It looks like this was asked in a GIMP forum, so I’m not really surprised at the backlash. It’s super rude to ask that in that forum. Like, they shouldn’t be rude back, but I understand why they were.
It looks like this was asked in a GIMP forum, [...] It’s super rude to ask that in that forum.
Why? Just because you're using a forum for a piece of software, presumably because you want to receive or offer help on using the software for the most part, doesn't mean you're obsessed with it and hate all other alternatives that exist.
It's software, not a religion. These people need some perspective.
Imagine being in a community where being asked about alternatives is considered extremely rude. What a weird group of cult-like obsessives that would be. Creepy o.O
Also regarding why one would ask GIMP users about alternatives, theoretically these would be the best people to ask for GIMP alternatives. They presumably know the software well, and have probably tried alternatives (because they're not obsessive weirdos that worship a single brand image their whole lives), and can give good answers on what alternatives exist and how they compare to GIMP in its current feature set.
They may even actively use multiple softwares on a regular basis. There's no law against using GIMP and one or two similar pieces of software that perhaps have slightly different features or are better at one thing vs another.
It's not rude to put a reasonable question about a piece of software and how it exists in the ecosystem to a group that knows a lot about that software. It isn't a sacred holy cult object of worship. It's just a program.
Because those people are there (presumably) to help people use GIMP. If you read the guy’s full comment, they were obviously there to take a shit on GIMP. And that’s fine, but maybe don’t do it to a whole bunch of people who have volunteered their time to help other people with it.
I disagree that this is the best group to ask about alternatives. These are GIMP people. If you want them to recommend something, they’re clearly going to recommend GIMP. A much better place to ask this question (assuming they weren’t just trying to shit on GIMP) would be a general digital photography forum, or an open source forum. A place where people use a wide variety of programs.
It would be like going into a Microsoft forum and asking about alternatives to Windows. That’s obviously not the right place to do it. They should ask this in a general digital photography forum, or a general open source forum.
They also called GIMP an “epic POS” in their comment.
Uh, I hate to be that guy, but if you can’t use Windows 11 due to hardware requirements, Microsoft put a “Try Ubuntu” button in the system settings page next to the message telling you that you are ineligible for a Windows upgrade. And if you go to their help forums, the Microsoft support reps will recommend Ubuntu LTS to you. So it’s not like the GIMP forums at all.