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Huh, I wasn't aware Krita was a thing. As a software engineer that rarely needs image editing Gimp was my go to software. Why there is a second open source imag

Huh, I wasn't aware Krita was a thing. As a software engineer that rarely needs image editing Gimp was my go to software. Why there is a second open source image editing software now?

elaus 3y ago
I think it's totally fine and normal for multiple OSS tools existing in the same space. Krita is almost 20 years old and is more focused on painting than on image editing – but personally, I use it for both, liking the UI much more than that of GIMP.
- Matumio 3y ago
  Back in those days, GIMP was just barely usable for painting, and Krita was mainly good for crashing. Both have come a long way since then. GIMP is still mainly an "image manipulation" program. It got better at painting, too, but you probably want to give Krita a try for that.
wastewastewaste 3y ago
It's much closer to how photoshop generally works, with an extra focus on drawing. Gimp is not a good replacement for photoshop for artists. It's quite popular for this.
diputsmonro 3y ago
As a software engineer and artist, Krita feels more focused on drawing/painting with a pen, while GIMP has always felt to me as more focused on photography/editing. Obviously they both manipulate images so there's lots of overlap in features, but the idea of painting or drawing in GIMP seems really alien to me. I'm sure the interface and pen support was even worse when the Krita project was started.
raincole 3y ago
Krita aims for SAI/CSP, GIMP aims (well... sorta) for PS.
duckmysick 3y ago
> Why there is a second open source image editing software now? Because it's possible and someone wants to. Same reason why we have multiple Linux distros, multiple databases, multiple browsers, multiple text editors. Are you surprised that open source software in general is duplicated? Or is this specific just to image editing software. If yes, what makes image editing software special so that having a second option is surprising? Yes, open source promotes collaboration. It also promotes forking and starting new projects.
dragonwriter 3y ago
> Why there is a second open source image editing software now? There are actually more than two.
lmm 3y ago
Gimp has a notoriously unusable UI. I think that's honestly probably the main reason. I'm actually more confused by the converse: why do people keep using and recommending Gimp when Krita has existed for decades and is so much easier to use?
- mminer237 3y ago
  For simple image editing with an easy UI, I use Pinta. If I need more advanced features, I need GIMP. I've never really found a use case for Krita personally.
- vonjuice 3y ago
  It took me a while to switch to Krita, because I used to think it was mainly for painting/illustrating. It took me being unbearably frustrated with Gimp's UI to give Krita a go for basic editing. Never looked back.
pkkm 3y ago
> now Krita is actually quite old. The reason you haven't heard of it is probably that it's more focused on digital painting than on general image manipulation.
vonjuice 3y ago
Krita is much better than GIMP, I hope you can make the switch.
ChrisRR 3y ago
Even ignoring the fact that Krita is a digital painting piece of software, not general image editing The fact that you think there's only one open source image editor out there is fascinating.
mcpackieh 3y ago
GIMP isn't designed for drawing. Sounds like bullshit, right? But that's what the GIMP manual says: "GIMP is not designed to be used for drawing." https://docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/gimp-using-rectangular.html https://docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/gimp-using-rectangular.html Krita on the other hand is designed for drawing and painting.

Huh, I wasn't aware Krita was a thing. As a software engineer that rarely needs image editing Gimp was my go to software. Why there is a second open source image editing software now?

elaus 3y ago

I think it's totally fine and normal for multiple OSS tools existing in the same space. Krita is almost 20 years old and is more focused on painting than on image editing – but personally, I use it for both, liking the UI much more than that of GIMP.

Matumio 3y ago
Back in those days, GIMP was just barely usable for painting, and Krita was mainly good for crashing. Both have come a long way since then. GIMP is still mainly an "image manipulation" program. It got better at painting, too, but you probably want to give Krita a try for that.

wastewastewaste 3y ago

It's much closer to how photoshop generally works, with an extra focus on drawing. Gimp is not a good replacement for photoshop for artists. It's quite popular for this.

diputsmonro 3y ago

As a software engineer and artist, Krita feels more focused on drawing/painting with a pen, while GIMP has always felt to me as more focused on photography/editing. Obviously they both manipulate images so there's lots of overlap in features, but the idea of painting or drawing in GIMP seems really alien to me. I'm sure the interface and pen support was even worse when the Krita project was started.

raincole 3y ago

Krita aims for SAI/CSP, GIMP aims (well... sorta) for PS.

duckmysick 3y ago

> Why there is a second open source image editing software now? Because it's possible and someone wants to. Same reason why we have multiple Linux distros, multiple databases, multiple browsers, multiple text editors. Are you surprised that open source software in general is duplicated? Or is this specific just to image editing software. If yes, what makes image editing software special so that having a second option is surprising? Yes, open source promotes collaboration. It also promotes forking and starting new projects.

dragonwriter 3y ago

> Why there is a second open source image editing software now? There are actually more than two.

lmm 3y ago

Gimp has a notoriously unusable UI. I think that's honestly probably the main reason. I'm actually more confused by the converse: why do people keep using and recommending Gimp when Krita has existed for decades and is so much easier to use?

mminer237 3y ago
For simple image editing with an easy UI, I use Pinta. If I need more advanced features, I need GIMP. I've never really found a use case for Krita personally.
vonjuice 3y ago
It took me a while to switch to Krita, because I used to think it was mainly for painting/illustrating. It took me being unbearably frustrated with Gimp's UI to give Krita a go for basic editing. Never looked back.

pkkm 3y ago

> now Krita is actually quite old. The reason you haven't heard of it is probably that it's more focused on digital painting than on general image manipulation.

vonjuice 3y ago

Krita is much better than GIMP, I hope you can make the switch.

ChrisRR 3y ago

Even ignoring the fact that Krita is a digital painting piece of software, not general image editing The fact that you think there's only one open source image editor out there is fascinating.

mcpackieh 3y ago

GIMP isn't designed for drawing. Sounds like bullshit, right? But that's what the GIMP manual says: "GIMP is not designed to be used for drawing." https://docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/gimp-using-rectangular.html https://docs.gimp.org/2.10/en/gimp-using-rectangular.html Krita on the other hand is designed for drawing and painting.