Was curious as to why everyone got involved with GIMP. I started using it, to make new themes for mp4 players. I'm a mod on an mp4 website. The themes would bore me, so I would change all the icons, backgrounds, etc. What about you?

Was originally doing designs on windows publisher, then somebody pointed me in the direction of gimp and having the wonderful price tag of free, decided to give it a go. Took me a while to get going with it but once it all clicked it just seems so intuitive now.

I'm not an artist or a designer but I've always liked photo and graphic manipulation. I stumbled across Gimp one day, can't remember when maybe 3-4 years ago although I remember trying it out many years before that. In the past I've had affairs with PSP, PS & Xara, now I'm married to Gimp

I accidentally deleted MS Paint from my computer. I know, right? Anyways, I couldn't paste my screenshots anywhere and was very sad. I wish I was making this up. But it's true. So anyways, I went looking for an image program that could replace it. Since I didn't have a windows disc to reinstall all that mess. I had gimp on my machine for a couple of years until I discovered it does other things too. You know, because the interface back then wasn't all that forthcoming with the user-friendliness.

One day about 2 years ago I felt this urge to make a forum sig that did not suck. And I started to look at some tutorials on how to make it so. The rest is history.

I was looking for a way to convert and cleanup my art work, to be able to store it on my PC. It was back in late 97 and early 98 that I came across the GIMP 1.1 release. Been gimping on and off since then (mostly on) .
Things have certainly come a long way after the release of Gimp 1.1 and I'm looking forward to what it may offer us in the future.

Just over a year ago I was trying to add an animated flag to a picture of a boat and that's when I stumbled across Gimp, and it's turned out to be the best trip I've ever made. Now I'm totally sold on all things to do with open source software and can't see myself ever going back to windows and the like.

I admired some icons that a forum friend made, they told me they made them using Gimp, so I looked around for Gimp, downloaded it, found Gimp Talk and learned by following tutorials, heard about Gimp Chat(I believe O posted a link on GT)...and here I am.

Because Photoshop is so high it should be criminal.

I have been using GIMP since the 1.x versions. I started using it because it was free.Although i do have numerous commercial graphic software programs, GIMP is still my go to editor because it's so easy to use.
I also like being able to write my own filters for GIMP when i want to, or setting up my GIMP the way i want it.

I joined a forum in 2001 where they had a 'game' to see who could manipulate a photo. I saw a few mention Gimp and after awhile decided to try it. I am no artist or designer either but like what this program can do. I did try PSP for free - just a trial. But couldn't get my head around it and also heard of the exhorbitent price. I cannot even afford Microsoft Publisher, which I can use!!! So being free made it even more attractive.

I have been interested in computer graphics since using the Apple II back in college. I progressed on to the Commodore, where I created sprites for video games. I designed and wrote ZOM Attack for the Commodore VIC-20 in the early 80s. I continued on with the C-64 & C-128, which I still have and they still work. I wanted an Amiga but couldn't afford it at the time. It had great graphics and a nice OS.

My interest was peaked again when I was able to purchase my first scanner and needed something to crop and enhance my photos. By then, I was using an IBM PC clone with Windows. I eventually settled on Paint Shop for Windows as my graphics program of choice. By then, I was needing to create graphics for website design, as well as photo manipulation.

I think it was about 8 years ago that I became disillusioned with Microsoft and abandoned Windows on my home computers, in favor of Linux. That's when I discovered GIMP and I haven't looked back since. Best move I ever made.

Thanks for the responses everyone, appreciate it. Been fun to read. GIMP rules.