Originally posted by jasonwarth RobG: you should care, because "what Photoshop does" is more or less the definition of what's possible in digital image editing. As I said above, you can get the new version of Photoshop Elements for just over $100 (US). What's $100 for the most powerful image editing software available?
If I was a Mac user, I would consider it, but I'm a PC user and I never liked the interface. Also, as an Australian I would have to pay AUD$131.25 for the same product, and the AUD is currently worth MORE than the USD. I'm sick of being ripped off by US companies (mostly Microsoft, who charge me more than a US citizen to download exactly the same files from exactly the same servers when my currency is worth more than the USD). So, no, I don't think I should care.
Quote: Like I said—there are things I LOATHE about Adobe (e.g., pricing)—but Photoshop stands alone as the standard for image editing, and using it is a great way to learn and practice the fundamental concepts involved in digital imagery (channels, application of mathematical formulas to change the look of things, etc.)
What can it do that I can't do with Paintshop Pro? More importantly, what can it do that I'm actually likely to
want to do, which I can't do with PSP? At the moment I'm more interested in taking good photos than spending a lot of time trying to make a poor photo into a good one with Photoshop or any other editing tool. If I was going to spend $1000 I'd rather buy a new laptop or a new lens, not a photo editing program. Photoshop is not just a bit overpriced, it's
ludicrously overpriced. Anyway, you're welcome to your opinion, of course. You're happy with the product (presumably) and what you can do with it. I'm happy with what I have too, and I'm not going to spend the price of a DA*300 f4 on a piece of software which gives me a very small advantage over what I have. Pretty much all the photos I have posted on this site were resized and tweaked with PSP, and they look fine to me.