CNET Editors' review
The volunteer developers of The GIMP have been working hard to develop a polished, user-friendly, and freely distributed image editor. Although the separated palette windows may disturb those users who are used to more traditional layouts, your comfort level should grow exponentially as you discover how pain-free the program is.
One of the most powerful general-purpose image editors around, the upgrades make the GNU Image Manipulation Program eminently comparable to Photoshop. Older features include channels, layers and masks, filters and effects, tabbed palettes, editable text tools, perspective clone, improved printing, and color operations such as levels. New improvements include GEGL integration for 32-bit color support, dynamic brushes, and more options for the free select tool. It even has regex-based pattern matching for power users.
The application provides professional tools that can stand against the big boys without the hefty price tag. Even the installation process has gotten simpler, with no need to download and install the GTX Runtime Environment separately. Extremely powerful and easy to work with, GIMP is ideal for both amateur and pro photographers, Web designers, or anyone who wants to create and edit professional-quality digital images on a budget.
Publisher's Description
From Gimp:
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a freely distributed piece of software suitable for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition, and image authoring. It is a powerful piece of software with capabilities not found in any other free software product. It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert-quality photo-retouching program, an online batch-processing system, a mass production image renderer, or an image-format converter. GIMP is modular, expandable, and extensible. It is designed to be augmented with plug-ins and extensions to do just about anything. The advanced scripting interface allows everything from the simplest task to the most complex image-manipulation procedures to be easily scripted.
Version 2.6.7 is a bug-fixing release.
What's new in this version: Version 2.6.7 is a bug-fixing release.
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 845 votes
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Current version:
3.8 starsout of 66 votes
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My rating:
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"Problematic for Windows environments."
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
Free alternitive to Photoshop.
Cons
Unlike Photoshop, it's a lot more difficult to work with and has a very sharp learning curve. Filters are complex, which makes them flexible, but they don't do the job as well as Photoshop. Gimp is very problematic in that it crashes often.
Summary
If you consider time as money, Photoshop will pay for itself very quickly over Gimp. Be prepared to save after every change or alteration, and pe prepared to spend 3 to 4 times the amount of time on any given project, due to it not being very user friendly, and the crash factor. If you don't save often, be prepared to spend 5 to 10 times the amount of time on a project. I don't recommend using most of the tools or filters because they are prone to crashing the program. If you do simple tasks once in a blue moon, then this program might be an alternitive for you.
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"It is not user friendly"
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
Nothing. The features are available on every photographic edit software
Cons
It is ordinary.There are no special features
Summary
It is not user friendly. There are no special features
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"Decent. Impossible to Uninstall!"
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
~Simple to use
~Free
~Great for less complicated projectsCons
~Complicated projects can become impossible with this.
~Uninstall doesn't... well uninstall.Summary
I didn't like it too much when I was trying to make a GIF from Sprites. It was just TOO difficult to figure out. Other things like just putting together a GIF from a video and other things it worked great.
When I went to Uninstall it I noticed the little Context Menu stayed. Example: (http://sadpanda.us/images/81164-MP1UXVO.jpg) I've tried ALL means of removing it. From looking for the registry to reinstalling and uninstalling with an uninstaller program. It does not go away. So this really pisses me off and the only option I see now is to do a full reinstall of my OS but that is a little too much for a context menu. -
"Does an OK job"
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
I used it for few hours on 12/23/2009 The v 2.6.7 I found user friendly
Cons
I had problems uploading pictures so that i could work on photos taken at night
Summary
I would tell friends about/use this program an being free is very nice
I trust all c/net -
"ok i would not purchase"
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
many tools and features great for touch ups
Cons
drop down menu is head smashingly frusrtrating
toolboxs are cluncky
program not the best with a touch pad mouseSummary
nice bit of free software but only because it,s free
you need to no alot about editing software to feel comfortable
the program is very precise being a newb i was overwelmd and started reading the manual witch it comes with thats a good point to -
"Does its jobe vert well"
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
Great fitures for a free application
Cons
No complaints
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"Powerful, versatile, easy to use. Not a resource hog."
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
Easy quick download & installation. Works fast without bogging down the system. Open source means free! Add-ons, support and updates are available within the community. Tons of features, functions and options. Very customizable.
Cons
Not really a con, tons of options, features and functions means a steep learning curve. Can be confusing at first. Help is out there but you have to get involved, go to a forum and ask!
Summary
The GIMP satisfied my occasional need for an image viewer / editor supporting many formats. I don't do a lot of photo / graphics editing, don't know much about the various software packages for it either. However I did not have any trouble using the GIMP to accomplish my simple tasks. It is way more powerful than I ever expect to need but it's nice to have should those needs grow. After you get used to it the three pane GUI is pretty nice. The GIMP runs flawlessly, has never locked up or crashed on me yet. Best of all, it has virtually unlimited "undo" capability!
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"Excellent utility"
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
Ease of use
Cons
Considering it's cost (free) , I feel I don't have the right to criticise
Summary
See above
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"Great For coversions"
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
I only use it to convert a periodic file to an acceptable format, meets all my needs. My son uses it, and praises it.
Cons
None I am aware of.
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"One of world's best freewares."
Version: GIMP 2.6.7
Pros
Really great images editing and graphics designing tools.
Cons
I need Gimp in a single window.
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