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“GIMP Sucks. It sucks, it sucks, it sucks.” is the title of an AnandTech Forums thread started by JMapleton on January 27, 2011. It is an archived, user-generated rant—not an AnandTech review and not evidence that GIMP universally fails. The opening post describes frustration using GIMP for light graphic-design work after simpler programs, including Microsoft Paint and PhotoDraw 2000, had felt easier.
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Read the archived AnandTech thread.
What the title refers to
The repeated insult is deliberately emotional. JMapleton says they tried GIMP as a way to avoid paying for Photoshop, then found apparently simple jobs harder than expected. The post is framed as a personal rant, not a controlled comparison, benchmark, or formal review.
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That distinction matters. The thread records what one person experienced with a 2011-era version of GIMP and how other forum members interpreted that experience. It does not establish how current GIMP behaves in 2026.
What the original poster found frustrating
Controls were difficult to discover
Several replies describe GIMP’s interface as unintuitive, click-heavy, or unlike Photoshop. The criticism is less “the program has no advanced tools” than “the path to a basic result is hard to find.” For a first-time user, an available command that is hidden behind an unfamiliar tool, dock, mode, or shortcut can feel indistinguishable from a missing feature.
Brush sizing felt unnecessarily indirect
One participant gives a concrete example: changing a brush to a desired size appeared to require choosing a particular brush and adjusting a scale value rather than simply entering the expected numeric size. Whether that reflects a particular tool state or an older interface, it illustrates a genuine discoverability problem for painters: a simple stroke adjustment should be easy to locate while working.
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Selection and deselection caused confusion
The discussion includes a disagreement about how to remove a selection. One user says clicking behaves unexpectedly; another explains that clicking outside the canvas with a selection tool can deselect. The exchange shows why the complaint cannot be reduced to “the feature was broken.” Selection behavior depends on the active tool and context, yet a technically correct interaction can still be poorly signposted. The original poster eventually says it appeared to be working.
Floating windows and panels were part of the period’s friction
Participants criticize the historical multi-window arrangement and difficulty finding or restoring docks. A reply notes that single-window mode was expected in a forthcoming release. That is useful historical context, but it should not be projected onto every later version or operating system.
Large files were mentioned, not tested
A participant reports that GIMP handled large files poorly. This is an anecdote, not a performance result. A meaningful comparison would need image dimensions, bit depth, layer and mask counts, RAM, storage, operating system, GIMP version, the operation being measured, and identical comparison software. None of that is supplied by the thread.
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How other participants answered
The replies are divided. Some users call GIMP powerful, adequate, or worth learning because it is free and open source. Others argue that many complaints arise from expecting Photoshop’s menus, shortcuts, and panel conventions to transfer unchanged. Another line of argument is that GIMP is primarily an image-manipulation application, not necessarily the fastest tool for making a simple drawing from scratch.
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The thread therefore contains both legitimate usability criticism and evidence of an expectation mismatch. A Photoshop-trained user may be slowed by unfamiliar conventions; a novice may reasonably judge those conventions as bad design. Both observations can be true.
Was GIMP the wrong tool for the job?
“Can perform the task” and “is the best tool for this task” are different questions. The thread’s alternatives were suggestions from forum users, not tested recommendations.
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| Task | What the discussion implies | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Quick crops, resizing, or annotations | A lightweight editor such as Paint.NET or Pinta may feel more direct. | These were forum suggestions, not comparative tests. |
| Layered photo editing and compositing | GIMP’s image-manipulation model may be a better fit than a basic paint program. | The thread does not provide a systematic feature comparison. |
| Digital painting and illustration | A painting-focused application may offer more natural brush and canvas workflows. | Suitability depends on brushes, stabilizers, color tools, and the artist’s habits. |
| Professional print or studio production | Users may need established file compatibility, color management, integrations, training, and vendor support. | The thread does not evaluate those requirements. |
| Photoshop-specific production | Photoshop or Photoshop Elements may reduce retraining for people already invested in Adobe workflows. | They are commercial products; edition, platform, and pricing terms vary. |
Using GIMP for a narrow task is not inherently wrong, but a free, general-purpose editor can impose learning costs. “Free” describes purchase price, not the time required to understand tools, shortcuts, docks, and file behavior.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Photoshop comparisons became the argument
Several replies debate whether GIMP is a Photoshop replacement. The most useful answer is conditional: GIMP overlaps with Photoshop in areas such as layers, masks, retouching, compositing, and format conversion, but overlapping capability does not create identical workflows. Familiarity is itself a productivity feature.
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- Am I editing photographs, painting, designing a layout, or making a quick graphic?
- Do I need a Photoshop-compatible production pipeline or simply an occasional edit?
- Is the obstacle a missing capability, an undiscovered command, or an unfamiliar interaction model?
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How to read the thread today
The January 27, 2011 date is essential. The conversation captures software, interface conventions, operating-system behavior, and user expectations from that period. It should not be cited as a current review of GIMP, nor should an old complaint be used to prove that a present release is unusable. A current assessment would require version-specific testing.
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The thread also contains abusive language in some replies. That tone is part of the archive’s context, not evidence about software quality, and it is unnecessary to repeat it.
Verdict
The AnandTech thread documents a real usability complaint: someone seeking quick, familiar results found GIMP harder than older, simpler tools. Other participants provide the counterpoint that GIMP could be capable and effective, particularly for users willing to learn its model. The fairest reading is neither “GIMP objectively sucks” nor “the poster simply did not understand it.” It is a record of a poor fit between a specific user’s expectations and a historically awkward workflow.
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