Some people complain about software that is open-source and/or free. While I’ll admit that these programs can be a little “buggy” at times, I am still a fan of free and open-source software as you can try out and have a copy of the full version with no out-of-pocket costs.
Here are a few of my favorites:
GIMP: http://www.gimp.org/
Considered the free, Photoshop alternative.
From the website: “GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed program for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. It has many capabilities. It can be used as a simple paint program, an expert quality photo retouching program, an online batch processing system, a mass production image renderer, an image format converter, etc.”Reviews: There are a number of tutorials for learning the program, depending on your skill level and wants. However, the interface is fairly intuitive with tools commonly found in Photoshop. It works on all platforms and maintains a similar interface across all for better usability. Like Photoshop and other programs, GIMP can be extended (filters, file formats, etc) through plug-ins, which are also free and open source.
Not a raster-based program like Photoshop (which is great for editing photographs), InkScape is a free vector-based digital line drawing and design program. Most people use a combination of both raster and vector programs for most projects. InkScape works on all platforms – PC, Mac, and Linux. There’s also a weblog of tutorials for learning the program, what it’s capable of, and ideas for utilizing its features.From website: “An Open Source vector graphics editor, with capabilities similar to Illustrator, CorelDraw, or Xara X, using the W3C standard Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format. Inkscape supports many advanced SVG features (markers, clones, alpha blending, etc.) and great care is taken in designing a streamlined interface.”
Reviews: Typical of open-source programs, some people have complained that the program crashes when loading templates, etc. However open-source programs are constantly being updated to improve stability, usability, and functionality, so “bugs” come and go quickly. InkScape has been around for over 5 years, still actively developed, and getting better with age!
Scribus: http://www.scribus.net/canvas/Scribus
An open-source desktop publisher (think InDesign). Available for all platforms: PC, Mac, and Linux. Like most, they also have a help wiki and tutorials of how to use the program and features. From website: “Underneath a modern and user-friendly interface, Scribus supports professional publishing features, such as color separations, CMYK and Spot Color support, ICC color management or versatile PDF creation.”
Reviews: Some reviewers find Scribus to have more functionality when exporting files than other desktop publishing programs, however, because it is a free program it does not have Pantone color integration (which is copyrighted and must be licensed).
Blender: http://www.blender.org/
Not an image editor, Blender is a free, open source 3D modeling and animation program. Since 3D modeling can be somewhat complex (but amazing once you master it!) there are lots of tutorials to help out new users.Reviews: Some people tell me that they found past versions of this program to be “clunky,” “buggy,” and not very intuitive. However I have yet to find a 3D modeling program that is intuitive and easy to use!
Okay, so it’s not image editing or vector drawing. But it is a free, open-source audio editor. I use it a lot for recording, cutting, and processing audio files like voiceovers. It has a simple interface and is easy to use.
No comments:
Post a Comment