Computer software piracy, mystery solved!

[dawnrazor]

Well its taken a bit of research but I reckon I've worked out why computer software piracy is so rampant!

Popped into my local 'pooter shop with the express desire to pick up Adobe Photoshop, hopefully a multi license version. I reckoned it would be a couple of hundred bucks or something. Wow, was I wrong. $1200 single user basic version. $2400 single user for the full monty (PS, illustrator etc etc and others).

$2400 I'd buy a computer for that....


So you try to do the right thing :innocent: and you get slapped in the face with that kinda crap, I'm in shock (and currently searching the web *ahem*).

As an aside, I mentioned this story to the I.T. bloke at work and he suggested looking for similiar software from GIMP, anyone got any feedback on GIMP. Seemingly its open source freeware copies of major current software names and products...all above board etc etc......

[outlawtorn]

I've only ever heard good things about GIMP, but at the end of the day Photoshop is better because of the volume of things it can do for you.

Tryout www.sourceforge.net to see if they have GIMP on there.....hope this helps....

[phaedrus]

Here you go. http://gimp.org/windows/ I like it, but i don't do anything "advanced" so i couldn't tell you what is lacking from photoshop

[idleidolidyll]

buy Corel Graphics Suite.
It has 90%+ of the components of photoshop and costs less than a quarter of photoshop with much cheaper upgrades.

Basically it will do everything most people need..

http://www.itdlogistics.com.au/products.aspx

[vifferman]

Gimp's OK. The price is right, but I find it more confusing to use than say PaintShop or PhotoShop.

[pervert]

Adobe Photoshop is piss easy to find off torrents or other P2P. Just do it...:yes:


http://isohunt.com/torrents/?ihq=photoshop+adobe

[imdying]

GIMP is no photoshop. Good for cropping pictures, but not a lot else.

[dawnrazor]

Cheers folks...I'm currently looking at *ahem* other *ahem* avenues...ya haven't seen me roight......:rockon:

[Ixion]

It's The Gimp . Graphics editing suite. Originally developed for Linux then ported for Windows. Like most Linux stuff, very powerful, but not as easy to use as Windoze. Under the GPL licence so free, legit, you can give anyone a copy. I use it. Get it from http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html. Youll need the GTK package also .

[Dai]

Strictly for evaluation and educational purposes only:whocares:

[Grub]

I mentioned this story to the I.T. bloke at work and he suggested looking for similiar software from GIMP, anyone got any feedback on GIMP. Seemingly its open source freeware copies of major current software names and products...all above board etc etc......

I am Vice Prez (emphasis on Vice) of the Wellington Photographic Society http://www.wps.org.nz and we suggest that people get GIMP for basic editing and formatting. It uses a fraction of the resources Photoshop does. Another really good alternative is PaintShop Pro which I have personally been using for the last 7 years. It does everythng Photoshop does with a quarter of the overhead and a quarter of the price. I have both Painshop Pro and Photoshop CS but never open Photoshop.

Brett

[Wasp]

I use Macromedia Fireworks (also costs alot) for my things - never could get my head around photoshop

torrentspy dot com for torrents
ircspy dot com for xdccs in irc

[Sam I Am]

the education version is a lot less !!!

[svs]

if you like the photoshop interface. try http://www.gimpshop.net/ - GIMP with a different UI.

[dawnrazor]

Thanks again folks...I probably should have mentioned that I'm on a mac.......tumble weed...................


Come back, I won't mention it again, anyone know good torrent sites for macs?

I unfortunetly need PS for compatability reasons with other people etc...

[dawnrazor]

the education version is a lot less !!!

what do you need for that, a student card or something, I could kidnap one outside AUT and get them to buy it for me.....hmmmmm...whats "a lot less"? howmuch?

[limbimtimwim]

The GIMP is all good.

Since they added the menus across the top of the image you are working on, many people's confusion has gone.

Use The GIMP until you have hit it's limit, and they consider purchasing something else. But I reckon most won't hit it's limit. And, if you think you are up to it, you could try writing your own plugins to do the stuff you need.

[riffer]

Read your PMs Dawnrazor.

I can solve your problem.

[Dai]

Thanks again folks...I probably should have mentioned that I'm on a mac.......tumble weed...................


Come back, I won't mention it again, anyone know good torrent sites for macs?

I unfortunetly need PS for compatability reasons with other people etc...


torrent spy has a MAC section, never looked at it myself but I pointed my brother in law to it and he goes there a lot.

[dawnrazor]

Read your PMs Dawnrazor.

I can solve your problem.

Thaks again mate.

Hey everyone, a bloody good chap that riffer!

[avgas]

i use ms paint cos i can

[riffer]

Thaks again mate.

Hey everyone, a bloody good chap that riffer!

FWIW everyone, Dave's problem was solved legally.

[Beemer]

It's pathetic when you see how much things cost - I waited years to get Photoshop CS2 and ended up getting it while I was a student so it was about $400 instead of $1200. Ridiculous, it's the same stuff!

[riffer]

Yes, but the point is, people who use CS2 professionally are going to make a lot of money out of it, so it's a legitimate expense.

Adobe are practically giving the software away to amateurs at those prices, in the hope that they will train up, become professionals and use their software.

Yes, its expensive. But so are mechanics tools. Same thing.

[pervert]

Yes, its expensive. But so are mechanics tools. Same thing.

No they aren't, you can't get Snap On tools for free anywhere near as easily...:laugh:

[dawnrazor]

FWIW everyone, Dave's problem was solved legally.

Yeah I like legally :innocent: that works for me :yes:

cheers riffer and thanks everyone else for the suggestions :first:

[avgas]

No they aren't, you can't get Snap On tools for free anywhere near as easily...:laugh:

Well someone sodded volvo driver got mine easy enuf

[The Pastor]

its a nuts hard programe that take a huge team of hardkore leet guys to make so the price tag reflects that it is industry standerd and awesome.

I bought a 2nd hand computer with it on it. I don't know if its legal or not.

[riffer]

No they aren't, you can't get Snap On tools for free anywhere near as easily...:laugh:

Unless you steal them. Same thing really.

[riffer]

its a nuts hard program

I actually find it easy.

However, I've been using it since 1991 (version 1.5) and was on the beta test team for versions 3 and 4 so I've been with it for a while.

Feel free to ask if you need any help with it. :yes:

[PuppetMaster]

I can get you Microsoft Paint for $100 :dodge:

[The Pastor]

I actually find it easy.

However, I've been using it since 1991 (version 1.5) and was on the beta test team for versions 3 and 4 so I've been with it for a while.

Feel free to ask if you need any help with it. :yes:

I was refering to the programming side of making it......

[avgas]

I can get you Microsoft Paint for $100 :dodge:

Is that on Knoppix ;)

[Street Gerbil]

Welcome to the real world, Neo!
I happened to purchase a CNC milling machine for my business once and I remember the shock of discovering that hardware was by far the cheapest part. Any decent 3D cad/cam costs at least ten times as much as hardware it operates.

[sedge]

try http://www.getpaint.net/index2.html

Sedge.

[NighthawkNZ]

have alook here ... all freeware (Real freeware)
http://freeware.quantumillusions.com/photoeditor.htm