Open source Photoshop alternatives

I have often seen this question on my local LUG mailing list. It's also quite a common occurence on a couple of forum boards I am a regular at. People often wonder how to do the stuff they do in Photoshop. To their rescue comes SodiPodi and GIMP. Another alternative is Inkscape.

Please understand that I have nothing against Photoshop. I love it. Then again, I love GIMP more, and don't blame me. You would too if you were just willing to venture out into it.

Most of my friends whom I have tried to get to work with GIMP gave up in two days.
Their reason: there are no teachers(physical persons next to them) to see them through every step. Tsk Tsk. Poor fellows fail to understand the motto of open source.

SodiPodi has a very similar to Photoshop interface and Inkscape has almost all the features of SodiPodi, which is not hard to fathom considering that Inkscape is a fork of the base SodiPodi.

But if you have used Photoshop for too long now, I recommend you treat yourself to the GIMP. You'd be amazed by what this package has to offer.

Just check out these packages and if you are not satisfied, you can continue spending on properitary software under proprietary platforms.

Setting Up FC2 to Speak Your Language

Hi all.

This is an article I wrote some time back but has finally appeared on the website. I guess it takes about two weeks of processing time before the article is finally published. I must say though, a wonderful job done by LJ staff on editing this piece and making it a better read.

Thanks.

Sun: A CEO's Last Stand

I found this through /. Pretty interesting read I'd say. The author(s) absolutely know what they have to say. I have to admit though, these folks are either dissatisfied users of Solaris or they really hate Scott McNealy. I could only but imagine this would be a very long personal attack just by looking at the title.

I mean, how else can you explain these guys going at length trying to undermine the work Scott has done. Sure he made some bad decisions adn sure he lost SUN some money(okay millions) but that does not explain these guys poking into his young days.

" McNealy's willingness to buck popular opinion dates back to his days growing up outside Detroit. His father was vice-chairman of American Motors Corp., and Scott was an accomplished kid -- honors student, standout clarinetist, captain of the tennis team. One summer, he worked in an auto-parts factory. When the United Auto Workers at the plant went on strike, McNealy didn't think twice about crossing the picket lines -- despite bomb threats and jeers from angry union members. "It seemed incredibly stupid," he said. "I couldn't see how highly paid uaw workers were helping their cause" by losing the company money."

Does the course on jouranalism teach you psychology too? Anyway, if we were to take a minute out and just analyze what they mean by this paragraphy, you'd see that they are totally turning the picture. It's like portraying this(Mcnealy) guy as a topsy-turvy minded fellow.

I believe this piece is too critical of Mcnealy. I agree he has made some stupid blunders, and continues till day, but I sure as hell don't think that he ahs lost it. Trust me folks, just when you think that he'd soon fade away into a bottomless pitt, bang -- he's back. He will fight back and SUN will fight back.

This is what I see looking back at SUN. I see a guy who had the guts to outdo MS. So what if it lasted for less tahn six years. It showed the intutiveness of Mcnealy. Earning SUN nearly $2 billion in profit in 2000 thanks to JAVA again shows his intutiveness and superb judgement, though short lived.

When he said "I'm here, and I'm not going away. This is a really tough situation, and we're going to get through this," in 2001, he meant it. And believe me you, SUN is still standing because of Scott. Throw him out and SUN will be flushed so down your toilet that you wouldn't even care to notice.

Says analyst Andrew Neff of Bear, Stearns & Co. (BSC ): "It's pretty standard that if the ship keeps going toward the iceberg, you change the captain." Well, the captain has the best seat and the best view. This nature can only be caused by (A)loss of eyesight/foresight/insight or (B)he sees something only he can, a way through the iceberg. It's for this reason that he is made the captain -- he can see a way out of sticky situations.

Down and out?

Not really. I've just been laying low concentrating on my studies, what with assignment submission deadline and exams fast approaching. I'll be through with my assignments by Saturday noon. So, I'll be posting regularly again.

But I'd have to take another break 'coz I have my exams in August(2-9). Then I'll be a free man. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

My car

This is my car.

This is a 1950 Morris and Minor car which we used to drive around in until frequently. Our model is black. It has a 1000cc engine, no a.c. or radio, no power windows, no power steering but it still is so much more cooler than all the other cars out there.

Dad's B'Day Bash

We all celebrated my dad's birthday yesterday(7th). He turned 54. It was a great day as we had lots of goodies to eat, all home made by a very special cook, my mom.

I had to attend school between 11:00 and 2:00. The only reason why I chose to attend on my dad's b'day is because I had been given permission to drive my bike there, with my elder brother as pillion rider of course. Wow! It was a wonderful experience driving the bike on the long long DND Flyover, which, and take my word for it, is a wonderful stretch of road.

I got home around 15:00 and had one of the tastiest lunchs I've had in recent times. Thank you mummy. It was very special.

All this talk of food has given me an apetite. So, I am off for another round.

नमसकार

यह मेरी िह्नदी मे दूसरी पोसट है. मुझे एसे िलखने मे बहुत मज़ा आता है और बहुत खुशी भी होती है. अ़ाज के िलए बस.

Daddy dearest -- Please don't

Oh no! It's gonna happen to you too. You thought that this was not possible under the freedom of GNU/Linux. ad days ahead for you mate, 'coz daddy's gonna block your internet access.

Err, not block, rather filter. That's even worse.