Author Topic: Need a new picture editing program...  (Read 1492 times)

Need a new picture editing program...
« on: March 15, 2021, 04:37:57 am »
I've basically been using a ripped version of Photoshop 7 for literally over a decade now, I got it so many years ago and I regularly do editing for a number of personal things, but I just upgraded to a brand new M.2 drive on my PC and for some reason the setup for my rip of Photoshop 7 just isn't working, I can't get it to actually start for whatever reason.  Is there anything else new that I can look at getting or something old Photoshop wise I can attempt to get that isn't hooked to their subscription service? I find Photoshop's subscription service abhorrent, so there's no chance of that.

I have tried GIMP, but I don't know, maybe I'm just missing stuff, but it feels real basic.  I tend to do a lot of stuff with sprite work, I've made sprites, I enlarge to do bead art with, it just felt off to me, like I was missing simple stuff.  Maybe I just need to put more time into learning it.

Another I tried was Xara, I think it's meant to be more of an actual photo editor, not like...drawing/creation program like Photoshop perhaps, I got that free/cheap from Humble Bundle awhile back, but it also wasn't working great for me.

Is there maybe another old version of Photoshop I could attempt to get? I know it goes up to...CS6 or something was the last like non-subscription service, but I don't know which one would still require an online registration, as Photoshop 7 didn't need me to register and could just use a serial key I had.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2021, 04:39:45 am by kamikazekeeg »

Re: Need a new picture editing program...
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2021, 01:48:07 pm »
You could actually download Photoshop CS2 for free. It's a MUCH older version for sure, but I find I can do plenty on it and use it often. I'm not sure if the links are available now - as Photoshop is all about that Cloud nonsense. Found an Archive site which may have it though?:
https://www.reddit.com/r/software/comments/649uxq/did_adobe_take_down_the_free_cs2_download_links/

Re: Need a new picture editing program...
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2021, 02:37:14 pm »
CS6 is from 2012. There's definitely newer versions.

Re: Need a new picture editing program...
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2021, 05:43:52 pm »
You could actually download Photoshop CS2 for free. It's a MUCH older version for sure, but I find I can do plenty on it and use it often. I'm not sure if the links are available now - as Photoshop is all about that Cloud nonsense. Found an Archive site which may have it though?:
https://www.reddit.com/r/software/comments/649uxq/did_adobe_take_down_the_free_cs2_download_links/

I mean, I've been using Photoshop 7 for years and it's from 2002, so I'm not against using an old version of Photoshop lol Unfortunately can't get it working for that archive link, but I found another download for it so gonna give it a shot.

Re: Need a new picture editing program...
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2021, 07:08:52 pm »
You could actually download Photoshop CS2 for free. It's a MUCH older version for sure, but I find I can do plenty on it and use it often. I'm not sure if the links are available now - as Photoshop is all about that Cloud nonsense. Found an Archive site which may have it though?:
https://www.reddit.com/r/software/comments/649uxq/did_adobe_take_down_the_free_cs2_download_links/

This is the one I use as well.  It's an old gal, but it gets the job done.


Re: Need a new picture editing program...
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2021, 08:31:09 pm »
I think Photoshop CS2 will do just fine from where I got it, it's only a couple years "newer" than Photoshop 7 that I was using, and being so close to that, it's actually very similar in feel still.  Maybe it'll crash less because of that lol

Re: Need a new picture editing program...
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2021, 11:28:42 pm »
I use GIMP. It's free, but it has a STEEP learning curve. Luckily there are plenty of tutorials on how to use it, but you really have to commit to it to learn how to use it.

shadowzero

PRO Supporter

Re: Need a new picture editing program...
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2021, 08:12:55 pm »
I was also going to suggest GIMP and yes its not intuitive, but once you start learning a few things it starts to make sense-just like photoshop.