Post #4009823

2026-07-22 09:22 UTC

@bryan@dusty.ninja the thing is, I always hated Photoshop and used to like GIMP OK. I didn't like Photoshop because of the cost (though I did buy Adobe Creative Suite way back for compatibility with designers and clients) but also because I had to reboot into Windows to use it and that sucked. But, it really feels like everything in GIMP has changed, and for the worse. Like, it's just really complicated and confusing now in ways I don't remember it being...at least 20 years ago, when I used to spend a lot of time poking around in bitmap graphics. All my web graphic work moved to Inkscape at least that long ago, so it's entirely possible I've just forgotten everything about the GIMP, but it feels intentionally obtuse and mysterious. Now I think I know how my dad felt when Autodesk stopped shipping AutoCAD for DOS. Nothing's where I want it to be and nothing acts like I expect.

Replies (2)

@bryan@dusty.ninja 2026-07-22 10:36

@swelljoe@mas.to I never really spent time editing pics. So all of these apps are totally annoying and new to me when I need to do something. Usually I’m just adding an arrow or something for a post… I think I’m with you on using Python or command-line tooling. Perhaps there is a way to have an LLM drive GIMP? I can relate to your dad. When I was at community college right out of high school, I had a job designing control panels for industrial powder coating machines. I learned AutoCAD for DOS in high school, but the job had Windows AutoCAD and I had to practically relearn everything. Each customer wanted their own panel look/feel or options, so every machine needed different buttons, lights, switches, etc. Everything was analog still. The pay was so terrible I quit and got a job in the computer lab at the college, paying the same. Never touched AutoCAD again.

Open ##4009822
@CmykStudent@fosstodon.org 2026-07-22 14:53

@swelljoe@mas.to @bryan@dusty.ninja We get a good balance of comments that GIMP's UI has changed and made things worse, and also that GIMP's UI *hasn't* changed in 20 years and we need to make it different. :) We have UX site where people can post feedback on the UI/UX, and then we try to improve based on that. If you're interested in sharing the issues you had, the site's here: https://gitlab.gnome.org/Teams/GIMP/Design/gimp-ux/-/work_items

Open ##4231423