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GIMP Developers Outline Plan For 2019 (gimp.org)

The GIMP developers on Wednesday published a blog post in which they look back at the year 2018 (release of GIMP 2.10) and outline the things that they intend to get around this year. From the post: We expect to be shipping 2.10.x updates throughout 2019, starting with the version 2.10.10 currently expected in January/February. This version will feature faster layer groups rendering, smart colorization with the Bucket Fill tool, and various usability improvements. We are also planning the first unstable release of GIMP that will have version 2.99.2, eventually leading up to version 3.0. The prerequisite for releasing that version will be the completion of the space invasion. ZeMarmot project (which can be supported on Patreon or Tipeee) is also planning to focus a bit more on better canvas interactions, as well as animation support improvements, starting from merging existing work. On the GEGL and babl front, we expect to continue working towards better CMYK support and performance.

8 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Duh GIMP is lousy. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That applies to pretty much all software, especially the kind you pay for. GIMP is very feature full, useful, and improving steadily, and oh yeah, FREE as in beer. If you want to accelerate its development, donate some cash, coding help, or STFU and leave it alone.

  2. Re:How about a less offensive title? by ogdenk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How about taking your virtue signalling SJW bullshit somewhere else?

  3. Re:Duh GIMP is lousy. by hey! · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sure, if you don't need any of the features that Gimp has an Paint.NET does not. Not having the same feature set isn't a criticism of Paint.NET, if it floats your boat, then great. Same goes for MS Paint.

    Saying that Paint.NET is easier for what you do isn't a very convincing criticism of GIMP; saying that Photoshop is easier for what you do is a more substantial criticism, especially if you've actually spent some time using GIMP rather than marveling at how odd it's UI is.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  4. Re:How about a less offensive title? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Interesting that *your* mind went there instead of the definition of gimp: twisted silk, worsted, or cotton with cord or wire running through it, used chiefly as upholstery trimming or a fishing line made of silk bound with wire.

    Now, why exactly is it your mind jumps to slurs?

  5. Re:good design is too difficult by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well, being zero-cost is no excuse for having a crappy UI.

    What's wrong with the GIMP GUIs? (Note that GUI is pluralized -- GIMP has several standard GUIs -- something that is not easily attainable with proprietary software).

    The problem is that designing an intuitive, well set out UI is much more difficult than all the bells'n'whistles functions the developers add to the menus.

    If only they would apply their talent to that instead of gratuitously adding more obscure features, they would have a product to be proud of. But UI design is probably beyond their capabilities.

    Let me guess -- you're a Mac user who happens to be a usability expert.

  6. Shills by eneville · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Unlike all the other posts here, I find GIMP is a reasonably good piece of photo editing software. If you think that it suffers in some way, how about buying the developers a cup of coffee perhaps, or send a patch over for merger?

    Complaining about the naming of the software does not cut the mustard. The fact the developers don't spend time pandering to SJW is a good thing, get your mind of out of the gutter.

    1. Re:Shills by DrSpock11 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I honestly do not understand why GIMP gets so much hate.
      Is it a little awkward to use? Yes, but so is Photoshop if you don't know how to use it. Is it less feature rich than Photoshop? Absolutely.

      But it's also 100% cheaper and sufficient for the majority of casual image editing.

      How disheartening is it to see Slashdot of all places shit all over the FOSS alternative to Photoshop.

  7. Re:How about a less offensive title? by Early+Six+Digit+UID · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I used to work in cartography years ago and we used to use Photoshop for certain parts of our workflow. At some point I was tasked to look into Photoshop alternatives because management wanted to save the ~$700 per seat cost. Being a Linux user since the mid-90s, I looked at The GIMP. I don't remember exactly why it wasn't as good as Photoshop - I believe it was slower and either didn't support CMYK or had poor support for it. Anyway, I compiled my report and said this was a possible replacement, though not as good for our workflow.

    I then had to have the conversation:
    --Me: This is the GNU Image Manipulation Program or GIMP
    --Boss: What?
    --Me: GIMP
    --Boss: Why the hell would they call it that?
    --Me: Well, it stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program
    --Boss: Yeah, but do they know what gimp means?
    --Me: Yeah, they'd have to at this point
    --Boss: Why don't they change it?
    --Me: Hubris or they're trying to be cute
    --Boss: We're not using software called GIMP

    So it goes. It's a bad name that they use just to be cute and then get defensive over when people don't like it. I'm not a fan of the UI and it had problems back in the day (I haven't had a reason to use it in a long time), but I can give you at least one anecdote where the name directly stopped an organization from using it. It's got nothing to do with snowflakes or SJWs, it's just a bad name in a lot of people's minds.