Jeffrey Silverman wrote: >> Okay, so, you obviously didn't read the footnotes or see the subtext, >> but that's okay.
Actually I read them but then forgot to comment on them. You said your exaggerated words were mostly valid for the novice Linux user. I'd have said for the novice computer user since you can be a very experienced computer user with very sophisticated software and still be a novice Linux user. Perhaps I'm quibbling. >> GIMP vs Photoshop is a great example and point of entry for a >> discussion about commercial software vs Open Source. Personally, >> after years of using GIMP (and not using PS since like PS 5.5 or >> so) I find GIMP *MUCH* easier to use than PS. (Well, maybe just >> "much" and not "*MUCH*" but that goes along with subtext 1) >> >> The problem comparing the two is that both are very large, complex >> pieces of software with big learning curves, that, unfortunately, >> produce roughly the same end results. I say "unfortunately" >> because the end results are what gets them compared to each other, >> quite often, although the two are very, very different in terms of >> how-to-use. It takes a LOT of retraining for an expert PS user to >> forget his PS reflexes and learn to use the GIMP. >> >> I really don't think GIMP is "playing catch up" at all[1] -- I >> think that PS users don't know how to use the GIMP properly. Yes, >> I'm accusing you, so there. >> >> What drives me crazy is the attempt to compare GIMP and PS as 1 >> to 1 comparables. Apples and oranges. Ever hear of them? As to this, perhaps you're right. On the other hand, I use GIMP quite a bit when I'm away from my home computer -- and here's one place where the GIMP is really, REALLY great -- I can just install it anywhere and use it -- can't do that with Photoshop. It's possible that I just don't know what I'm doing in GIMP but after 12 years on Photoshop, habits are hard to break. As for not being able to compare them 1 to 1, if you cannot they how can you say that one can completely replace the other. Don't get the idea from this that I don't like either Linux, GIMP, or Open Source. I'm a big fan and supporter of all of the above. I've been using Linux since Red Hat 4.1 and GIMP for nearly as long. My primary machine dual boots (actually triple boots) between WinXP and Linux. That's the only machine in my house (out of 8) that ever runs anything other than some version of Linux. In any case, this is off topic for the Scribus list and my apologies to the rest of you out there. -- Henry
