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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.

24 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. A plan? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    The fact that GIMP developers can actually formulate a plan is the real news here.

  2. 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.

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

    How about taking your virtue signalling SJW bullshit somewhere else?

  4. Yeah they're busy with their innovations... by SurenEnfiajyan · · Score: 2

    ...but refuse to fix basic usability issues like missing lines/rectangles/rounds from GUI mode.

  5. Question for the developpers of GIMP by godrik · · Score: 3, Interesting

    We have seen in the last few years many advances of Computer Vision and Machine Learning tools to do segmentation, anime drawing colorization, night picture to day picture conversion, changing meteo conditions, and so on.
    Do the GIMP developpers intend to include tools of that sort in the project?

    1. Re:Question for the developpers of GIMP by DrSpock11 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If you RTFA you would see the blog post specifically call out the ability to do smart colorization of inked drawings.

  6. If it doesn't include... by Known+Nutter · · Score: 2

    If it doesn't include hookers and blackjack, I'm not interested.

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    Beware of the Leopard.
    1. Re:If it doesn't include... by jwhyche · · Score: 2

      What if they just skipped the blackjack? Would that be enough to interest you?

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      I read at +2. If your post doesn't reach that level I will not see or respond to it.
  7. 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.

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    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  8. Re: Fuck GIMP and its users. by KixWooder · · Score: 2

    Photoshop CC, plus some other applications in the package are available for 9.99/month. Not that expensive.

    Not free, but not that pricy.

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    I hate fat people.
  9. 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.

  10. Need those adjustment layers by future+assassin · · Score: 2

    then we'll be set

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    by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
  11. Name suggestions from other /. users by tepples · · Score: 2

    In the past, other Slashdot users have suggested replacement names:

    - GNU Image Editor (GIE)
    - GNU Raster Editing And Touchup (GREAT)
    - GNU Image Manipulator (GIM) with soft G to sound like "gym"
    - GNU Image Retouching and Editing (GIRE)
    - GNU Image Retouching Lab (GIRL)
    - GNU Adaptable Image Tool (GAIT)
    - GNU Users' Foto FudgER (GUFFER)

  12. Re: Fuck GIMP and its users. by reanjr · · Score: 2

    I have a coworker on Mac who has a license to use Adobe CS (Photoshop), but who uses GIMP regularly instead. There are a few features you can't get in GIMP, but if you don't need those, it's all what you're used to. And if you intend to automate your work, GIMP blows away Photoshop.

  13. Re: Duh GIMP is lousy. by reanjr · · Score: 5, Informative

    GIMP users have the same problem with Photoshop, I assure you.

  14. 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.

    2. Re:Shills by SurenEnfiajyan · · Score: 2

      Is it a little awkward to use?

      From my experience it's even more awkward to use than most basic image editors. The point is that for many use cases an image editor like Paint .Net is good enough, where GIMP is much more complicated. And most (semi)professionals would rather use a cracked version of Photoshop. For most users GIMP is more like an overcomplicated and unintuitive version of Ms Paint where the basic functionality, such as lines/circles/rectangles in toolbar, is missing.

  15. Re:Duh GIMP is lousy. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I've read the criticism about Gimp's GUI a lot, but i've learnt graphics using Gimp and it feels pretty consistent to me. Also it has one big advantage over its competitors: it hasn't changed much, meaning I didn't have to relearn everything at every new version. I built up from the knowledge I acquired over the years and I consider myself proficient with Gimp. I don't see the UI hampering my work a single bit.

    On a related note, I can't use photoshop because the UI feels weird to me. I'm used to a different way to work now.

  16. Script Fu at startup by mccrew · · Score: 2

    I would like to see some simple creature-comfort improvements to improve usability. My first suggestion would be to either not load all the Script-Fu scripts, or to load them in the background, so that I can get to a usable screen faster. Startup is so slow, and much of the time it is because the UI is blocked loading all the scripts (most of which go unused during a session).

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    Hey, Windows users, there is no such thing as "forward" slash, there is only slash and backslash.
    1. Re: Script Fu at startup by mccrew · · Score: 3, Informative

      Thanks for the stereotypical Slashdot answer: User is to blame for out-of-box configuration. Or user is to blame for not taking all time necessary to exhaustively personalize program startup.

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      Hey, Windows users, there is no such thing as "forward" slash, there is only slash and backslash.
    2. Re: Script Fu at startup by mccrew · · Score: 2

      Thanks for another stereotypical Slashdot response: "I can't actually address the point so I'll take a swipe at the person."

      If there's one thing that never changes around here - and I've been here since just about the beginning - is that when folks are seeking feedback about something, they only want a friendly pat on the head. Any feedback that requires any introspection or actual change is met with hostility.

      As an occasional, non-professional user of Gimp, startup could be faster out of the box. This is an entirely reasonable suggestion to people who are looking for ways to make the product better.

      My point stands.

      --
      Hey, Windows users, there is no such thing as "forward" slash, there is only slash and backslash.
    3. Re: Script Fu at startup by spitzak · · Score: 2

      No that is bull. What he is asking for is perfectly reasonable: defer loading stuff until it is first used! This cannot be fixed by changing the configuration (other than I guess making there not be any plugins, which seems to be what you are suggesting).

  17. 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.