Why do you love your software?

[Emma]

With Software Wars coming up, and with so many frequently asking about why what program is better/different than another, I'd like to find out what YOU love or hate about your software, and what you do with it

PS: I love the power, it can do anything I imagine. Realistic elements are a snap using customizable layer styles

PSP: powerful, the same tools as PS, can make any page PS can make; elements are more difficult because no layer styles, and I don't like the stock filters

PSE: does a lot, easier to learn than big brother, but not a whole lot. PS just has a lot more in-depth features, but the beginning stages are similar. Can make awesome realistic elements if using premade, downloaded layer styles

Any others like DIP, FF, PI, or whatever else you use, let us know!

[valeri]

I use PSP and haven't ever used anything else. Its just what I have always used since forever and I know it well. I can make it do just about anything PS can do, but like emma said, it tends to take some time. I can't afford many of the commercial filters out there, so blade pro and eye candy (my big splurges) are it for me. Some of the stock filters are great others suck. Some of them really require alot of playing around with.

So, while I wouldn't turn down a gift copy of PS (lol), I really do love my PSP.

[Pam]

I have been using Paint Shop Pro since version 3, and am now using version 9. I really like that PSP includes a browser - allowing me to find and open files and photos. The tech support from JASC is wonderful. It provides all I need for what I use it for and more than I’ll ever learn about. The latest editions have great help for editing digital photographs - adding even more to it’s usefulness.

[Lauren]

Its been suggested in this house that I am more in love with photoshop than with my husband - and I guess its true at times ( sad person I am!!). Each day I open photoshop I am blown away by what I can create. There seems to be no end to its capabilities and despite my knowing the programme relatively well I learn something new every day.
I have used PSP but find it so limited in lots of its capabilities, bevel functions are basic in the extreme - there is so much that to create easily you must purchase 3rd party filters which all add to the cost of your initial purchase - making photoshop less expensive than it seems ( having said that it is a HUGE commitment in financial terms and seems to me to be a rather unnecessary purchase for a lot of the people who have it).
If I didnt create my own elements I would certainly be happy with PSE or PSP - but as it is my love affair will continue with photoshop till another programme comes up with another version of photoshops layer styles which make effect creating a breeze without spending another cent on external filters.

[andyapc]

I am learning PSE2 right now and I'm hoping that once it stops intimidating me ( :rolleyes: ), I will learn to love it as much as I love DIP9. DIP9 is just so easy. I am completely computer illiterate and was able to teach myself DIP9. From editing a photo to posting a layout on the web - it's EASY & FAST. For example, to resize a layout for webposting in PSE2 or PSP, there are several steps to follow. In DIP9, it's one click and you're done! Now, I don't make my own elements (I tend to be partial to a graphic design instead) so I can't really vouch for how well it performs in that area (although I've seen some pretty awesome things created in DIP9), but I just can't say enough about how user-friendly DIP9 is and how many beautiful layouts I've seen done in it. Although some filters/plugins don't work with it, most do but sometimes, depending on the type of layout I'm working in, I even prefer some of the built-in texture effects better than what any plugin/filter can do. I really think it's a wonderful program for anybody just starting out in digital scrapping as well as for the experienced scrapper who just can't afford the cost of PS.

[Therese]

I have DIP 9, PSP and PSE2. I am still new at this and learning and found DIP 9 to be wonderfully easy for beginners. I have started with elements cds and page kits from some great designers and already have some great pages.

PSP - I have had it on my pc since version 5 and I just kept upgrading it when JASC offered special upgrade prices. Intended to use it for web graphics once upon a time. I have not used it as I should so I am really inspired to learn this program. I have version 8 I believe right now and love the red eye tool in it. Just the best. I am still learning how to use my digital camera and I still end up with great pics of my nieces and nephews with red eyes. Darn! PSP lets me not only correct it but change their eyes back to their original gorgeous shade of baby blue so easily. Love it! I tried all the red eye tools I have in all my various graphics programs (seems like everytime you buy a scanner, printer, camera etc. you get something else to try!) and I decided this one was the winner on my pc!

PSE2 - came with my scanner. I open it, try and end up going to DIP. LOL! Think I will be enrolling in Emma's class on PSE! :)

Therese

[Margie]

well i must say at first i loved photoshop because my husband did and he could teach it to me. :p now i'm teaching him, but i still love it! and now that adobe just sent me ps cs i'm sure i'll love it even more!
i'm fortunate in my position that i get a lot of free software to evaluate for others, of course now i'm a little unfortunate that i don't have much time to do so anymore... ironic, don't ya think? :)
but ps is awesome for the power, once you get over the learning curve and dig into it.
pse is wonderful (especially pse3!) for beginners who are in it for the long haul and ready to learn a program then really dig in. but it does plenty, it's not just a stepping stone to ps.
psp is powerful also and seems to have the best help out there, in customer service and tutorials and help posted online.
dip is super easy to use, very basic and logical and i've heard the same about photo impact, but haven't tried it yet.

i'm also curious to hear why YOU all love what you use. from the art i've seen created with all of them, there's no clear winner software-wise, it's the hand of the artist using the software i know. but it's fun to hear why you love the one you love. (and no, not talking husbands here either!) :D

[TsMom]

Like, Andrea (andyapc), I'm a avid DIP fan. I love that it is easy to use and because my pages tend to be very traditional looking and simple it suits my needs perfectly. I love all the filters it has to make realistic textured backgrounds. It has it's drawbacks though. I wish it had more capabilities to manipulate photos and I wish I could create more elements without the use of expensive plug-ins or those that are memory hogs. I think its a great program for beginner and intermediate users and for those who don't want to make their own elements.

I also just downloaded the free trial of PSE 2 and I'm already enjoying it. It is hard to learn, but that's largely, it seems, because its is capable of so much. I love that there are tons of tutorials out there free and I love that I can do some realistic traditional looking elements without plug-ins. Also, I like that there are lots of additional tools and effects you can download for nothing. The files are huge compared to those of DIP, but for some reason, it still runs much smoother than DIP. Andrea mentioned that in DIP you can resize for web posting very simply, and that's true, but for me at least, it tends to hang up for a while sometimes. When I have resized in PSE 2, I just choose save for web, then pick jpeg medium, and reduce the file by half and that works fine for me.

I guess you can tell what I'll be asking for for Christmas. That said, I'm keeping DIP at least until I get used to working in PSE, but maybe longer.
LaWanna

[Meryl]

I use Photoshop & there is just nothing about it that I just don't love! When I started taking my first stumbling steps with Photoshop 6 I didn't even know how to open a new canvas & and didn't know anyone who knew anything about it, but somehow I was just SO excited by it. I worked through gazillions of online tuts to teach myself & then met the wonderful, helpful digital scrapbooking folk & my love & excitement grew by leaps & bounds!
Since my dh gave me CS for Christmas I love it even more!

[KayLynnT]

I use PhotoImpact8, and I LOVE it! It's been easy to learn, and it's great for web design as well as scrapping and photo editing. My only complaint is that there aren't a lot of scrap-related tutorials for PI.

KayLynn

[BonnyJean]

I have been using Picture It for several years to crop and "fix" my photos (since I got my digital camera). I'm new to digital scrapbooking so that is all I've been using. It sounds/looks like I could do better/cooler things with other software, but can't afford anything else right now, so I'm content to play with PI9.

Question: is Picture It version 9 the same as when people talk about DIP9? sorry for my ignorance!

[BonnyJean]

ok, now have another question...I'm thinking about upgrading my software, so I can do better, cooler things! lol I'm just not sure which to get..I'm going to go back over what everyone said and make a list... my question is this...

PS = Photo Shop?
PSE = what?
DIP = Digital Imaging Pro
PSP = Paint shop pro?

anything else? I know PI is picture it, because that is what i have.. thanks!!

[Margie]

pse = photoshop elements
and pi can also be photo impact! :)

[jamlscrapper]

I started with Picute it and upgraded to DIP. I love working with it. It really does everything I need it to do.

[BonnyJean]

thanks margie! didn't know aboutphoto impact! now to figure out which to get!

[Emma]

I'd say for a versatile program that won't break the bank, has good onboard features and can accept a lot of downloads too, as well as a lot of online tutorials, I'm really torn between PSE and PSP

PSP is the more powerful program, but with downloaded layer styles I think creating page elements in PSE is easier

Depends on what you wanna do: hard core page elements (paper style) I might choose PSE, or a lot of cool digital painting and montages I might choose PSP

I really can't choose between the two because I do both styles. PSP doesn't have layer styles, which I hate, and PSE brush engine is no good, which I hate. PSE has layer styles, PSP has great brush engine (PS trumps in both those features: whoa! but soooo expensive)

What I would do is download one free trial, take the intro class, then download the other trial and take the other intro class. See which you prefer and then buy it. Or buy both, that's what I did!

Good luck
PS I have a hard time giving totally unbiased opinions without showing a little bias, so hopefully I'm very objective. But honestly, the more I learn about both softwares, the more torn I become!

[BonnyJean]

good idea, Emma, thanks!! I'll have to do this!

[MaureenH]

I just read a very good photo editor software review (with file management software comments at the end) in PC World. It describes strengths and weaknesses of each of the programs. Link below

http://www.pcworld.com/resource/printable/article/0,aid,113446,00.asp

[rcreed]

My love is Photoshop. I've been working with it for over 3 years now. I started off with 5.5 and the 6.0 and 7.0 and now CS. It seems to get better and better. My advise if your going to buy Photoshop try to get an older version because the upgrade version is soooooooooo much cheaper. I bought the educational version of 7.0 for $300 and when CS came out I bought the upgrade version for about $180. The full version of CS will run you around $700. You can check out ebay or half.com for older versions. I have tried PSP and I didn't like it. I couldn't get it to do what I wanted it to do. I borrowed the software from a friend. My passion is photoshop. I like just about everything from Adobe.

[Emma]

Any other reviews? This is helpful for those deciding what to buy, what to upgrade, what to switch, etc

Thanks! Been interesting reading so far!

[elizabethlmccoy]

great tip about the cost of plugins...sometimes they can cost more than your program.

I've been using PSE for over a year now for digiscrapping and I've learned it pretty well...(although I'm sure there is alot I dont know) we'll i've just recently started using Photoshop 7 and I'm totally lost...somethings aren't in the same spot...I've got to figure this new stuff out. :)

[apccute14]

I have used both Photoshop CS and PSP 8... Both of them are awesome!! They're very useful! And I really love making a lot of graphics...!