Hi racer-x Thanks for your positive feedback. Below is an investigation of Gimp in Linux that you maybe interested in.
vitforlinux I'm glad it's working on Antix. I was contacted by ivan-hc from Vesuvius on github
who makes Gimp and other apps using the Arch Linux method.Ivan has not been able to get python2 working in his Gimp appimages. I made a python2 'drop-in tree' and uploaded it to github. I'm hoping he can use it.
Gimp in Linux today.On Ubuntu Gimp is available as a deb pack, flatpack, snap file and appimages.
Gimp flatpacks are made by the Gimp development team and are how they distribute Gimp for Linux. I've looked inside them and the flatpack method is interesting if a bit slow. They have everything a Gimp user needs because they are the real deal.
Snaps (Snapcrafters and the Snap shop) are initiatives of the Ubuntu development team. They are actually AppImages also using the Rockridge filesystem. Their advantage over appimages is that they are signed and partially secured.
I recently made one that can be installed.When the Gimp snap is installed it becomes the default Gimp. Typing 'Gimp' into a terminal opens it. Because Ubuntu owners Canonical like progress they dropped python2 years ago and it's not in their Gimp snap or debs.
Canonical really like snaps and in 2024 are releasing an operating system for devices made entirely from snaps. Contrary to what most of us think they are fast but they are also bloated with the unpacked Gimp at around 1.3Gbs. Canonical are absolutely right to secure snaps because its just a matter of time before somebody loads an appimage with malware. Getting appimages from github is quite safe because MS would kick them off fast
Debian apt packages are still the heart of the operating systems based around Debian. They are cool to make and for appimages they provide all the dependencies. But the dependencies have dependencies and often they are not needed. 'Thinning' was the time consuming part of building an appimage for me.
The Arch Linux method of making appimages uses the Arch pacman system to resolve dependencies. The big advantage of appimages and snaps is they preserve the symbolic links (symlinks) that old plugins need to run on newer systems. Arch appimages can put newer software on older operating systems which is good. I don't worry about it because I found everybody wants the latest and greatest.
I prefer making art than making tools to make art but somebody has to do it.