I don't know what proffesional people use, but in photography, if they use the RAW format (they should be) RawTherapee is a amazing program & native in linux.

If you use RAW, try it out. I'd choose it over photoshop or gimp.

RawTherapee is a program different from Gimp or Photoshop. Granted, Gimp of Photoshop is often used to process JPG's, where actually Rawtherapee and RAW format should have been used.

Indeed RT is an excellent program. And indeed, Raw format is what should be used in digital photography processing. For the obvious reason that you cannot correct a JPG image trying to construct information which has just been thrown away in the compression process.

The advantage of RawTherapee or any program alike is that there is hardly a compatibility problem.

jlinkels

Maybe jpeg2000 will become the new standard and people will use that instead. It supports lossless compression as well.

When I dumped MS (in 1999), I had a lot more software available to me to try without having to pay a 'ransom', & quickly learned that there are suitable alternatives for all but very specialised situations.

As for what is necessary; I use a browser, filemanager, mp3 player, movie player, & graphics editor/viewer programs.

All my needs are catered for by Linux &/or BSD Operating Systems.

I just read your post and immediately thought: So just a kernel and Emacs.

I've done just fine with linux alternatives and cross platform applications. If I can't do it in linux, but windows only, then I rather not do it at all.

agreed.

So tell me - is your copy of PHOTOSHOP a fully paid up copy that you paid for and legal or a bootleg copy. If you have GIMP you are TOTALLY legal. Plus if you bother to look up tutorials and YouTube clips etc you will find that most things you can do in Photoshop can also be done in Gimp albeit differently in some cases.

Photoshop is a good program but it is also very expensive and is meant more for Professional Graphic Designers and the like. These people can claim depreciation of the cost at tax time but the everyday general user cannot. By all means if you are a person who has the money to spend on Photoshop and get good use out of it (Legally) then good on you.

GIMP will do me fine thanks... and I don't have to worry about someone finding me using illegal software because I sure as heck can't afford to spend the money required to buy a copy of something that expensive.

I might add I do spend money of software for Linux when I see a good product which I want and it is a fair price - Corel Aftershot Pro 2 is an example. Good program at a reasonable price.

That was metaschima's point...

jlinkels

The most recent disc version of Adobe (CS6) is $1,550.00

However, they are doing the "cloud" thing where they suck you dry month after month - sorry, "digital subscription". $119.88 a year. Course that's just photoshop.
No direct attack on Adobe though... it seems like the thing all these companies are doing nowadays..

I'm pretty sure I can't justify that expense (nor had the money). I don't endorse it - but it's striking how much Windows compells you to pirate software to permit you to do anything.
Eventually you find open/libreoffice, gimp, 7zip, etc (if you're looking) but otherwise you're basically stuck with a bunch of bloatware, waiting for the needed moment before you start the "30-day trial"

Stuff like that - I don't miss at all.

I have not pirated anything since I switched to Linux, which was almost 10 years ago. FLOSS is a much better alternative, and without risk of malware.

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Where did the whole "pirating PS" start anyway? PS at Sam's is about $50

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