On Tue, 1 Jan 2019 15:36:10 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
wrote:

In message , Mayayana
writes:
"Big Al" wrote

| Have you tried either GIMP or Photoshop CS2? The latter is free now,
|
| cs2 is *not* free.
|
| it's available for those with existing licenses.
|
| So much the better then since I've stopped using it. I say 'so much
| the better' meaning I'm not violating anything.
|

That's an interesting situation. They posted all of their
v. C2 programs with keys and a notice that use of them
was only valid if they were obtained from Adobe. Check.

But apparently they didn't expect that a lot of people
would be content to use an old version rather than buy
new. (I'm guessing it was originally intended as a way to
dump support for their old customers while also releasing
a teaser demo to get new customers. It backfired.)

I don't suppose we'll ever know if it backfired (or what their
intentions really were).

So later they posted a notice that the software and
keys were only for people with existing licenses and I think
they required personal info. Why would they offer a

When I heard about it - I think someone posted about it, probably in the
XP 'group - I went and got it (about three CD images, IIRR), though
never having bought the software, and I don't _think_ I remember being
asked for such info - certainly nothing I wasn't able to give at the
time, and I haven't been bombarded since. (I think there may have been
_one_ "would you like to update" email, but I'm not even sure of that.)
FWIW, I've never actually installed the SW. There _was_ at the time I
downloaded some statement that it _was_ only for people who'd bought it.

download if the keys were only for people who already
had the software? Their patch-up on the situation made
no sense.

So... If you downloaded it from an unrestricted link
then it's perfectly legal. On the other hand, Adobe has
a lot more money and lawyers than you do... So your
legal rights don't mean much.

Agreed.
[]
Often the answer people give is IrfanView, but while I
consider IV to be arguably the best-written program I've

Agreed - it continues to amaze and delight me.

ever seen, you just can't edit photos without a UI workspace,
layers, and multiple undo. IV just isn't designed for that use.

Agreed again, at least the multiple undo. And yes, it really is a pixel
editor - no layers or non-pixel features. (I've often wondered why he
doesn't add at least the multiple undo.)

Though I use it for everything else. For basic image viewing
and resaving as a different format I use IV.


Me too.


But once
I need to crop, paste, or even just add a little text, IS
is too much trouble. Much of that is possible in IV. It's just
not convenient. So it's nice to have a real editor as well.



You might disagree that it's a "real" editor, but for editing photos,
I use the editor that comes with Windows 10 (I forgot what it's
called). I'm sure there are several better choices, but that one is
easy to use and does everything I ever want to do: cropping, rotating,
making lighter or darker, adjusting the contrast, adjusting the color.
It's not for everyone, but it's fine for me,