[onefivenine]

I just rebuilt an old laptop today using ubuntu linux. I quite fancied a play about with linux for ages so here goes!

Just wondered if anyone here uses Linux. I have instructions to get CS2 running on it - not tried that yet. I see it comes with Gimp - any good?

Just wondering what other Linux users tend to prefer for photo editing.


Would have posted this in the Linux forum but there isn't one ...

[Beachball]

I have used Linux for about 3years on the servers I manage at work. Although Windows is less stable than Linux in my experience, I much prefer Windows for my home PC because I like the easy life and can't be fussed with fiddling around to get common applications working on Linux.

Let us know how you get on with CS2 on Linux... if that and other stuff works I might be swayed to convert my home PC to Linux one day.

[jonnypb]

linux too many long winded commands for me to do a simple thing. i prefer to click click

couple of people at work use it and they use gimp. they say gimp is very good and use it over photoshop but i guess it depends what you're use to and what you want to get out of a software package

[onefivenine]

Will definitely try to get CS2 running - the instructions are widely available via google.
Linux is totally new to me and a steep learning curve no doubt.
Will let you know how I get on, what I install etc. as I progress.
I like a challenge!

[onefivenine]

Well I got CS2 running on my linux laptop tonight . The shortcut keys don't work and I can't save my preferences but other than that it works! Camera RAW has disappeared too so need to fiddle some more! I wouldn't recommend doing this unless you have to!
Just fancied an experiment.
Will probably use this laptop when I'm away from home - portable storage/editor . It's got wireless (that was another mission in itself to get working).

[Ikki]

I have been running Linux for about a month without too many hassles. I'm using PCLinuxOS which is from Red Hat / Mandriva origins rather than Debian / Ubuntu but much is the same. I don't like the Gnome desktop that Ubuntu has, I tried Kubuntu with the KDE desktop but found it very unsatisfactory. Having been a Windows user for many years, there has been a bit of a leaning curve but it's not very steep at all.

I haven't felt the need for Photoshop as there is everything that I need as native Linux apps including Noise Ninja, the Gimp, UFRaw, Bibble, RawTherapee and Digikam.

Qtpfsgui is a gem, it is HDR software just like Photomatix, easy to use and free of course. It even comes as a Windows app and is well worth a try.

http://qtpfsgui.sourceforge.net/

Many Windows apps run under Wine such as Photofiltre and Picasa (it comes already setup) and everything has been point & click to install / uninstall so far. I know that Photoshop 7 runs well under Wine but I thought that CS2 didn't unless someone has figured it out.

If you have an app that absolutely runs only under Windows and won't work with Wine it is always possible to run a Windows virtual machine like VirtualBox or VMWare.

I'm still at the "try it out stage" and I may yet go back to XP, though it's unlikely. I will never go to Vista though.

A linux forum would be nice.

[onefivenine]

Thanks Iggi - that's a lot of great info!

I struggled to get CS2 running - at 'running' is probably a generous term! It takes a good 2 mins to start up - and I can't open RAW files or save preferences. Can send you a link to instructions I followed and also instructions on what bits of them I had to ignore/workaround if you;re interested... but to be honest - it wasn;t worth it, especially when there is so much other software out there - you've listed plenty for starters!

Therapee looks like a good prospect. Gimp looks as useful as photoshop as far as what I do with it!

So I'm pretty pleased so far with the free options I'll have on this, my new-fangled portable storage/internet device!

I'm not convinced about ubuntu either though - will give it a while and maybe try another flavour.

Thanks again for the reply and tips.

[Ikki]

I had a look on the web for the instructions, but I am happy without it.

Also look at Cinepaint, Lightzone, Inkscape, XnView, Fspot, KFlickr, JAlbum, Krita and probably lots more.

I have found the following distros very good straight out of the box with much of the software and codecs that you will need:

PCLinuxOS Currently No1 on Distrowatch.

Simply Mepis

Linux Mint

PC-BSD

[onefivenine]

I'll struggle to find the time to evalute half of those apps - I'm a bit overwhelmed with it I'm sure you've been here too!

It really is a horses for courses thing though - you have to enjoy the frustration of it.