Best FREE Graphics Program

[Rockonmetal]

Ok, I am looking for something like Macromedia Fireworks, but without the price. I am really looking for free, (or $1-$10). Its got 2 be cheap and good. PLEASE DON'T SAY PAINT! I DON'T LIKE PAINT!

THANKS ALL

[jscheuer1]

I hear The Gimp is good and free.

[thetestingsite]

Try the GIMP. (I'm not sure what Macromedia Fireworks is like, so I am not really doing a comparison.)

Either way, hope this helps.

EDIT: Sorry John, cross posted.

[tech_support]

Paint.net

[djr33]

I'd definitely recommend photoshop over fireworks. No question.

As for a cheap program, I like paint shop pro by jasc (unless someone has recently bought the company). It's a nice app that have really all the features of photoshop, if you know how to use them, for, I think, under $100. You might also be able to purchase an older version for even less. It's on version 10 or something at this point, but I'm quite happy with my copy of version 5.

Graphics isn't something that can really be done for $1-10, though you can get some free apps.

I've used photoshop a lot (and paint shop pro), and I recently installed GIMP as I didn't have anything on this computer (my laptop) for graphics. I absolutely hate it. Your experience may differe, but I find it incredibly hard to use and figure out, almost as if it were text-command controlled, in its intricate menus that are a pain to navigate. It seems to have all of the options that photoshop does, but they just don't work as well or at least not as intuitively.
It's certainly a great option for free, but if you're gonna do any serious graphics work, you should at some point just accept that it's somewhat expensive to do that type of thing.

Remember also that some limited editions and such are cheaper, without some of the advanced features you may not need. Photoshop Elements is I think $200, and has basically everything you'd need, and you wouldn't know the difference unless you're an advanced photoshop user. In fact, it's actually designed to be more user friendly. (It is kinda a pain to those who know PS well, as it does things automatically at times, but if you're new to it, I'm sure it would be a help.)

[ddadmin]

Paint.net is awesome. Microsoft should ditch its own Paint program and bundle that with its OSes instead. I love the interface, and it's very intuitive. And of course, can't beat free.

[Twey]

I find it incredibly hard to use and figure out, almost as if it were text-command controlled, in its intricate menus that are a pain to navigate.

Interesting, I find roughly the same thing with Photoshop
Paint.NET looks very similar to the GIMP, from that screenshot. Also, it's Windows-only (the name lies! It's not .NET-based at all).

[DimX]

Also, it's Windows-only (the name lies! It's not .NET-based at all).

Umm , Twey, Paint.NET is based on .NET framework.

[Twey]

It isn't, it's a native Windows PE (or at least the installer is).

[BLiZZaRD]

The GIMP for a free version of Fireworks, very similar without the exporting to Flash add ons.

If you don't like the GIMP (some don't) you need PhotoShop, that is all there is too it.

You DON'T want to buy PS ($500+ bucks) BUT you can find deals on ebay if you look hard enough