I definitely admire your adventurous spirit in investigating the alternatives that you mentioned.
(Perhaps the kid in you is still alive and well!)
Just a glutton for punishment more like it
Apart from the viewpoints about PSE that your thread will elicit I am also interested in hearing your views about these alternative applications.
Tony Jay
Still very early days but this what I have done so far . Forgotten about PSE15 for now and downloaded a 30 day trial of Coral paint shop pro and the freebie GIMP. Neither is PS in disguise ; however they both have appeal . The biggest drama is knowing what PS can do and what what CPSP and gimp don't do. The other big drama is the different lay out and different words to do the same thing and the different ways the same things are done . if I wasn't used to PS; admittedly older versions, then none of those dramas would be as big or worth worrying about .
Those who went from PS to LR will no doubt remember the dramas of the 'different ways' including no save button haha
If we don't think too much about the cannot dos then both are certainly OK for weekend happy snappers who doesn't want or need to spend big bucks . It's all about learning what is there and then making the best of it. Both have layers but not much in the way of layer styles for stroke / shadows / and all those goodies ---- copied and pastes what is there into the other layers doesn't seem to happen either .
whatever program the newbies go with its the time it takes to learn the tricks they need without getting bogged down on the stuff they don't need that is the real drama .
The bottom line is not many if any pros would leave PS for them
As for the new ON1 RAW 2017: well it certainly is not lightroom and its certainly is no PS;
BUT, I do like it even though I have had a number of crashing dramas ---- I'm pretty sure I will pay up in about 2 weeks . Not sure the eraser brush lives up the hype but there is a good clone tool but ATM without the blending options as PS. The 4 layer masking tools work very well although have not mastered them fully as yet . In the library / browser does have albums / collections / normal colours tags and flags / keywords, however it is not the power house LR is . No catalogue seems a god send but it's hard going without LR . Not sure it's ready for the one and only program for pros; but I can see it as a one and only for weekenders. It's mix of PS / LR / Nic and it's impossible to have ALL the toys You can send a file from LR / PS to ON1 and get it back with layers attached . There are some great built in presets --- even auto works very well so the newbies will like it.
As I said; still very early days for me , and like LR there are so many hidden gems yet to find. I have had LR since V2 and I'm still finding little useful toys . ATM I cannot see myself going with the adobe subscription that was $100 and is now more like $150 . Where will it end ??
Couple of things I have played with --- the background is a quick pic of a burnt log in the garden + a (mostly) a one click edit in ON1 to add the heat
the 'campfire' in the hot coals (??)
Bit of every thing used (4 programs) to do this where as I would have used LR and PS only
Does anyone want more updates? Questions ? ( if allowed on a LR forum