Is there a true alternative to Photoshop? (not made by Macromedia/Adobe) If you think there is, then please let me know what it is!
Well I agree with Conrad! no software is even close to Photoshop!
But it really depends on what are going to use it for?
Thanks to everyone who has posted so far on this thread. Interesting stuff. I am swaying towards taking the plunge and investing in Creative Suite 3 (Web Premium). But over here in the UK the price is almost extortionate. I could probably fly to the USA and buy a copy with the difference in price between the two countries! But I’m guessing that the US version probably won’t work over here (will it?).
Thanks again,
Sid
Interesting thread. I personally think Photoshop has over year become a bottomless pit. I totally agree with conrad and Dark Tranquility as it totally depends on what you need. But with the “Suites” offered by Adobe at this stage I can work on entire campaigns that require print, web and video output, in one suite of programs that seemlessly talk to each other through the whole process.
I think very few applications have this depth of capability across the board, because it has the options to specify environments.
If you are savvy enough with all the options for each medium, I guess you would be able to use freeware, but that’s a lot of hard work. I can honestly say my CS2 Production Suite has truly paid for itself.
Regards Kai
Photoshop has been developed over YEARS. Really. So they have a great head start from the days when it was a simple editor for photographs. I have paint.net, but I agree its nothing compared with Photoshop, and if you ever want to get into the design/coding business, most jobs stipulate familiarity with the usual suspects of Adobe design products… i.e Photoshop, illustrator, flash etc. So unless you have a formal education in these design tools (by which familiarity comes through networked programs at your university/college- and by which you can buy them dirt cheap as a student of one) then your options there are limited to, buying them.
Have a look at Photoimpact as well as PaintShopPro, both have been around for ages and have matured into good products for both image/photo editing and web related graphics.
Photoshop is the “industry standard” for graphics work, some folks swear by it, other hate it. My advice is to download trials for all the graphics apps you like the look of and test them out, you’ll soon see which one you get on with and best for your situation.
Well, to be honest it depends really. What will your graphics program be used for mainly? If you’re going to be doing a lot of photo editing and Web graphics work from a single application, then Photoshop is your best bet (and to be honest, the GIMP is a piece of junk on non-*nix systems).
If you just want to create and modify Web graphics (non-photographic), then I’d look at Paint Shop Pro instead.
Of course, there are other programs available, depending on what your particular needs are. Don’t let industry standards get in the way of what you need to use to get your job done if you can find a solution that meets your needs better than the regular offerings. 
NO. There is no TRUE alternative to Photoshop. Why don’t you want Adobe products? Is it a cost issue or an issue with Adobe/Macromedia?
I’m not aware of a commercial alternative (in the same ranks as Photoshop). There might be other commercial software but not equivalent.
As for free - again, not even close to Photoshop is Paint.net
Thanks Conradical and Major Tom.
The issue is really the cost (no problem with Adobe/Macromedia products, they’re just expensive!). I just can’t believe that no one has managed to make a rival for Photshop yet; I think it’s ridiculous.
Thanks for the GIMP advice, but I’ve tried this one too, and whilst it is great for ‘free’ it isn’t a true rival in my humble opinion.
Thank you anyway,
Anyone else?
Sid
Sure there is a free alternative to Photoshop, it’s called GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program). It’s a completely free, open source software that rivals Photoshop.
It was originally developed for the linux OS and X-Windows but they’ve ported it to Windows and Mac OSX.
One of the greatest features of the GIMP is that you can run script that automate it. It’s slicker than slick if you have it installed on a Linux server. It blows GD and ImageMagik away for “on the fly” graphics.
Of course it will work in your country. why not?
well Paint Shop Pro was one of the solutions to replace PS, but I’m not sure is it close or far from PS. I use Gimp in some cases and it seems ok if you know how to deal with his strange GUI.
One thing I like in PS is that Adobe after so many years didn’t stop to develop a new versions and they don’t need because they don’t have a competition to fight with
Thanks to everyone for their posts.
I should have said would the product be officially licensed to work in the UK if I bought it legally in the USA? (rather than “would it work”), sorry.
So . . . any ideas if a version of CS3 bought in the USA will be legal to use in the UK? I didn’t think it would, but would love to be proved wrong!
Thanks
I use Paint Shop Pro, myself - mainly because I can’t handle the learning curve of PhotoShop:) My needs aren’t that great that I could devote the time - or try to understand - the Adobe product, or the expense. $700 for a graphics program? For a professional where it’s not coming out of his own pocket, sure. For an amateur website builder … nah.
That’s a pretty good point. Anyway, Photoshop - it’s expensive, yeah, but you gotta pay for everything these days, if you know what I mean. Never did work with any other graphics program (uh, except maybe MS Paint), so I may be biased and all, but Photoshop is well worth the investment, IMO. You won’t get the money for it in 24hrs, sure, but as somebody here has already said, it will pay for itself in no time.
Just my 2 cents.
An alternative to Photoshop? How that could be?After years of developed,PShop is undefeated.
An alternative to Photoshop? 
How that could be?After years of developed,PShop is undefeated.
Just to say thank you to everyone, and to let them know that I decided to take the plunge and buy Photoshop CS3. It’s great and I’m very glad that I didn’t buy an alternative.
Thanks again,
Sid
PHOtoshop is KING - dont think for anothoer software
try to learn via tutorial online - its easy nothing hard!
No.