LINUX DESIGN SOFTWARELinux is quite confusing. Windows has only one type, well one main type, of course now there is Windows Media Centre and Windows 64 Bit, but Linux has lots and lots of different Distributions.
The Distributions are all capable of different things, so you should carefully decide which Distribution to Download. The majority of Linux Distributions are available for Free, as is most of the Software.
A Windows User first switching to Linux may be lost, the Windows applications are not compatible (without the use of another Program) with your Linux System. So each and every Software application that you have installed on your Windows Computer, you must research and find a Linux equivalent.
It’s not actually as difficult as it sounds, there are Free Software Packages that can replace most of the Tools you use on a Windows Computer, see below:
A list of equivalent Programs for Linux:
What we’re interested in looking at in this article is Design Software, just what Design Software is available for the Linux Platform ?
Well Gimp is the most popular Graphics Editing Program for Linux, it’s completely Free and it’s got quite a few Features. Gimp is almost good enough to rival Photoshop, although unfortunately its User Interface lets it down a little bit.
Saying that Gimp is more intuitive than it first appears, if anybody takes the time to learn how to use it, you will find it quite good. Photoshop is not the most intuitive program itself we do not know, why it is as popular as it actually is.
Gimp can be used to Edit your Photos, or create Graphics for Websites. Pretty much anything Photoshop can do, Gimp can also do. You can even print from it! The only problem may be locating the correct Printer Driver, and even if you do you may have to try several different Drivers.
Of course if you really can’t live without Photoshop but you’re sick of Windows then help may be at hand. You could wait a lifetime until Adobe finally realise that there is enough demand, or a better option is to try using Wine.
Wine is an Emulator that runs on Linux, and you can use it to run Programs. Of course how successful this is we don’t know. One of Wine’s supporting Programs is Photoshop, but there are several Bugs that seem to affect this Software Program.
The idea of Linux is fantastic, it’s Free, everybody loves something for Free! And it’s lovely and stable. The problem is Support, because when you buy Windows there is a lot of money behind it.
There is a lot of Support available at Windows, even for beginner Users. Linux does not have anywhere near the same level of Support, especially for beginners.
The Free Software such as Gimp is also not exempt from this problem, sure there are plenty of tutorials on the internet, but there is no Support number to Phone, if it won’t run on your system for some mysterious reason.
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