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Raining and Raining and A Computer Program

It is raining extensively here at the moment. It is a good thing, for we have had VERY little rain this Summer thus far. However, it has gotten me to thinking, and it seems to me that the pattern for rainfall in my region has been changing. It used to be that we had realtively mild, but frequent rains. Now, it seems we have much less frequent rains but when they happen, they are much more intense. I would suspect the total rainfall has not really changed, but the pattern of rainfall occurrance has changed the way we do things here. Most everyone now waters their garden plants regularly, whereas it used to be more common to simply let nature take care of it for instance.

On the computer front, I am wondering if any of you have experience with the program called GIMP. It is supposed to offer the same (or at least similar) capabilities as the outrageously priced Photoshop. From what I have been reading, it appears that this realtively new version of GIMP (version 2.6) does a VERY GOOD job of accomplishing the same sorts of photo editing that Photoshop allows.

As I am new to the program, and have no working knowledge of either one, here are some questions:

1. If anyone has used GIMP, what are your opinions?

2. I am a bit worried that my computer may become infected if I download GIMP or that GIMP will somhow not work well and will create problems with my other programs. Has anyone experienced this?

3. Does GIMP really compare to Photoshop?

4. Does anyone have any resources that you think are especially helpful for a novice to learn either program? Please note that I am a NOVICE at GIMP and Photoshop, but I am a reasonably intelligent, fairly computer cognizent, furry-faced gentleman... so books that are fairly imbecelic (such as virtually every "XXXX for Dummies" book I have ever glanced through) are not what I need. I need a book that presumes a general understanding of the computer, a general understanding of photographic technique, and a detailed paradigm of how to utilize the above program(s) to minipulate artistically, the photographs I hope to someday take.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Anyone who helps me will win at his or her discretion, a virtual puff on my pipe filled with a new, delightful raspberry tinctured burley leaf. This even includes you, "Mr. Me".

PipeTobacco