GIMP 2.2.14 is released and I still question the name
I can speak out of personal experience for this because I've used GIMP many times before but I'm a habitual Photoshop user. Unfortunately Adobe CS2/3 is not cheap and therefore it's looking likely that I'll be using GIMP a lot more often in my place of work. It handles Photoshop files and complicated layers well so I have no quibbles over the functionality because it's a very capable application, but the name still concerns me.
I wrote back in October that some applications are let down by naming and my concerns still stand. Explaining to your management team that you could use GIMP as an alternative to Photoshop will likely conjur images of a PVC clad, moustached man and no doubt produce a chuckle or two. Not the best way to get buy-in. Yes it's free but it also has a silly name and silly names don't normally equal "good product". I'd no sooner feel comfortable announcing that the department should use a photo-manipulation application called GIMP than I would recommending a Word Processor called "Hooker"
Of course this is only to "non-techie" types. It's an excellent application but I still prefer Photoshop (although that's largely because I'm more familiar with it). The GIMP is a distinctive name but I still think (several months after the original article) that the name could prove a stumbling block in the place where it really stands to gain the most. Workplaces where Photoshop licenses are an issue.
Please visit the GIMP site for more information on the latest release.
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