RSS FeedPhotoshop Vs GIMPshop
Well, there are a number of differences between PS and Gimp, mostly in it's presentation within Windows. GIMPshop, a derivative of Gimp, sets to change that. Does it succeed? Find out my thoughts below.
I've used Gimpshop before, and always come back to photoshop, only to later wonder why, and once again download Gimpshop to give it a try. Well today was no different.
I'm using a computer which doesn't have PS, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to try Gimpshop again, just to see how it stacks up. First of all, I want to make it clear that while I'm no expert at PS, I am certainly no novice. I know most of the little shortcuts and my way around the program to where it's just natural to use PS. GIMPshop, as much as it tries, wasn't as natural feeling. The first thing I noticed was that, since the program is basically an amalgam of other windows stacked into the semblance of a larger program, the top bar where File, Edit, etc reside, wasn't it's usual self. Most of the navigation is moved to your open file. This isn't a big deal, but is just hard to keep myself from going to the top of the screen first.
Secondly, I saw that there were a few windows open and placed snuggly with other windows: my toolbar had some brushes and such in it, which I don't usually keep open and was taking up a lot of my screen real estate (the monitor here at work isn't the biggest). So I dragged the window out; not too bad. Although for some reason, I couldn't get it to rest back inside the previous window... I'm sure it's possible, but I couldn't figure it out so I just moved on to more pressing matters.
I finally had my workspace somewhat how I liked it, so I started to lay out my design. That's when I noticed that there didn't seem to be a way to make folders for layers, and remembered that being one of the main reasons I prefer PS. I usually end up with dozens of layers, so keeping them organized is essential. I then drew a marquee, filled it with a color, and tried to deselect it - ctrl+D. This opened a duplicate of my current file - the hotkey for deselect is ctrl+shift+A. Okay, now to get the paintbucket - Ctrl+G, right? Nope, in Gimp it's Ctrl+B. Now, maybe I can change these hotkeys, but even so, that's a lot of work to change or get used to the new hotkeys.
And then it was at this point that Gimpshop crashed.
Now, most of the problems I have with Gimpshop might be customizable, and I can probably learn to use it fine. But, for someone that's accustomed to PS, it's a step I'd rather not take. If you are just learning, Gimpshop is definitely a viable alternative.
As for me, although the crash may not have been Gimpshops fault, it was the last straw in my little experiment. I spent all of about 15 minutes with the program and am frustrated to the point of just saying screw it, I'll use PS.