Hello!
This is my first post here.
*waits for applause*
I'm a recent user (yesterday) to GIMP and I previously used Photoshop Elements on my Apple Macbook Pro. Then the Macbook Pro decided to die (it was more than 6 years old) and I bought an Apple Macbook Air (has similar bits and pieces as the Pro but happily cheaper and so so lightweight). The move of all my data was successful but the PSE needed re-installing but I didn't feel like rummaging in the cabinet for the disks and instead decided to download GIMP and try it instead.
I have to say, right off the bat, I like GIMP very, very much.

! Sure, I knew the layout of PSE and it did help with GIMP but there's not of the irritating "spinning beachball of death" I'd get all the time when using PSE.
Most of my time on GIMP will be divided fairly evenly between making signature banners for a MMORPG I like playing and fixing up the photos I take in real life.
Nice to meet all of you.