photo software

[Jacob]

My laptop with Photoshop has packed up .
Is there a good free down loadable alternative?

 

[woodfarmer]

Think you will have fun downloading a laptop :
Gimp is good, although on the latest version they mave moved all the controls around so it takes a while to find anything.

 

[RogerP]

Gimp (set to single window mode)

http://download.cnet.com/GIMP/3000-2192_4-10073935.html

 

[DiscoStu]

You can get photoshop express which is a cut down version or you can get photoshop cc which is an ongoing subscription- not sure if that helps?

 

[Jacob]

Thanks all.
Having a look at Gimp.
Found free download for CS2 but it wouldn't install on my mac mini.

 

[AndyT]

It may be an old fashioned approach on a modern PC or Mac but I still use Google Picasa as a free picture organiser. It also includes editing tools for all the most useful functions - resizing, cropping, correcting colours and suchlike.
It's MUCH easier to use than a full-on professional tool like Gimp and (presumably) Photoshop.

 

[Racers]

Nikon NX-D is free if you use a Nikon and RAW files but it does work with limited functions for JPG, and +1 for Picasa

I get the full Adobe software free because I work for a University

Pete

 

[SteveF]

not sure how much editing you need

I use irfanview for my minimal needs

Steve

 

[DrPhill]

Thanks all.
Having a look at Gimp.
Found free download for CS2 but it wouldn't install on my mac mini.

I have installed GIMP on my (works) MacMini (as well as my Linux boxes). Works fine. GImp is very powerful out of the box, and there are plenty of pluggins. I found the learning curve a little steep after PaintShop, but now just keep googling for answers and have managed to do everything I have needed to do. I have also learned enough to appreciate the possibilities opened up by all the complexity, but have yet to take advantage of these.

 

[Mr Finch]

GIMP is great, just be careful if you google for tutorials...

 

[bugbear]

It may be an old fashioned approach on a modern PC or Mac but I still use Google Picasa as a free picture organiser. It also includes editing tools for all the most useful functions - resizing, cropping, correcting colours and suchlike.
It's MUCH easier to use than a full-on professional tool like Gimp and (presumably) Photoshop.

It's much harder to install on Linux! Wine?!

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

But the OP seems to have a Mac...

 

[bugbear]

But the OP seems to have a Mac...

People other than the OP may be reading.

BugBear

 

[petermillard]

Not free, but Pixelmator or Acorn are both good; each is about £20-odd, free trial downloads. Mac App store.

HTH Pete

 

[Eric The Viking]

+1 for Gimp.

If you want to organise photos as well as process them a bit, Corel Aftershot 2 is outstanding. It was bought by Corel as "Bibble" and renamed "Aftershot" after they'd owned it for a year, but it's been re-written extensively, and I think it's much better than it was (originally it was very good). It'll do photo corrections and retouching, and cataloguing. It's available from Corel for download (thety often have offers) for PC Mac and Linux. I've just switched to the Linux version from three earier versions of Bibble and one as Corel Aftershot. It's a lot less complex than Photoshop as it's intended for retouching, not wholesale mucking about. That said i find it extremely fast and effective. I think it's Adobe competitor is Lightroom, but I've never used that (don't like Adobe products much).

E.

PS: Happy to be a Microsoft-free household now. Not missing it so far.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

It might be worth checking the adobe website because about a year ago they were advertising free downloads of all their software but the versions were 2 releases out of date. Now for me, using Elements that was excellent because I have no need to be bang up to date. Worth a try if you don't mind being about 4 years behind the current release.

 

[Rhossydd]

they were advertising free downloads of all their software but the versions were 2 releases out of date.

Just to be clear, the CS2 downloads are for existing licence holders, they aren't "free".

 

[DiscoStu]

Bob is right. They did do that a while ago. We had a member of staff leave and she wanted the software and I sent her the link. I guess the offer has expired now.

 

[Jacob]

No it seemed to be free and was well on the way to installing when it said there was a fault. I'll try again.
In the meantime I've worked out it'd be a good idea to buy a 2nd hand Macbook with the software already in. Mine is 2007 and getting past it. Ebay here I come!

 

[Rhossydd]

Bob is right. They did do that a while ago.

No they didn't. CS2 never was "free" http://www.forbes.com/sites/adriankings ... -for-free/

Any more than a shop keeper leaving the drawer of his till open is giving away money.