Photo Editing Software recommendations

[EddieWalker]

I want to play around with some pictures of Oscar and then put them on a t shirt before I go on my cruise. I don't have anything that will do this and was looking online for a program, but haven't found anything that I feel will be simple and easy to use. I'm a little nervous about downloading something for free because of getting a virus or something else that seems to take over and cause me troubles.

What do you use?

Thanks,
Eddie

[MasseyWV]

What do you use?

I've used Photoshop for years, but it's not for the beginner.

[DKCDKC]

I normally use Photoshop, but have used GIMP. It's not as intuitive as Photoshop and some of the expensive alternatives, but you can do simple things pretty well, and there are some online help blogs and such where you can learn more. It has a help system and tutorial that can also help. It has some drawbacks, but works well. And it's free. It's been around a while and a download does not bring any viruses or such - although your firewall should block most anyway.
Try - Get Gimp - Like Photoshop, Only 100% FREE

[/pine]

By far one of the best and useful image editing programs is 'Irfanview'....not only that it is 100% free...

The developer of this software has refused offers of millions of dollars to make it a commercial app...he insists on keeping it free...

Download and install all the plug-ins and it is even more powerful

IrfanView - Official Homepage - one of the most popular viewers worldwide

[brin]

I normally use Photoshop, but have used GIMP. It's not as intuitive as Photoshop and some of the expensive alternatives, but you can do simple things pretty well, and there are some online help blogs and such where you can learn more. It has a help system and tutorial that can also help. It has some drawbacks, but works well. And it's free. It's been around a while and a download does not bring any viruses or such - although your firewall should block most anyway.
Try - Get Gimp - Like Photoshop, Only 100% FREE

Warning....Warning Wil Robinson - Have you read the user agreement on Gimp....no way I would agree to that...they want to track all the web sites you visit....read it very carefully...Eddie is right to be very cautious with these free programs....think about it...Nothing is free....follow the money always....

[brin]

I want to play around with some pictures of Oscar and then put them on a t shirt before I go on my cruise. I don't have anything that will do this and was looking online for a program, but haven't found anything that I feel will be simple and easy to use. I'm a little nervous about downloading something for free because of getting a virus or something else that seems to take over and cause me troubles.

What do you use?

Thanks,
Eddie

Eddie - I have used Google Picassa, a free photo editing and organizing program from Google...I have used it for years and it is great and easy to use...virus free...Picasa

[/pine]

Warning....Warning Wil Robinson - Have you read the user agreement on Gimp....no way I would agree to that...they want to track all the web sites you visit....read it very carefully...Eddie is right to be very cautious with these free programs....think about it...Nothing is free....follow the money always....

Actually there is some very good software that is 100% free... not all developers are as greedy/devious as some think... Irfanview is one of them...

As for tracking/spying/phoning home etc...almost all commercial software uses some sort of reporting/phoning home application....FYI...every time you open most commercial software applications they "phone home" and send data from your computer to the (home) company...including Microsoft, Adobe etc. etc....
it is very easy to prevent any program/application from connecting (outbound) to the net...just a use a good leak-proof firewall...it's simple....


IF you don't believe this....install a firewall and set it to report all outbound connections...then open just about any commercial software app....you will get a pop-up saying something like "Adobe is trying to connect to the Internet" allow/disallow...most firewalls will remember your selection...

In the same respect...if you want to see what scripts are running on web pages you visit...use Firefox and install the 'NoScript" add-on....then visit a web page and it will list all the scripts (spying/tracking etc) running on the page...

If you want a real scare...with NOScript running open a Facebook etc. page...it is unbelievable how many tracking/spying scripts are running...

GIMP is a great image editing/manipulation program...to use it without any tracking just set your firewall to block outbound connections for the program...

[/pine]

Eddie - I have used Google Picassa, a free photo editing and organizing program from Google...I have used it for years and it is great and easy to use...virus free...Picasa

Just curious...have you read all the Google application user agreements?....talk about scary....!

[murphy1244]

that's why I scan for cookies every now and then.

[brin]

Just curious...have you read all the Google application user agreements?....talk about scary....!

Yikes....I downloaded it years ago when it first came out...I think I was naive then, more naive than now maybe and I don't recall checking...So what am I in for....? I guess I better log into their user agreement and read what I signed....geez I hate this....So what you said in your previous post ...is there is basically nothing we can do except see who is tracking us...but we can't really stop them...right ?