Windows 7: Gimp vs. Photoshop

Hi,
Just thought I would start this thread as I have always wondered.

I am forced to do all my designs in Gimp, as I don't have a spare $600 lying around my house to buy photoshop. I have had no problems with gimp so far. Is their a difference between the two? What makes photoshop better? Is it just because people want something that they think is good because it is expensive?

I downloaded the photoshop trial the other day, and so far I don't see a huge difference between it and gimp. I do find it a lot harder to use though, this may just be because I am used to gimp.



so..
What do you think? what do you use?

Pros use PS because that's what they were trained on usually... It or Illustrator are also the standard filetypes for most printshops, advertising, etc...

GIMP is a fine product and can do pretty much everything PS can do, but many people have the attitude that you get what you pay for... therefore since GIMP is free many feel that it is an inferior product... which it isnt!

I didn't like GIMP myself.

I found Paint.NET to be a good alternative to PS though. At least for my needs.

I also know quite a few ppl that use Paint Shop Pro...
Below is a cnet review:
Paint Shop Pro 10.0 - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

Its available as a 30 day trial also... and much less to purchase than PS!

I use Photoshop (student discount ftw) and prefer it to GIMP for two reasons:

1) I know it better. I played with GIMP a fair bit during my Fedora, Fedora Core, and Open SuSE days however I ended up never getting to know it as well as I'd have liked.

2) Things are easier to access (possibly just a derivative of 1). This may sound really dumb but I had a heck of a time figuring out how to create and stylize text in GIMP whereas the text tool in Photoshop and its wide variety of options is just right there.

Still, I think if you know your tool well enough, whether it be GIMP or Photoshop, that you will be fine.

GIMP is amazing. Photoshop is amazing. I say they're equal, in my honest opinion.
Photoshop just costs $600 more, but also has a hell of a lot of tutorials online, whereas GIMP has not as many (but still has a lot), and is free. And by my experience, GIMP loads faster, too.

As for tutorials, this may not be a factor if you know what every tool is (or at least the frequented ones) in GIMP and their effects... then you could apply a PS tutorial to that, which would knock off another difference between them.

Photoshop also looks a bit better, but who looks at aesthetics when you're trying to make them?

The initial buy in for Photoshop is $600 bucks (less for students). Upgrades are $199 (or less).

PS user BTW

Photoshop is the best for me. I've tried both GIMP and Paint.net, but Photoshop has more features.

All though Photoshop takes time to learn, as it's a bit more advanced (from my experience)

The fact is Photoshop will always be the king of Photo editing programs.
At least it will be in my opinion.

Photoshop CS4 Extended user btw [also Fireworks CS4, Flash CS4, Dreaweaver CS4 and Illustrator CS4 user]

PS FTW

Use what your comfortable with , Its just a tool to a job

Gimp is free...

Photoshop breaks the bank (for some people)......