GIMP

Thank you, Dave.

I just Googled Major Geeks, got on the website--but I see no American Flag. Could you give me a few more details that would lead me to this flag?

Thank you,
Squirrelly

Tell us what GIMP is, and we might be able to recommend something like it.

Try downloading here. Click the American flag
"MajorGeeks"

http://www.majorgeeks.com/The_Gimp_d4485.html

Thank you, Mary for your quick response.

GIMP is a relatively new photo-editing program that has been recommended to me by a certified "Geek." According to him, it IS a leigitmate program developed by two students at the Univ. of Calif. Why it is currently being offered for free, I don't know. But I do know that both of the developers are soon to graduate from UofC, and both already have good jobs. Perhaps spreading it around the internet and generating a lot of publicity for it and themselves has worked for them as the most effective "resumes" possible.

If you Google "GIMP," (should you care to bother) you will see explations far more informative than any I could make for what GIMP is and does.

Again, thank you, Mary for your quick response and your warning. I am and will remain exceedingly skeptical about anything free over the net that seems too good to be true.

Squirelly

P.S.: If anyone out there has any information that contradicts what I think I know about GIMP, I would welcome it most graciously.

Dear GideonD

Thank you very much.

I will soon be following your instructions and will let you know the outcome.

By the way; you say it can be "buggy." If you have the time, would you be good enough to elaborate on what you mean by "buggy?" Anything specific I should look out for?

Thank you again,
Squirrelly

I'm going to assume you want the Windows Version. Get it here.

http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net/stable.html

You want The GIMP for Windows version 2.2.13

And the GTK+ 2 Runtime Environment 2.8.18

Run the executable for the Runtime Environment first. Just follow the onscreen instruction.
Then run the GIMP for Windows installer, also following directions.

When you click on the links to download you basically want to select a server closest to you from the list for lowest transfer latency (faster download usually)

The GIMP is the closes thing you can get to Photoshop for free. It's a good program but can be a bit buggy.

Dear GideonD

I just went to the website URL you gave me, and it turns out this is one of the sites I have already tried to use. (By the way, you are correct that I want this for Windows XP.) I followed instructions as best as I could, and the result was that when I tried to make the final download from zipped files, I got an error message saying I'd used the wrong downloads for Windows XP and needed to download versions for "newer" operating systems.

Since I had worked hard to make sure I WAS downloading for Windows XP, I was left having no clue what to do next.

The troubles I've just outlined are what I'm talking about when I say please don't just tell me to "follow instructions." The instructions are obviously so technical, I can't make clear sense of them. Try as I may to do the download correctly, I foul up. I need step-by-step instructions for "DUMMIES."

If you, or anyone else, has the time and patience to walk me step-by-step through the process, I would be most grateful.

Again--thanks to all of you who are trying to help this technological Neanderthal that I am through the process of acquiring GIMP.

Squirrelly

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Mary G wrote:

As a certified "geek" I have no idea what gimp is.:smileyvery-happy: I would be wary of any of these "free" programs. Lots of hidden dangers often come with them.

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Squirrelly,

Install first the GTK+2 Runtime Environment version 2.8.18 for Windows 2000 and newer. Accept all the default installation options. Just click all the Next, Install, and Finish buttons.

Then install The GIMP for Windows version 2.2.13. Again, accept all the default installation options. Just click all the Next, Install, and Finish buttons.

Enjoy your program! I use Photoshop though.

Message Edited by sparkenh on 10-22-2006 11:16 PM

Okay, it sounds like you have the files downloaded correctly? Now are you opening the zip files like a folder using Windows XP and installing directly from the zip files? If so I'd extract the zip files to their own folders first and install from an uncompressed folder. Right click the file and choose Extract I believe. I've used these exact downloads on four different computers and have never run into the issue you are coming up against.

As for the bugs. The main one I've noticed is that the program tends to freeze and crash if I stroke a selection and then fill it without haveing saved recently. I'm not sure exactly what it causing it. The program itself will warn you that it has issues with dual core or hyperthreading systems. The system I've used it on the most is dual core. I may try setting the program's affinity to just one core and see if it helps.