GIMP dropped from default Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx installation

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Image editing tool GIMP is to be dropped from the default installation of Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx.

There are a number of reasons cited for this change:

• the general user doesn?t use it
  
• its user-interface is too complex
  
• it?s an application for professionals
  
• desktop users just want to edit photos and they can do that in F-Spot
  
• it?s a photoshop replacement and photoshop isn?t included by default in Windows?
  
• it takes up room on the disc
  

I?m guessing that Ubuntu?s ISO footprint was a big reason for the drop, because the more you add to the OS, the more megabytes are eaten up, and when you need that ISO to fit onto a CD, something might have to give.

I don?t see this being much of a problem though, as it?s a pretty straightforward task to download and install applications. And for those folks that don?t need GIMP, there?s always F-Spot there

Do people use GIMP, or is it too complex?is it too complex?

News source: ZDnet

[Rudy]

Good stuff, never used it myself and it doesn't stop people who need to to download it

[Syanide]

Lame.

On a side note, and I'm hoping this will turn out to be true, the LTS release might become "rolling", application-wise: click. But all I see is rumours on the site, I'm waiting for something official.

[iamwhoiam]

It's not an app that I'd want to use (yes, I have used it before) simply because I can't stand how it looks.

[ylcard]

"it?s an application for professionals"

No intention of starting a war here between potential fan boys, but -- I'm kind of laughing my ass off.

Why would a professional use GIMP when there's Photoshop ? After all it isn't very professional using a free software, oh yeah - that's just my opinion, hope that gives me the 50% Flame Resistance I so desperately need.

Oh, and I've never used GIMP, used Paint and Paint.NET.

[Aaron Veteran]

I have never had a need for GIMP. As you say, F-Spot ought to cover "most users" for what they would ahve used GIMP for anyway, which is basic photo touch ups/crops/etc.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

"it?s an application for professionals"

No intention of starting a war here between potential fan boys, but -- I'm kind of laughing my ass off.

Why would a professional use GIMP when there's Photoshop ? After all it isn't very professional using a free software, oh yeah - that's just my opinion, hope that gives me the 50% Flame Resistance I so desperately need.

Oh, and I've never used GIMP, used Paint and Paint.NET.

It's true though.

That it's an hilarious statement that is, it's nowhere near the level of a professional grade program, one glaring flaw I can think of is the lack of support for CMYK images (although that is changing, slowly)

[x-scratch]

It's not an app that I'd want to use (yes, I have used it before) simply because I can't stand how it looks.

same here cant stand the way it looks so i always remove it

[-KJ]

GIMP. The name itself doesn't sound very professional.

Yes, I know what it stands for, but seriously...

[FloatingFatMan]

A common issue with Linux apps, really.

[Kreuger]

I use it and I am by no means a professional. Ah well, I can always get it myself

[BajiRav]

• it's a photoshop replacement and photoshop isn't included by default in Windows…
  

what? :rofl:

messenger, MS Office, photo gallery, movie maker, web-server (to name a few) are also not included by default in Windows. Time to drop pidgin, openOffice, apache etc. ?

All other reasons may be valid, I don't really care/know but this one sounds at least a bit dumb.

[Sleepyguy02]

I use GIMP on both my Linux Laptop, and Windows PC at home and work. The main reason is because if I am working on something a little more complex than paint by itself can handle, it is nic to move it from one system to the other without formating issues...Same for OpenOffice.

It is simple enough to get it from the web so no big deal, just makes more room for linux goodies if it is not included in the distro.

[pyehac]

Lucid Lynx

Who comes up with these wacky names?

[Dc'1]

I suppose that's kinda good, I always hated GIMP :(.

[Raa]

And yet they don't put this stuff in the DVD isos... It's the golden age of broadband, downloading DVD isos isn't uncommon today, they should put more into the DVD iso and promot it more.

[zhangm Supervisor]

And yet they don't put this stuff in the DVD isos... It's the golden age of broadband, downloading DVD isos isn't uncommon today, they should put more into the DVD iso and promot it more.

Given the amount of CDs that they give out, the financial toll of sending out free DVDs would be too much of a burden.

And there would be outrage of course, if they started charging a fee for burned disks.

[ichi]

Oh well, "photoshop isn?t included by default in Windows"i>... yet I'd bet once the new GIMP with MDI, polaroids and all that stuff gets released they'll add it back.

Anyway GIMP doesn't have to be a direct Photoshop replacement to be still overkill for most users, feature wise, so it makes sense to not put it in the ISOs.

[CelticWhisper]

"it?s an application for professionals"

No intention of starting a war here between potential fan boys, but -- I'm kind of laughing my ass off.

Why would a professional use GIMP when there's Photoshop ? After all it isn't very professional using a free software, oh yeah - that's just my opinion, hope that gives me the 50% Flame Resistance I so desperately need.

Oh, and I've never used GIMP, used Paint and Paint.NET.

While I agree that Photoshop is more of a standard in graphic-design circles, I take issue with one thing you said. It is in no way unprofessional to use free software. If someone can accomplish a task with free software that would otherwise be accomplished using for-pay software, and can do it just as well with the free software as with the commercial package, then they have saved themselves or their employers money. To me, that's a very professional thing to do.

I use GIMP all the time at my job for scanning documents and editing/resizing/combining images. I've never had any trouble with it and people are always pleased as punch with the results.

[.Neo]

I use GIMP all the time at my job for scanning documents and editing/resizing/combining images. I've never had any trouble with it and people are always pleased as punch with the results.

One could do the same thing with an application as basic as Mac OS X' Preview.

[Growled Member]

This is probably a good idea. Ubuntu's target market is not the kind of people who regularly use the Gimp. For those who need it, it's an easy install.

[CelticWhisper]

One could do the same thing with an application as basic as Mac OS X' Preview.

Well...yeah, one could. Except I'm not using a Mac there, so...I can't.

I knew of GIMP from before working there, I know its capabilities, I'm familiar with it, so what's the problem?

[ylcard]

While I agree that Photoshop is more of a standard in graphic-design circles, I take issue with one thing you said. It is in no way unprofessional to use free software. If someone can accomplish a task with free software that would otherwise be accomplished using for-pay software, and can do it just as well with the free software as with the commercial package, then they have saved themselves or their employers money. To me, that's a very professional thing to do.

I use GIMP all the time at my job for scanning documents and editing/resizing/combining images. I've never had any trouble with it and people are always pleased as punch with the results.

True, it's just the way I think of it, always had for some reason.

I also didn't think about the whole Linux thing, is there even Photoshop available in Linux ? I don't know any other programs that can do photo manipulation other than these 4.. and from first hand experience I only know of GIMP that's for Linux, all others aren't (?).

[Farstrider]

"it?s an application for professionals"

No intention of starting a war here between potential fan boys, but -- I'm kind of laughing my ass off.

Why would a professional use GIMP when there's Photoshop After all it isn't very professional using a free softwareb>, oh yeah - that's just my opinion, hope that gives me the 50% Flame Resistance I so desperately need.Oh, and I've never used GIMP, used Paint and Paint.NET.b>

I'm also laughing my ass off! You slate the software, but you've NEVER used it! Run that past me again?? And.....why is it not "professional" to use "free" software?

Lucid Lynx

Who comes up with these wacky names?

I would ask the same about the guys who came up with names like: NT4, 95, 98, XP and 7: Not very original would you say? The other way to look at it is, Windows stays Windows and Linux stays Linux, no matter what version it is!:laugh:h:

[Lord Ba'al]

It's not an app that I'd want to use (yes, I have used it before) simply because I can't stand how it looks.

True, its interface is somewhat misbegotten.

If they got around to creating a decent interface, it would already be much better.