Gimp sucks. Is there not anything better?

[Red Squirrel]

Interface is clunky as hell, even in window mode. It's easy to accidentally click somewhere and lose a tool or have something undock.

The way selecting/moving/transforming stuff sucks. To rotate it puts this dense grid so you can't even see wtf you are doing. You can't easily select something and then move it without making it another layer. When copy/pasting stuff it leaves lot of doted line artifacts all over.

Text, you have to type fonts manually... I have no idea what any fonts in Linux are, give me a list like every single other program would do! The font box also gets in the way and can't be moved.

Eye drop seems to work really weirdly, it seems to only grab what's in the current layer and not whats on the screen.

Tons of other little annoyances that make things take longer. Overall it's just a pain in the ass to use and something that would take 30 seconds in photoshop ends up taking 10 minutes then I just give up.

Is there anything better? Worse case scenario I can run photoshop in a VM but I'm trying to stay away from that as it kinda defeats the purpose of running Linux.

 

[lxskllr]

Gimp's the premier image manipulation package. I think you just need to take the time to learn it. It isn't meant to be a PS clone. It's its own package, with its own way of doing things.

 

[Jodell88]

I had a long post to help the OP with his troubles but I lost it somehow, so I'll say this.

PEBKAC, learn to use the application. I hardly use GIMP and I know that the points OP has can be fixed in two seconds.

 

[MrColin]

I feel your pain!
/billclinton

I had something going in Inkscape the other day and it crashed on me before I ever saved what took me a long time to accomplish. It was so discouraging. I was more familiar with GIMP when I started using photoshop and I think I had some of your same frustration. Things you learn earlier on seem intuitive, afterwards when you go to another app and things are different it seems wonky.

At least with GIMP you can flame the devs responsible, and file bugs. Its not so easy to do that with Adobe, or any other closed source vendor, even if the package is a little more polished.

 

[Crusty]

Do you really expect to be able to sit down and use a professional level tool like it's second nature? Instead of being intimidated by it and throwing out random "problems" do some reading about how to use it. There are tons and tons of tutorials out there.

Just because you might 'know how to use a computer' doesn't mean you are an 'expert in <insert random piece of software here>'. Learning to use your tools the correct way is one of the best things you can do for your productivity.

 

[Red Squirrel]

It's in my process of learning, that I've been finding all these quircks, like the way text/fonts work is aggravating. Having to manually type a font name, and the inability to easily add special effects like shaded letters and such.

I guess the nice thing with open source is I can always make my own modifications and it could serve as a coding learning project too. A font selection drop down where you can see how the fonts look like, as well as layer "styles" like in Photoshop would be nice. Maybe a project to add to my future projects list. Take gimp and make it more like photoshop. Would not be easy by any means though especially considering the amount of algorthms and such that must go in such program.

 

[lxskllr]

You don't have to type in a font name. Just click the button, and pick the font you want from the dropdown box.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I don't see any drop down, it's just a text box. Is it suppose to look different?

 

[Jodell88]

I now see your problem. You're missing a fundamental toolbox IMO.

 

[lxskllr]

Not sure what you've got going on there. When I pick a tool, I get options related to that tool lower in the box. Maybe try playing around with your toolbar settings.

 

[MrColin]

You need the "tool options" dialog open, I like it under the general toolbox.

Its under "Windows" > "Dockable Dialogs" > "Tool Options"

 

[Jodell88]

You're missing an important toolbox called tool options. It is located in the bottom left of the following screenshot. You'll find that much of your gripes about GIMP would be fixed.

EDIT: Darn you MrColin and lxskllr!!!

 

[Red Squirrel]

Actually that kinda goes with the whole issue if the interface being finicky and accidentally clicking the wrong thing can send toolboxes flying who knows where. Now that you posted that, I think I do recall seeing options there at one point and then next thing you know they were gone. I think it was brushes that were there though. Now those are somewhere else.

 

[Red Squirrel]

You need the "tool options" dialog open, I like it under the general toolbox.

Its under "Windows" > "Dockable Dialogs" > "Tool Options"

Thanks think I got it, yeah this is MUCH better.

Ok maybe I was quick to say it sucks. It seems by fixing this lot of the issues I had are solved.

Now if I can just fix my mouse issue, which is not related to gimp but something global.

 

[Jodell88]

Actually that kinda goes with the whole issue if the interface being finicky and accidentally clicking the wrong thing can send toolboxes flying who knows where. Now that you posted that, I think I do recall seeing options there at one point and then next thing you know they were gone. I think it was brushes that were there though. Now those are somewhere else.

If you click the little arrow above the toolboxes you can lock them so they can't move. Also, your changes to the toolboxes can be saved in preferences.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Thanks just found that option now so I saved it, so if it happens again I can hopefully just close and reopen.