Product: 1590595874

Do you want a free-as-in-speech bitmap image editor? Do you use the GIMP? Have you tried, but been put off by the available documentation? Have you been frustrated by the GIMP’s complex and arguably idiosyncratic interface? I’ve used (and mis-used) the GIMP since the version 0.9x days, so I think I have gained some perspective from doing things the hard way without a net.

Ms. Peck has done us all a favor. Whether you’re a newbie looking to come up to speed quickly, an experienced user wanting to learn what’s new in GIMP 2.4 or the occasional user who just needs a hybrid reference/tutorial to find your place again, this book is for you. Genuinely advanced users, meaning those who have figured out for themselves how to get things done in GIMP or other Photoshop-like tools, will still appreciate the guided tour. Those not particularly familiar with the tricks of the trade will definitely find many new creative points of departure.

Kudos to Ms. Peck and APress for having the guts to write a book to version 2.4 – over a year before 2.4 was released. Sure, a few things changed in the final release (and have been described since on the author’s website). But the combination of transparent open-source development by the GIMP project and Ms. Peck’s ability to organize and communicate make this book equally useful for both GIMP 2.2 and GIMP 2.4. Ms. Peck even calls attention to minor interface differences between Linux, Windows and MacOS versions. Her passion for the GIMP is clear on the page and motivates the reader to set down the book and explore for himself. Make sure you have a bookmark handy when you start reading, because you’ll want to go back and forth between the book and your screen!

I really can’t find anything about this book that I don’t like, except that I wish I could have bought it about eight years ago!
Rating: 5
1590595874
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