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What is GIMP?
The GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is open Software. It's a free image and graphics manipulation application, which has almost no disadvantages compared to the commercial image processing program Photoshop of Adobe for a wide range of applications. The software is available under the GNU Public License and its target users are people that need professional image processing software, people that don't want to buy expensive licences, are open minded to free and open-source software and the advantages that results of using GIMP.
GIMP can be used to:
- create layouts for websites,
- to generate pictures and enhance existing images,
- and everything else that has to do with 2D (bitmap based) graphics.
Features
| Feature | GIMP 2.6 | PS CS3 |
| free software | yes | no |
| source code available | yes | no |
| doing your own scripts/plugins | yes | yes |
| alpha channels | yes | yes |
| protocol / journal for UNDO | yes | yes |
| bezier paths | yes | yes |
| layers and masks | yes | yes |
| channels | yes | yes |
| quickmask | yes | yes |
| filters (sharpen, gassian blur, polar coordinates, lightning effects, and many more) | yes | yes |
| color maniplation (curves, threshold, etc.) | yes | yes |
| layer effects | indirectly | yes |
| RGB-color channel | yes | yes |
| native CMYK support | no | yes |
| general color management | yes | yes |
| lab colors | no | yes |
| duotone support | no | yes |
| adjustment layers | no | yes |
| Liquify-Plugin | yes (IWarp) | yes |