What is open source software?
If you’re as old as I am, you may remember the old floppy disk and the programs we used to buy for $10. The good old days, blackface monitors with orange pixels and no photos. In those days we also had what was called “shareware” or “freeware”. Literally free programs you could install on your computer for fun or productivity. We used them, donated to the programmers, and were happy.
Then came Windows, and the world was never free again. Sort of. There have always been programmers dedicated to providing free or inexpensive programs for computer users.
Richard Stallman was one such programmer who came up with the GNU General Public License (GPL). Software created under this license is available to anyone; it is free and cannot be sold. Anyone (that knows how to write code) can add to the original code for personal purposes and sometimes their contributions are even included in the next version of the program.
Stallman calls this form of licensing “copyleft” instead of copyright.
Why should artists consider open source software?
For many artists, technical tools are out of reach because of price. Photoshop’s $650 price tag can seem like a pipe dream. Use GIMP to edit your photos (GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program) and the savings plan for the purchase price of Photoshop CS3 becomes a choice rather than a burden. Frankly, just because I have GIMP doesn’t mean I don’t still intend to purchase Photoshop CS3. I love my mini-version of Photoshop and I’m a loyal shopper, but I need some tools now. Or you may just find the GIMP platform is all you want.
Open source tools for artists
The following open source art programs are used by professionals and amateurs alike. And just because they’re free, that doesn’t mean they’re lesser quality—they can do just as much as the expensive art software they’re replacing.
GIMP instead of Photoshop (photo and graphics editing)
Blender instead of Maya or 3ds Max (3D rendering and animation)
Inkscape instead of Illustrator (logos and vector artwork)
Monkey Jam instead of Lunchbox DV (pencil animation)
Jahshaka instead of After Effects or Final Cut Pro (video editing)
Let me know how these tools work for you.
