Steve, if you don't mind, what kind of work do you do? Just wondering, you can reply off list if you'd rather, or on. Thanks Dan
On 12/28/11, Steve Kinney <[email protected]> wrote: > On 12/28/2011 11:02 AM, Daniel Smith wrote: >> It's just funny! It's a play on the idea that it's the >> not-quite-capable version of Photoshop. >> At least they didn't name it SIMP! > > That IS funny. I started using the GIMP when Tor Lillqvist ported > it to Windows many long years ago. At that time, it was > not-quite-capable in two senses: It had WAY fewer useful tools and > functions than it does today, and it tended to crash a LOT on the OS > in question. But I kept it and have been using it ever since. > > Warning: I have not been on this list long enough to know whether > what follows might start a pointless debate or even a flame war. It > would be very naive to think that Adobe does not have a PR > contractor monitoring this list, armed with focus group tested > talking points. So please put on your asbestos gloves... > > On a couple of occasions I tried Photoshop: Installed the thing, > bookmarked a bunch of tutorials and how-to docs, checked out > textbooks from the library, etc. And on these occasions I have > found no reason to prefer the Adobe beast. The largest differences > I saw were an inherently awkward interface paradigm and slower > workflow. A lot of familiar tools seemed to be missing. The price > tag was the least important factor weighing against Photoshop IMO. > > Maybe getting used to the GIMP ruined me for life. Maybe all the > tutorials, howto docs, and manuals I found for Photoshop suck. > Maybe forcing myself to use nothing but Photoshop for a few weeks at > a time was not a fair trial of the product. But my working > hypothesis is that Photoshop is a not-quite-AS-capable version of > the GIMP. > > Millions of dollars have been spent to make "photoshop" a verb. But > the days when sneering, condescending print shop sales reps refused > to take any work not submitted in PSD format are over - I watched > that change happen between about 2005 and 2007 in my local area. > And from what I have seen IRL in the last couple of years, the GIMP > is starting to eat Adobe's lunch in terms of mindshare in the "geeky > teenager" market that determines the shape of tomorrow's software > landscape - only starting, but it's a solid start. > > Under the hood, Photoshop uses more bits per channel to represent > and process images. It also uses the LAB color model, which > requires more bits per channel to represent the same color gamut as > RGB, so the difference is not as large as it would seem at first > glance. Bigger numbers mean smaller rounding errors, this is a Good > Thing, and the GIMP will be getting more bits per channel shortly. > But way over 95% of those who believe that the GIMP is a "less > capable Photoshop" will never process an image for an application > where this difference in "bit depth" makes any difference in the > finished product. > > The fact that Adobe Inc. has a "partner" relationship with > commercial printer manufacturers is an important difference if you > happen to own and operate such a printer. But this has noting to do > with producing the source files submitted to the said print shop, > Accurately converting a GIIMP-made CMYK TIFF file to PSD for > proofing and color adjustment on the computer connected to the > production printer is a one click operation. So this is a > "difference that makes no difference" unless you do happen to own > and operate that printer. > > In some circles it is an article of faith that the GIMP is "not > suitable for professional graphics work." But in recent years over > half of my income has come from editing images with the GIMP. And > that, not "has a vendor training certificate" or "paid for an > expensive product", is the definition of professional graphics work. > > :o) > > Steve > > > > _______________________________________________ > gimp-user-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user-list > _______________________________________________ gimp-user-list mailing list [email protected] http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user-list
