[olug] The GIMP (was: Re: [olug] q:tools to create block diagrams)

[Dave Burchell]

On Sat, Aug 25, 2001 at 07:55:24AM -0500, Jay Woods wrote:
> I've been told several times about gimp. The program has been less than
> transparent on how to use it. Could we have a session on the use of
> gimp? ---Jay
> 
> Jay Woods wrote:
> 
> > I've never gotten past the first tool I used to create diagrams, xfig,
> > once I left windows. Even tho it is has no libraries of pieces (no
> > longer true), I've used it to create:
> >
> >    * computer network diagrams,
> >    * program flow diagrams (solved),
> >    * organic chemical equations (solved),
> >    * laboratory equipment setups,
> >    * chemical plant flow sheets (solved) and
> >    * house plans.
> >
> > Are there better tools for linux?

I'd be happy to show you some of the basics of The GIMP, but I'm no
expert, just a duffer.

I believe the main reason The GIMP is hard to learn is its similarity
to Photoshop.  Most people interested in The GIMP have already used
Photoshop, and The GIMP is, from a features standpoint, largely a
Photoshop clone.  (Flame insurance: Yes, The GIMP has many cool
features Photoshop lacks.)  Most GIMP users have already learned
Photoshop, so there is no need for them to learn The GIMP.

That said, depending on what you want to do, The GIMP is easy.  Pick up
a GIMP book or visit one of the on-line tutorials.  Once you get past a
few gotchas you will be cropping and adjusting colors on digital images
to your heart's content.

BTW, since you bring this up following a discussion of xfig I should
point out that The GIMP is no xfig.  xfig is vector oriented: you tell
it what shapes you want, what size you want them, and where they should
go.  xfig keeps track of this, allowing you to move or delete shapes
any time.  The GIMP, OTOH, is mainly concerned with raster data.  It
keeps track of fields of pixels, allowing you to change their color, do
effects, lay pixels from one field down on top of another, erase all
pixels in a given region, etc.  Although both are graphics packages,
xfig and The GIMP are very different tools with a very different way of
working with images and are useful with different problem domains.
(The fact that they both exist and thrive is a good clue to this fact.)
You might use them together for some projects, but you probably
wouldn't want The GIMP for any of the bullet points you listed above.

But everyone probably knew that.

-- 
Dave Burchell                                          40.49'N, 96.41'W
Free your mind and your software will follow.              402-467-1619
http://incolor.inetnebr.com/burchell/                  burchell at acm.org     

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