What is the best free photo editing suite, please?

[anotheoldgit]

My browser is Firefox and my computer's operating system is XP.

[AB Editor]

Hi AOG, what kind of thing are you looking to do?

If it is very simple stuff like cropping images, playing with the brightness etc then Paint.net might be all you need: http://www.getpaint.net/

If you'd like to do it all online, then you could use Avary, which I've heard it very good: http://advanced.aviary.com/tools/image-editor

[Frank97]

I use this one AOG
http://www.gimp.org/downloads/
Don't know if it's the best though.

[Answerprancer]

Photoshop CS6 Beta was available directly from Adobe as a trial.
I swear by PS (as I shoot exclusively in raw) it's packed with features, it's easy to use and there are hundreds of tutorials on Youtube to refer to.
It may still be available as a download from Adobe and there are 'ways and means' of making it permanent.

[bazwillrun]

paint.net
GIMP now the GUI is more Photoshop like and useable

both free and excellent.

Best usually means "lots of features that nobody knows what they are, what they do, so why are they included"

Most so called "Pros" hardly ever use more than a few of the functions that PS provides but they have to be seen to be using "the best" and it makes them feel better about themselves !

The amount of Graphic designers & photographers etc that i've met and are full of it, yet gimp or paint net is more than adequate for what they do but they insist on spending hundreds.

i've given training to people on Photoshop and done comparison blind tests of images edited with all sorts of packages and not one "expert" has ever got it right, picked out the PS edited image against the GIMP or other software version

They think they can tell the difference but sad to say they cant.
Whenever I advise their company to save their money, nah theyd rather spend loads more to massage their own egos.

[jno]

I have Photoshop (not free) but I did try a few photos with this one and it seems okay

http://pixlr.com/editor/

You don't have to download it, just upload your photos to it.

[Buenchico]

GIMP is excellent if you're seeking something like Photoshop (but for free). However it's got quite a steep learning curve if you want to get the best from it.

For 'day to day' photo editing, this is outstanding:
http://www.serif.com/...ware/?MC=FSSPHOTOPLUS

Chris

[Matheous-2]

I too agree with the GIMP guys. It is exceptional for being free!

[anotheoldgit]

Thank you for all your very informative answers, you have given me plenty to have a go at, very much appreciated.

Have any of you tried Google Picasa, that face recognition feature is amazing once you have got the hang of it.

[joko]

aog - gimp is great if you do a lot of art stuff, proper editing, etc, but for more simple stuff, like red eye removal, cropping etc it might be too much... theres a lot there, and it could get confusing

id agree with the photoplus - serif stuff is very simple, straightforward and easy to use.

i guess try both.

[edwinmiller]

As per my experience GIMP and paint both are these excellent for editing photos/images

[wiltsman]

I use Google Picasa, so easy to use, and just recently they've added even more features.

My browser is Firefox and Vista Home Premium is the operating system.