GIMP Development Update
GIMP drops a development update for its upcoming 3.3.2 release, showcasing long-awaited features like a new zipped XML file format and non-destructive editing. As usual, the Hacker News comments dive deep into the software's perpetually contentious UI/UX, the implications of its name, and its standing against industry-standard alternatives. It seems no GIMP update goes unscrutinized without a healthy dose of community debate.
The Lowdown
The GIMP team has released a development update for their upcoming 3.3.2 release, detailing numerous features that will pave the way for GIMP 3.4 and 3.6. This progress report highlights significant advancements and user experience improvements, demonstrating continued commitment to the open-source image editor.
Key updates include:
- A new project file format is being developed, moving from the legacy XCF to a more modern "zipped XML" structure. This change aims to better support large projects, multi-page documents, and animations, promising faster saves and enabling features like auto-saving, while maintaining backward compatibility for existing XCF files.
- The MyPaint brush engine gains 'Spectral Blending,' simulating physical pigment mixing (e.g., yellow + blue = green), alongside improved brush preview display.
- Non-destructive editing capabilities are being expanded, now applicable to layer masks and the Gradient Tool, allowing for more flexible and experimental workflows.
- Significant improvements to PSD support include metadata export for TIFFs and JPEGs, and better import of modern PSD features like editable text layers, adjustment layers, and vector shapes, thanks to the adoption of PSD Descriptors.
- GIMP is transitioning to native file chooser dialogs on Windows, macOS, and KDE, aiming for a more integrated and familiar user experience.
- User experience and interface updates feature redesigned SVG cursor icons for high-resolution displays, performance fixes for rotated canvases, a redesigned Search Action UI, macOS pop-up dialog fixes, improved Pattern dock display, and enhanced text editor selection.
- Various other changes and fixes include contributions from GSoC interns, better Windows ICO/CUR/ANI support, NDE filter rendering fixes, and security patches.
While an official 3.3.2 development release is not yet available, a stable GIMP 3.2.6 release, focusing on bug fixes and minor improvements, is planned for the coming weeks.
The Gossip
The Perennial UI/UX Pains
Hacker News commentators, true to form, dissect GIMP's user interface and experience. Critics blast it as a 'UX atrocity,' citing inconsistent design, cluttered panels, and difficulties with basic tasks, often comparing it unfavorably to polished alternatives like Photoshop, Krita, and Blender. They suggest the GIMP community actively resists mainstream-friendly changes. Defenders, however, argue that GIMP is a powerful, free tool developed with limited resources, accusing critics of unfounded negativity and advocating for appreciation of its functionality over aesthetic perfection.
Zipped XML: Old News or New Standard?
The decision to adopt a 'zipped XML' format for GIMP's new project files sparks a lively debate. Some deride it as a '1999 design,' expressing concerns about performance and arguing that modern alternatives like SQLite would offer better data integrity, partial updates, and richer data handling. Conversely, proponents point out that zipped XML is a well-established and inspectable format used by widely adopted software like Microsoft Office and OpenRaster, touting its simplicity and existing tooling as advantages.
The GIMP Name and Its Ghost
Predictably, the conversation veers into GIMP's controversial name. Commenters revisit the defunct Glimpse fork, which attempted to rebrand GIMP due to the name's offensive connotations, with some characterizing it as a 'malicious virtue signaling' attempt. Others argue strongly that the name is an 'awful' anachronism, a barrier to wider adoption, and reflects an 'edgy' teenage mentality, suggesting a name change would foster a more welcoming community and improve its professional image.
Non-Destructive Niceties
Amidst the debates, many users express genuine enthusiasm for the expanded non-destructive editing features. This functionality, allowing edits without permanently altering original pixel data, is highlighted as a significant improvement. Users note that it will make experimentation much less costly and is a feature they've 'missed' since moving to Linux or from other professional tools.