What's the best inexpensive software to use?

[LAW]

I'm just starting out and have no idea which software to buy. I used Picture It! many years ago, but no longer have it. I don't want to spend an outrageous amount of money and I want something simple (doesn't require reading a 200 page manual).

[Amanda]

I would suggest checking out Digital Scrapping 101 (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/Scrapping101/basics.shtml) Step 2 talks about choosing a program.

[AmyD]

I love love love pse2 but of course I am slightly partial cause that is all I have ever used. They say you can do more with the other programs but for $59 at walmart I love love love this program!!!!!

[karlazs]

I love PSE2 for the price. This weekend I saw that either at Best Buy or CompUSA (don't remember which one) you could get PSE2 and Photoshop Album bundle for 89. Is a good price and worth getting both. I have also seen the bundle price on Amazon.com.

[Emma]

Photoshop Elements (PSE), Photoshop CS, and Paintshop Pro ALL have free trial downloads. Those are what I'm using! Here are the links:
http://www.adobe.com/products/tryadobe/main.jsp#product=40
scroll down to find CS and Elements, 30 day trial to see if you like it. Elements is a scaled-down version, but I don't see how it's any easier to learn than CS. The same basic functions, just CS has more advanced stuff, so starting learning curve seems the same to me so far, maybe CS is a little harder interface to use. But for the price PSE is great.

Paintshop Pro (PSP) is more in depth, but might be more powerful than PSE, I don't know yet. Maybe slightly easier to learn, but not much if at all. Powerful, great price, runs very slowly if your system is older. Here's the trial download of that one:
http://www.jasc.com/products/trialreg.asp?pid=k-psp8-usdir

DIP I'm sure has some sort of trial too, but I've never looked for it. I don't knock software because many use and love DIP, but DIP is quite limited and I wouldn't recommend it. Though our designer Tina Chambers makes amazing things with it, so as with everything, your mileage may vary! It's about $100 and doesn't do nearly what PSE and PSP do for the same price. But it's super user-friendly, which is why people buy it. But the reason it's so easy is because it's not very powerful. Maybe Tina will chime in here and list the reasons why she uses it, and weigh them against the drawbacks.

There are others out there, but in my opinion either PS, PSE, or PSP is the way to go. You can use CorelDraw and others, but the support just isn't there the way it is for these others. Our desinger, Kim Liddiard, uses Corel and another and can help you if you decide to go that route.

Try amazon.com USED software, outstanding prices. Just bought PSP 8.1 for $30! And PS 7 for $100 (the upgrade to CS would be another $170). Ebay also has great used prices, and buying an old version and paying the upgrade fee is the cheapest way to start.

Have fun! We're always here for more questions!

[Amanda]

I have to disagree on the DIP. It "can" be a very powerful program because it supports plug-ins and it also offers many built-in filters that other programs do not. It may not be as powerful as a stand alone...because you do need plug-ins to do things like beveling, etc. I think it is a great program for beginners.

[scrapinn2boys]

PSE2-is that Photo shop Elements 2? I'm looking on ebay and found a adobe photoshop 5, is that the same thing just higher? So confused! Really want to get into this but want to do it cheap if possible. Thanks

I love love love pse2 but of course I am slightly partial cause
that is all I have ever used. They say you can do more with the other programs but for $59 at walmart I love love love this program!!!!!

[elizabethlmccoy]

Photoshop 5 is not the same as elements...it is the big brother of elements...more advanced program. Photoshop 5 is out dated though (still usable it is what I have) They are up to Photoshop 7 & photoshop CS.... from what I understand you can upgrade to the newest version of photoshop with elements...so I'd suggest....going with what is cheaper then you can learn the program and really get familar and one day upgrade to a newer photoshop.

Elements is easy to learn...and it is newer than photshop 5

Does that help???? :confused:

[Amber]

Elizabeth-

you can upgrade to Photoshop CS if you have PSE? Thats pretty cool!

[Emma]

PSE (Photoshop Elements) is the home version of Photoshop. Adobe caters to graphic designers, professionals, and Photoshop is the professional standard. Elements is a little more user friendly in the interface appearance and has less options, more default, less customizable, but more than enough for most home users. Scrappers demand more from their software than the average home user, but Elements is still a great program even for scrappers.

The cheapest way to get Photoshop (legally) is to buy an old version and pay the $169 upgrade fee. If that fee is the same for registered Elements users, that is a GREAT deal! I saw Elements at Wal-Mart the other day for $58, not on sale.

PS 5 is pretty old, and won't do the things you see the PS 7 or CS users accomplishing. To me, Elements seems a lot like PS 5 or 6, so for $58 Elements seems the way to go (unless you can't upgrade to PS from Elements, in that case you'll want to buy an old PS and upgradeJ).

Older versions are on ebay, but Amazon has great used software prices (got Paintshop Pro 8.1 for $30, and PS 7 for $150) and Half.com also has great used prices. Check around, and check out if Elements can really be upgraded to PS too!
Have fun!

[Emma]

From the Purchase Upgrade Adobe store:

"Adobe Photoshop CS Upgrade
To install upgrade successfully, you will need a licensed version of Photoshop 7.0 or earlier on the same platform as this purchase.
NOTE: Upgrade does not apply to Photoshop Elements, Photoshop Album, Photoshop Limited Edition, or PhotoDeluxe licensed users."

Too bad...they'd never make any money if they allowed less expensive products to upgrade to different programs. Oh, well, then if you really want CS get the PS 5 and pay the fee. Don't know how you get "on the same platform as this purchase", I'll have to ask my sister since this is how she got CS herself.

[varanda]

I vote for either The Print Shop or Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer, both by Broderbund. Around $30. for each. Both are simple to use, easy learning curve and they offer lots of photo editing tools.

I'll post some of my page designs in the Gallery in a bit so you can see how effective these programs can be. My LO's are often mistaken for PhotoShop, but I just use these simple programs.

[Lauren]

If you used Picture It years ago then a natural progression would be to Digital Image Pro which is the latest incarnation of Picture it - you can do great work in it - I started my scrapbooking in Picture it - its simple to use and has many nice options - Of course it lacks a lot of the power of more expensive programmes but it has a nice easy learning curve

[Pam]

Broderbund's Print Shop also works with layers and it allows text boxes that can later be edited (PSP doesn't allow me that, have to remove and redo), and Print Shop reads "png" images as transparent. It also allows you to put photos on a page and then tell the program to arrange them equally across the page when you want them the same distance apart. You can also create greeting cards and brochures to get to know the program - there are many ready made templates and graphics. It also creates drop shadows and glow around objects. But the program does little to edit your photos like PSP or Photo Shop do, you can cut out a background, but the color correction and enhancement are not the same, and I don't believe you'd be able to create your own elements with it. You can export your layout in a jpg format, though.