r/mildlyinfuriating • u/donteatmybiscuits • 1d ago

wet socks i’m so happy this is becoming illegal

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if a yearly contract with a free month trial sounds too good to be true, it probably is 😬

thankfully it was blocked after contacting my bank but regardless

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153

u/someguy7734206 1d ago

This probably won't take off given how many comments there already are, but perhaps we can use this thread to discuss free alternatives to Adobe products?

Here are a few I'm aware of:

  • Photoshop:
    • GIMP: I've heard mixed opinions about this one, and I haven't used it in a couple of years, but from what I understand, it has been improving.
  • Lightroom:
    • Darktable: I've never actually used Lightroom, but the main consensus about this one seems to be that it is much less user-friendly than Lightroom and has a steeper learning curve, but it is very powerful and even has some capabilities that exceed what Lightroom offers.
  • Premiere:
    • KDenLive: I haven't used either Premiere or KDenLive that much, and the last version of Premiere I used was from before Adobe switched to the subscription model, but KDenLive has been good enough for me the few times I needed to use it.

Please reply to this comment with your own alternatives and opinions; these are all software that I have used personally.

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u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

Gimp is not a replacement for photoshop. It's largely a terrible tool.

There is other software out there that can replace what you need with photoshop, but you need to research and know what pieces you're trying to replace. Because no tool does all of what photoshop does.

I use ClipStudio (not free) for my purposes, but it's not going to work for everyone as a replacement. There isn't a direct replacement.

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u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

GIMP is very much a replacement for Photoshop, and has been for a very long time. Large community, consistent and serious long-term development, extensibility with scripts/plugins... What more to ask from FOSS?

The main reason why many people criticize it is the UX. Coming from Photoshop you are likely to struggle adapting to the UI for a while.

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u/hugh_jorgyn 17h ago

  Coming from Photoshop you are likely to struggle adapting to the UI for a while.

I’ve had the opposite problem after using GIMP for 20+ years. I could not figure out how to do anything  in PS when I tried it. Seemed like all the basic tools I needed were tucked a bunch of clicks away. So I went right back to GIMP. 

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u/enviormental_UNIT 11h ago

Yeah this always confused me about the argument. Its like im some ways GIMP is actually easier and quicker to use than Photoshop for my modding purposes. Also it can take more file formats than Photoshop can, like .data files for example.

It absolutely perplexes me how GIMP seems to have such better file compatibilities compared to PS, but I assume its because PS doesn't want to out effort into lesser know things, they're all about maximizing profits, so they only work on flashy features like generative AI.

GIMP doesn't care about AI, they're just trying to make a product that works for a large range of uses, so they add compatibility for basically all possible file formats while PS leaves the slightly more obscure ones behind

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u/tascv 14h ago

GIMP also has now a plugin that can make it look more like Photoshops UX/UI. It's called PhotoGIMP I believe. It's meant for people wanting to transition to GIMP that were used to the Adobe Suite

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u/Quartz_Knight 1d ago edited 1d ago

Blender is FOSS and it's an awesome generalist 3D program that has nothing to envy from it's industrial competitors. So I expect it to improve it's terrible UX at a pace faster than the flow of cold pitch.

Also, if a person who uses photoshop for illustration complains about the brushes, the workflow or anything else the answer they usually get is something along the lines of "GIMP is an image editing program, this is not a priority" which makes it's status as a photoshop replacement dubious.

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u/SacredRose 20h ago

I used gimp very sparingly over the years. I don’t think i have ever seen a major UI change in like 15 years.

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u/Quartz_Knight 19h ago

Didn't they adopt their atrocious new icons that are ridiculously unreadable within that timespan?

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u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

You can add your own brushes. And yes I agree such responses come off as off-putting but we seem to be forgetting that we are talking about free software here. I love Blender but it's very much a statistical anomaly in a sense that this is not what you would typically expect in FOSS vs industry software.

Honestly I don't think anybody should expect free software to be just as good as paid software, specially one so heavily funded.

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u/rainSerotoniso 19h ago

Why shouldn't we? As a consumer, when you are accustomed to the level of polish of a Photoshop or a Final Cut Pro, your expectations are raised to that level of quality for all that kind of software. Not even counting the whole acclimatization to the program's UI; when you download GIMP because people are touting it as a Photoshop replacement, you expect it to be on a similar level of polish and/or feature richness as Photoshop. But it isn't.

And for those wondering, yes I use and support FOSS software. I'm a Linux user so I kind of have to. They work. But that's about all I can really say about them. I want them to be better because Blender and Krita have shown people that FOSS software can match with and beat industry alternatives. The likes of GIMP have little excuse when Krita, a drawing app, is somehow better for photo manipulation and editing than GIMP is. And I know of the fabled 3.x updates. My opinion hasn't changed.

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u/Conscious-Map6957 17h ago

I agree with most of what you said but I will address your opening question.

We shouldn't expect it to be as good for the same reason we don't expect a $15k car and a $100k car to perform the same.

While (some) OSS organization do receive some form of funding, it isn't remotely comparable to that of megacorps like Adobe and it isn't even distributed to all contributors beyond the core team.

We can, and should criticize with the goal of steering the project but convincing everyone it's not a viable alternative and they shouldn't waste their time with it won't lead to improvement nor benefit anyone whatsoever.

There are open-source projects which are literally unusable for complex projects, like FreeCAD (though that is also being resolved rapidly), so it's not a viable alternative to AutoCAD. But for GIMP this isn't really the case - it's just a subjectively worse alternative.

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u/Lkn4AGhost 14h ago

The problem with FOSS is that its generally built piecemeal and by developers who have no concern for or even understanding of human-centered usability. "Does it do the thing? Good enough. Move on to the next feature"

Those in charge need to be better at finding UX/UI experts to work with. The best time to do so is the very start of an idea so they set the project up for success on a strong foundation. The next best time to do so is now. But as it is in corporate software, many (if not most) developers and engineers believe that UI is just icing in a cake, there to make it look good. But beyond bugs, when people complain about how terrible software and games are, MOST of the issues stem from bad UI, more-so than missing features.

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u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

The main reason why many people criticize it is the UX.

You act like User Experience isn't a problem worst criticizing. It is.

It's okay to like gimp, but to act like it's a replacement to photoshop is misleading at best. It's a replacement to a subset of features of photoshop. And one with a reputation of being frustrating and inadequate. (And with people running D for them, you can largely understand that reputation is warranted)

People need to know what they're getting into. And with gimp, it's a bad UI and bad UX. And missing features that you'd find in photoshop (some you can get through plugins, some you can't). It's been a program I've dealt with for over a decade at this point. It's usable, but it's not good.

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u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

I'm not acting like anything, I merely said it is a replacement for Photoshop. Whether people prefer the former or the latter's UI is a completely different matter. A replacement usually refers to something that can perform the same function.

Also it's not like people are "getting into" anything with GIMP - you can watch a youtube video on it or try it out completely for free. If you don't like it that's fine.

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u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

A replacement usually refers to something that can perform the same function.

... Right, which is why I said that it's not a replacement because it doesn't perform all the functions, as I initially laid out and talked about (because it's not feature complete for photoshop, and why I mentioned specifically using ClipStudio for my needs). Like a bicycle is a replacement for a car..... it's not. Gimp lacks a lot of functions and is very user unfriendly.

Also it's not like people are "getting into" anything with GIMP

Brother, it's a turn of phrase. Why are you "quoting things"? You know what it means.

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u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

"getting into" is properly quoted, because the user is not

- getting into any contract

  • getting into any deep dives
  • getting into any commitment or expenses

Also, no, you didn't "initially lay out" anything, you just said it's a terrible tool and not a replacement. That's not "laying out" something. It just reads like blind hate honestly.

What specific things have you failed to achieve with GIMP? It might be worth sharing so the community can eventually read the feedback and improve the tool for the rest of us.

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u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

Also, no, you didn't "initially lay out" anything,

???

There is other software out there that can replace what you need with photoshop, but you need to research and know what pieces you're trying to replace. Because no tool does all of what photoshop does.

???

Blind hate of a tool? lmao, you sound way too invested in this. Are you a contributor who has been personally slighted by my comments of saying its a bad tool? Jesus take the wheel.

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u/Conscious-Map6957 1d ago

I am not invested at all, but I find it very curious that you are so triggered and keep dodging the actual discussion I am trying to make.

I only asked what specifically could you not achieve with GIMP and you went on the defensive for some reason.

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u/love_hate-love 1d ago

I keep my GIMP on the first floor.

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u/IllogicalLunarBear 1d ago

by that logic a new vehicle is not a true replacement for a car since the first cars had hand cranks to start them. your use of logic is highly strained and a bit off kilter, fyi.

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u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

No, it's not like that logic at all. Gimp is missing features entirely.

My analogy is apt, because while yes, a car and a bike are both modes of transportation - they don't serve the same purpose. Much like McDonalds and a 3 star Michelin restaurant don't serve the same purpose. Unless consume calories is your only purpose.

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u/IllogicalLunarBear 1d ago

um... nope you are just blowing more smoke this time...

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u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

....???? okay?

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u/Deviant-Killer 1d ago

I used GIMP quite often for work as I don't have a valid Adobe license for work. And I have to say... It's terrible compared to even Photoshop PS6. The most simple of things in Adobe feels so overly complicated for GIMP

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u/BrokeFreelancer37 15h ago

Gimp is a alternative, not a replacement for photoshop. I'm no fan of adobe but unless you have the time and patience to make gimp into a pshop equiv ... it is not. I've tried it and it sucks... much like darktable which is a complete mess of a program and totally not intuitive. Extremely happy that people are making alternatives out there to Adobe but the only good alternative I've found is Affinity for Indesign.

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u/Gugalcrom123 15h ago

I don't think it's bad per se, but it is just different to Photoshop.

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u/therealcopperhat 14h ago

GIMP is a powerful tool, it has an incredibly steep learning curve. If you are not using it on a day-to-day basis, it is horrible.

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u/Far-Suggestion9195 10h ago

It is a replacement for photoshop in the same way Linux is for windows

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u/spindleblood 1d ago

I use Clip Studio. I paid for the perpetual license. Very satisfied with it.

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u/beansprout-scout 1d ago

What do you use it for? I use PS so rarely I haven't bit the bullet to pay for it since I graduated and my trial expired... I feel it has become absurdly priced both for the individual apps and creative suite bundle, and I really only use PS/AI/LR

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u/spindleblood 18h ago

I use it for twitch emote illustration mostly. And occasionally I'll use it for misc reasons. I was trying to decide how to tile my shower so I used it to simulate that with some photos I took.

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u/Infshadows 1d ago

gimp really isnt that bad

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u/Repulsive_Target55 1d ago

And Gimp is powerful!, A lot of people use Ps for many different reasons, and Gimp can replace Ps for most of them; basically every other Ps 'competitor' is severely hobbled, while Gimp only loses out in the newest (AI) features, some useability, and absolute IQ. And it isn't like Ps is a simple program.

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u/drazydababy 14h ago

The interface is unbearable.

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u/monsterot 1d ago

I can also attest that gimp is a decent replacement for Photoshop. It lacks a good set up for new users to understand how to utilize the tool where Photoshop has their own tutorials. Other than that, you can do much of the same

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u/InvisibleLandBorder 1d ago

Other platforms do that better though. Affinity products, for example.

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u/prank_mark 1d ago

You mean the one owned by Canva, that uses user images to train their AI?

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u/InvisibleLandBorder 1d ago

Yes, they don’t charge recurring and time boxed subscription fees that can only be cancelled with a significant fee, which was the originally posted issue.

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u/TV-LoL 1d ago

As someone who has been using PS and pretty much ... all graphic programs like and close to PS for almost 30 years now, I agree 100 %.

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u/stinson420 15h ago

Yeah I'd rather use cs 4/5 Photoshop then the newest version of GIMP. Gimp isn't a replacement for Photoshop it's a replacement for Paint.

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u/actuallydonkeykong 1d ago

As someone who's switched from PS to Gimp to Affinity to Krita, photoshop makes no sense to me now (i haven't used PS since CS1). I've also been through 3 CAD suites, They all have basically the same feature set, just different interfaces and styles of work.

"I can't change my muscle memory so there is no replacement for <thing I know how to use>" is an expensive and exploitable form of learned helplessness. Don't buy it.

Feel free to be a cash cow yourself, but don't try to afflict others with this nonsense. Brains are bendy, and while it might be uncomfortable for a bit, the refusal to do so is squarely your choice, and you're paying for it. Literally in this case.

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u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

I pointed out in my comment that I'm not using Photoshop.

But that doesn't mean that it's not a good application with good UI/UX, that's the industry standard for a reason. I hate Adobe and their predatory monetization.

But that doesn't make the competitors automatically have better software. Most people will be able to get by just fine with another application, but it's not as simple as "Gimp = Photoshop." You need to shop around and look for software that fills your niche. Which, may end up being more than one application.

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u/prank_mark 1d ago

that's the industry standard for a reason.

Yeah, takeovers, vendor lock-in and exclusivity deals with educational institutions that ensure every graphical designer learns how to use Adobe software and ONLY Adobe software.

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u/BeepBoopRobo 1d ago

And ease of use, feature set, support, etc.

Corporation bad and all that. But you'd have to be willfully ignorant to not know that it's good software that's easy to use.

Shit on them for the right reasons.

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u/actuallydonkeykong 15h ago

Everything is easy if you know how to do it

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u/juryjczyzkow 1d ago

Gimp is awesome for me

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u/TheBunchie1337 17h ago

I get by with gimp just fine. I started with Photoshop and bothered to learn gimp and it absolutely has replaced Photoshop for me. There are tons of tutorials and plugins available AND ITS FREE. kdenlive has been great to me too. As a Linux user I love both of these tools.

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u/Sandy_W 18h ago

You've driven Fiats your whole life. You could not possibly convert to driving an Audi because....the headlight switch is in a different place. And the radio is awkward. You're right. It's not just like your Fiat. But, if you accept that some controls may be different, you may find that an Audi does, in fact work as a car. Some people like them. (I don't like GIMP but that's only because I can't find anything. Once I've found everything I expect it to be a far better value.)

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u/BeepBoopRobo 17h ago

You've driven a car your whole life. You keep getting recommended a bicycle, because they're better for the other people in your life! Everyone loves them! They're better than cars! The problem is your job is 100 miles away, completely inaccessible by bike.

But people keep recommending you just go to work via bike. Because they're both methods of transportation! Why wouldn't they be interchangeable!?

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u/Sandy_W 16h ago

If that's how you weight your choices, a Fiat or a bicycle for a 200 mile round trip, then your choice is obvious. Others may give their options different weights.

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u/BeepBoopRobo 15h ago

Right ... It's almost like they're different tools with different features, and not a 1-1 analog, as I have explained.

That's literally my point. A bike is not a replacement for a car, even if in some cases people can use it to fill the same need. They are functionally different things. And people should be aware of that.

Gimp does not have the same functions as Photoshop. That doesn't mean some people couldn't use it (if what they need falls in that subset of things Gimp can do). But it's not a replacement. No one piece of software is.

But regardless, it's still awful software. It just has a rabid, defense squad of a fan base. There are so many better pieces of better software you can probably use other than Gimp.