.3 ...
I'm having the following problem(s). Followed by 15 kB of error log
printouts. Or "I just re-wrote the 'Unsharp Mask' plugin ...

Don't ask a question over there unless you are prepared to re-write parts
of the program and re-compile it yourself. I've also gotten the feeling
that the committed users of "The GIMP" are using it more because

(1) It's NOT PhotoShop, and they're rebelling against the 'evil
empire' (Adobe), or

(2) They are actually (closet) programmers, and are simply astounded
that the program actually works as well as it does, or

(3) They are Linux users, and have no other option(s), or

(4) They are just so proud of what the "Open Source" "community" has
produced. (I am definitely *not* heaping ridicule here, they've done a fine
job, considering that there is no 'central project management.')

Regarding Allodoxaphobia's comment about Picture Window:
Picture Window, especially the 'Pro' version, is an outstanding program. It
was designed by a photographer for editing photographic images, and does
several things quite differently than PhotoShop. For some tasks (such as
color correction and 16-bit files, to name just two of many) it is
definitely superior to PhotoShop, or PhotoShop Elements. Now ... if it just
had 'Layers' and could use PhotoShop plugins ...

See
www.dl-c/Temp

Norman Koran has several high quality tutorials for Picture Window ... see
http://normankoren.com/#Tutorials

I have all three resident on this computer, and find that I routinely use
PhotoShop and Picture Window Pro. The GIMP gets started occasionally, but I
haven't really done any major work in it. Still, 'The GIMP' must be put
into the category of "shows a lot of potential" ...




"Allodoxaphobia" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 18:04:46 +0000, Pete Fenelon wrote:
Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?

Gimp is very powerful (probably more powerful than Elements, in
fact). It's extremely complex to use, in my opinion, and the learning
curve is near-vertical. It feels more like a loose collection of tools
and libraries held together by a scripting language than a coherent
application.

You can get astonishing results from it, but it is a frustrating and
fiddly program to use. If you value your time at all highly, I'd
recommend the (modest) cost of Elements. There's also a lot of good
Elements books out there to help you achieve what you want....

I agree with the gimp comments. I'm using it (well, wrestling with
it) on my linux box here.

Over on my First Wife's winders box, she uses Picture Window. I have,
on occasion, used it on her machine (after which I wash my hands
thoroughhly). and it seems Very Intuitive.
Visit:
http://www.dl-c.com/pwintro.html

It is, IINM, less expensive that P$-E.

Jonesy
--
| Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux
| Gunnison, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | OS/2 __
| 7,703' -- 2,345m | config.com | DM68mn SK

Robert11 wrote:
Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?

Much thanks,
Bob


I have looked at GIMP. It has the capabilities, but the interface
really turned me off. If you have financial constraints that prohibit
buying PSE3 (you can get it for under $50), then it might be worth
learning GIMP. Just be prepared for a steep learning curve, and lots of
work.


--
Ron Hunter

Pete Fenelon wrote:
Robert11 wrote:

Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?


Gimp is very powerful (probably more powerful than Elements, in
fact). It's extremely complex to use, in my opinion, and the learning
curve is near-vertical. It feels more like a loose collection of tools
and libraries held together by a scripting language than a coherent
application.

You can get astonishing results from it, but it is a frustrating and
fiddly program to use. If you value your time at all highly, I'd
recommend the (modest) cost of Elements. There's also a lot of good
Elements books out there to help you achieve what you want....

pete

And helpful people (albeit mostly Mac users) in the Adobe Forums at
www.adobe.com.


--
Ron Hunter

Robert11 wrote:

Hello:

New at this.

Might anyopne please recommed any (hopefully free or inexpensive)
alternatives
to Photoshop Elements ?

Heard about Gimp.
Is this a "good" photo-editing program ?
Opinions on ?

GIMP is good software. The main problem is that it takes a lot of
getting used to. The other problems are minimal color management support
and only 8-bits-per-channel graphic space.

But if you just want to replace Elements, it's spiff. The quick mask has
saved my bacon a few times.

There's also ImageMagick, which works from the command line. Very
powerful and worth checking out if you're comfortable with typing for
graphics. :-)