Did You Buy Your Photoshop?

[Zhou Xuanyao]

I was taught a trick by one of my old tutors that applies to alot of software.

Buy an old version of the software for really cheap from bargain bins, then just buy the upgrade/add on.

[Arawyn]

I use picasa for shots I don't care about too much.

I use GIMP for any modification I want to go (google it, it is a freeware/open source program that can do a lot of what photoshop can do (everything I need, except HDR).

Then if I am intending to use HDR, I will use my copy of Photomatix.

[Mystiqview]

I mainly use ISOHUNT with U-Torrent or Azeurus as the torrent handler program.

Other sites include thepiratebay and mini-nova

All are pretty good now as they have comments on how good it is. (Isohunt only has just gotten into comments) I normally only download the ones that have huge amount of seeds and leaches. The ones with little seeds and leaches may be ok, but it depends on the risk. In saying that I have downloaded programs that have had enbedded trojens in them from larger seed lists. But cannot stress enough: scan baby scan with virus scanners. I normally put two scanners through anything I download.

Probably not the best places to be for a beginner or someone who does not know too much about computers.

[Mystiqview]

Getting illegitimate versions of full version software via a web page is always a huge risk. You're far better off using torrents, and downloading ISO copies of the CD....

The free alternative is The Gimp (not as nasty as it sounds, it stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program), which is fantastic. Used to be for Linux only, but now works on Windows too - http://www.gimp.org/windows/

Torrents are not necessarily safe either... see post above..

The most times I have found embedded problems with scanners were in Keygens.. I know the algerythem can look like a trojen to a scanner.. but when I have downloaded some keygens fine and others come up with "warning".... I dump the ones with a warning.