I honestly think it's unfair to judge someone for not putting significant time into learning another complex program. I've used Photoshop since it first existed, and it's basically a lifetime of knowledge. A combination of things has brought me to exploring other open source solutions, but GIMP is definitely unintuitive in comparison. I'm only putting the time in because there's literally no alternative that's as powerful and ubiquitous an image editing solution, but I'd also be the first to jump on alternatives that would make the transition easier. It's especially not fair to cast that judgement on professionals who don't really have the time to invest in learning a new tool from scratch.
My problem with gimp is that I've never really used Photoshop (I may have back in it's very early versions, but I don't think so). I mostly just use something like Ms paint to take and crop screenshots or photos. Jumping into gimp (and presumably PS as well) is going to confuse people trying to do that.
I still don't know how to use gimp just because I never need all that functionality and don't have time to learn. Maybe someday.
Back in a day we played with it with my cousins when they were kids (and I was teenager). There was some big insect like hornet or at least wasp with that scary noise. The younger one was afraid of it to the point he would run away, screaming and crying (no exaggeration here). And the older one loved to scary the shit out of his younger bro to the point he still mentions it with a smile sometimes even though they’re now 20+
The issue here is if you are on a forum about a specific piece of software and are an active user, then anyone asking for alternatives seem like they are personally attacking you and your choices. At least to those people that replied above.
I kind of agree. I'm not a pro but I've been using gimp to do little bits of editing (mostly to make slack emojis and memes) for a few years, and I constantly encounter little things that seem like they should be simple and intuitive, but are not.
I haven't used Photoshop in over a decade, but I feel like I rarely felt the same frustration regarding basic tasks.
Wow! I have been looking for gimp alternatives or specific ways of doing things on gimp, compared to photoshop and most answers have been very honest and helpful!
Even gimp development team are open for suggestions but won't consider them before releasing version 3 that should release 'very soon'
I mean, what exactly does gimp or photoshop do (besides the RAW editing tools--but if you're using those you're already a professional) that Krita doesn't?
Right now I'm in a bit of a bind because part of my workflow relies on exporting particular layers and layer groups as separate images. GIMP has a plugin for it, but it uses Python 2, no longer developed, and likely won't work in GIMP 3. If Krita can do this, I'm switching immediately.
I tried using Krita instead of gimp but found it hard to do color management: adjust levels, exposure, color curves and such. At the time I simply couldn't find any dialogs to do many of those tasks.
maybe they want to gauge different opinions and reasoning.
If those people cared to google first, they'd stumble onto existing answers to the same question. Such questions get asked over and over again. Those people would know that if they cared to google first.
if u dont want to answer, ignore the post.
Same applies to answers you don't like: Ignore them, don't whine how toxic people are.
often, yes, the same questions are made; but just as often the questions are set in different contexts or asked in different communities. regardless, technology and the opinions around it change, so some new discussions should be started regularly, if just to prevent information from stagnating.
the difference between asking a genuine question and those crude responses (and similarly, your comment), is that the question has a purpose: it sparks constructive conversation by inviting people to share their opinion, and the (helpful) responses ultimately benefit the asker. whereas the responses only exist to spite those looking for genuine answers; to waste their time and put them down. to reply like that benefits you only with a sense of superiority, at the cost of depreciating and sidetracking the discussion.
before you compare this chain to a toxic comment, realize that neither of us are reiterating dogma or making attacks at the other's willingness to learn.
i'm not saying what is being said here has never been said before, just that your average reader may very well take away new perspective from both arguments.
and isnt that what discussion is all about ?
People make regularly updated lists of possible alternatives to various applications. Finding them is a matter of firing up the search engine of choice and just entering the search terms.
Also: That question literally gave no context at all. Something along the lines of "My circumstances are XY and Gimp is not suitable because of YZ" is missing completely. I got a proper answer by asking Microsoft Copilot "What are alternatives to GIMP? I'm looking for an option that I can use with Debian 12. An open source application is preferred but not mandatory." and got a proper list of open source and web-based solutions that includes Krita, Photopea, Pixlr, and Pinta.
My mom is approaching 80 years old and can do better web searches than the person from the screenshot.
Gimp isn't perfect. But neither is Photoshop. In fact Lightroom users grizzle that Photoshop is so much harder to use than Lightroom. It's a different animal.
I use Pinta or Paint.Net when I want a quick edit. But Gimp has the tools for serious editing. More tools, more hard to use.
Some Gimp things, yes! should be improved. And other things are being improved as we speak. And some things can be done on a photo much easier in Inkscape.
I hope the whiners donated to Gimp development? No? Then just please step back, and think for a bit. If thinking is too hard, then just take a deep breath.
Donating to GIMP will not likely make it user-friendly enough to make me use it unless absolutely forced to. I would much rather donate to Pinta or Paint.NET or something where development would actually benefit me.
Yes. Pinta and Paint.net are often the best solution for lots of tasks. They will need help too.
GIMP has come from nothing just on donations. As I can get results as good as PS very quickly, that is quite a feat. And soon v3 will be out with more goodies.
Coming from Paint.NET, I first tried Photoshop and I felt its controls to be non-intuitive, so I reverted to Paint.NET.
Later, I started using GIMP and coming from someone with no experience in either of them, GIMP and Photoshop are equally non-intuitive, so whenever someone complaining about GIMP, feels like they are coming from Photoshop, I just discount their rating.
Inkscape is a vector graphics editor, which is different from GIMP.
Some were complaining GIMPs text and shapes were hard to use. I put text on images in Inkscape. Inkscape is ideal for that, having all the tools to use on top of a pasted image.
Right.
I feel like the text part is something GIMP should actually make an overlapping feature. That and basic shapes, which would make it much more useful for basic stuff.
But then, I'm neither a GIMP dev nor a heavy user and I have no idea of their target audience.
If you are making memes, Inkscape is what you are using most of the times. Though the lack of 2 click and 1 drag cropping, makes me feel a bit frustrated (still, you can crop).
