What is the best freeware graphics editor equivalent to Photoshop or Fireworks
Cheers
Tom Evans :)
The GIMP (http://www.gimp.org/). Available for all popular operating systems.
In fact, GIMP is one feature 'better' than photoshop (7), since it correctly loads and saves animated GIFs without wrecking them.
However, I found the downtime spent learning GIMP was long and my experience with Photoshop only helped in the vaguest most general way. Also there are obviously alot of extras out there for photoshop, (been on the market so long), and I am not sure if GIMP has really caught up to them on that.
If you are used to photoshop, you should probably keep it unless you have to switch. (ie. you have switched OSs to Linux).
Another great program is Paint Shop Pro 7, which although not free, was often packed and shipped with new clones, so there are tons of copies out there, that are legitimate to own and use (single person/machine).
The following page also lists some free suggestions for alternates to Photoshop and other graphics programs: http://vinterstille.dk/free-alternatives-to-macromedia-and-adobe-software