I hope the SuSE team never looses sight or common sense that the Ubuntu Devs have.
If anyone hasnt heard, they are removing GIMP from the base install on the next release ‘Lucid Lynx’. Although many have complained about the move, even more so since there will be NO image editor on the base install to replace it with. The Devs reasons was stated “its to complicated for the average user” and “you can always still download it.” I have been trying to argue with them on this move trying to get them to understand that not everyone has high speed internet and those on dial-up will have a hard time downloading something that will take two hours on a good day to download.
So I ask any SuSE Devs that see this, please dont become a Ubutard.
Whilst I do think this is a pretty bad move, you need to look at it from their perspective and try to de-construct their logic.
They probably think that most GIMP users would be editing images for the web, and since they think that web images are quite large in size, they know that anybody who wants to use GIMP will need to have a high-speed, not necessarily broadband, connection. If they have that, then there is no problem in making a one-off download from their package repositories.
That’s a fair assumption. However, if this is the case then they seem to be missing:
a) The converts; who will be looking for the missing Photoshop replacement.
b) The non ‘webaholics’; who need to edit offline images.
c) Photographers; who can’t afford elitist software, also see b)
d) The point; distro hoppers will complain about no GIMP on default install. More ammunition to them.
Is the reason for GIMP being dropped more likely to be simply as the base install gets bigger, there simply isn’t the space to fit everything into the size of a single CD - so something has to go?
I assumed that was the case with the ipw (intel wireless) firmware being excluded from Suse 11.2 (at beta anyway).
And it’s easier to just go and grab GIMP from a repo after install when you have a network connection than it is to grab the firmware you need to make your Internet connection work
Thats the thing though. Many users not lucky enough to live in the US or UK dont have highspeed iNet or halfway desent dailup.
In addition new users may not learn what GIMP is if its not one the default CD. Heck many users dont even know about the forums.
Their stated reasoning was that GIMP is to complex for their average user.
Ah well that’s the Ubuntu GNOME desktop for you. It’s very dumbed down. It’s their philosophy. Fortunately there is a lot of choice in desktops and distros.
If I recall correctly (which is entirely unlikely at my age/this time of year !) GIMP never used to be included in openSuse either. It just became one of those de facto included apps so it can just as easily unbecome so if a particular distro so decides.
While I have some sympathy for those without quick or cheap Internet access for whom the response “just download it from a repo” is not very helpful, I have no sympathy whatsoever for those who just expect everything to be provided on a plate (or platter? :)) - and to some extent Ubuntu have created a bit of a rod for their own back by building and promoting their distro in that way.
I’ll be getting all nostalgic for writing your own basic device drivers from scratch and booting from (5.25") floppy disks over my Hogmanay supper now…:\
I believe that it is a mistake since newbies to Linux prob. havent heard about GIMP before and they won’t learn how to use it as fast. When I started using openSuSE, I had tried GIMP but found it too complicated but since it was installed by default on the system, I decided to give it a try and now I use it to do my web images.
Yes Ubuntu is dropping GIMP from the base install in order to keep Ubuntu at CD image size, but Fspot developers have stepped up and have added an image editor to Fspot for Ubuntu. Now, Fspot is not just an image viewer anymore.
That is just fine, as because there is so many people that need a simple editor, more than an application as full fledged and confusing as GIMP.
GIMP was one of the first programs I learned to use thanks to its inclusion.
I went from mspaint > GIMP…yah, that was a learning curve, but I love GIMP
now. I really would not enjoy having to download GIMP separately. One of the
reasons I never use ‘LiveCDs’ to install is I don’t like having to be
dependent on an internet connection to get programs. If for some reason you
NEED to reinstall and now the version is ‘obsolete’ you’ll have fun tracking
down apps. At least with a complete disk set you can get the base install
back, but I digress. I just hope application developers don’t get on the
‘dumb down’ wagon for fear that their apps will get cut from Ubuntu.
@microchip
Yes I agree, I used GIMP long before I used Linux for creating images
for websites.
Back on the main topic, I believe people looking for a powerful image
editor, such as GIMP, will find it very quickly.
I feel that basic Linux installs would benefit from a basic image
editor. For the average PC user GIMP is confusing and a lot more
complicated than it has to be.
I believe the default install should include simple, easy to use
programs, and the more powerful programs should be extras.
I agree with you as I used GIMP a little bit on Windows before jumping to Linux but since it was included in openSuSE, I used it as I did not have to download another program. If it wouldn’t have been of GIMP being included with openSuSE, I’d prob still be a GIMP noob.
on the other hand, Ubuntu’s users are mostly noobs to Linux therefore it is a logical choice when you think about it.
