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The software can be used to edit digital graphics and photographs.
Its typical uses include creating graphics and logos, resizing
and cropping photos, changing colours, combining images using
a layer paradigm, removing unwanted image features, and converting
between different image formats. The GIMP can also be used
to create simple animated images.
Features
It uses GTK+ as its widget toolkit (the part of the program
that builds the user interface). GIMP and GTK+ were originally
designed for the X Window System running on Unix-based operating
systems, but have been ported to Microsoft Windows, OS/2,
Mac OS X and SkyOS.
The GIMP can be automated with macro programs. This allows
for the writing of scripts and plug-ins for the software that
can be used interactively; it also makes production of images
possible in a non-interactive manner.
The plug-in named PSPI (for the Microsoft Windows version
of the GIMP) allows the use of the 8bf Adobe Photoshop filters
in the GIMP.
Limitations against Photoshop
· The number of plug-ins and other add-ons available
for Photoshop is larger
· GIMP has an experimental CMYK separation support
· GIMP has almost no spot colour support
· GIMP has limited gamma support
· GIMP has limited colour management through LCMS
· Photoshop includes licensed support for the Pantone
colour matching system
As the GIMP was originally designed for Unix-based operating
systems, it becomes difficult to use the software on Windows
without the GIMP Deweirdifyer plug-in. The GIMP uses separate
toolboxes, colours, brushes, etc. for each image. Without
Unix-style focusing, or multiple virtual desktops (which are
solely available on the Windows platform by installing special
add-ons), the windows are difficult to move between.
Other products
Cine Paint (formerly known as Film Gimp) is a tool specially
customized to paint and retouch frames of movies, using a
frame manager and onion skinning. This tool also offers greater
colour depth than the GIMP — 32 bits (floating point)
per channel, rather than 8. It was forked from GIMP version
1.0.4.
Macromedia Fireworks
Developed by Macromedia, Fireworks or ‘FW’ is
a bitmap and vector graphics editor, which is also a part
of the Macromedia Studio MX suite. With features such as slices
and the ability to add hotspots, it is aimed at the web designing
community and integrates easily with other Macromedia products,
such as Dreamweaver and Flash.
Although similar to Adobe Photoshop, it does not offer the
range and sophistication of features of the latter. The latest
version of Fireworks available is version 8, designed for
both Windows and Macintosh users.
Features
Fireworks contains a number of features that make it unique
as well as a viable alternative to Adobe Photoshop or other
graphic editing softwares.
Docked Menus
All menus and even some extensions can be docked in the Fireworks
environment. This ensures that windows will never get in the
way of the drawing palette. Within the docks, menus can be
collapsed and expanded to allow a high level of accessibility
as well as convenience.
Toolbar
The tool bar in FW contains 34 buttons altogether. The main
tools are listed below:
The Pointer Tool contains a submenu of 2 items. It is represented
by a black-filled cursor.
· Selection Tool
· Select Behind Tool
The Subselection Tool does not contain a submenu. It is used
to select elements within an entity, such as a waypoint in
a vector path.
The Scale Tool contains a submenu of 3 items. It is represented
by a box with a diagonal arrow.
· Scale Tool
· Skew Tool
· Distort Tool
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