GIMP experts? Horribly crashy and slow

[Girltron]

What gives? On my machine, it's not uncommon for us to have Photoshop, Illustrator, and 3DsMax running simultaneously with a window open online too, without stuff slowing down. When I run GIMP, the simplest operations chug down the works so that just applying a blur to an image is painfully, irritatingly slow. I'm frustrated because the program looks very nicely designed and I want to use it. I keep going back to Photoshop to save my sanity, though. Is there some initial setup I can fix to improve this?

[ravells]

I'm with GP...if you have photoshop there's very little that Gimp can do more. Although I do think his last comment was a bit harsh.

[Gamerprinter]

I apologize for that - perhaps I got up on the wrong side of the bed.

You do deserve an answer, and perhaps there is a setup issue that can fix you problem.

For me the goal is creating a great map. The more software you can use to get that to happen means learning new software, which can be frustrating, so that's not wrong either.

However, unless there's a reason you won't be able to use Photoshop, Illustrator and 3D studio max any longer, you should stick with that. I am sure there are many mappers here that would love to have those three apps on their computer right now - and we'd be chuggin' out awesome maps.

Ravs is right, I was too harsh. But take this into consideration that you have the tools to do the best maps possible. Why not, spend your limited time using what you know to create cartographic masterpieces?

The map is the goal, not what tools you use.

GP

[torstan]

I find that Gimp is a little worse than some other programs at memory management. What size canvases are you working with? What machine are you using? I find that Gimp can run A4 at 300dpi with 15 layers or so on 1Gb or Ram before it starts slowing down. I have to borrow other computers for anything larger. Photoshop will be better at this I guess because it's optimised for professional use. That's my guess anyway. If its slow and crashy with sizes lower than that (or larger with a heftier computer - which I assume you have since you're running some pretty resource hungry programs) then there might be something up with the settings.

I like it better than photoshop, but that's just a matter of personal experience. I'm sure that if I'd spent a year with photoshop I'd be pretty happy using it over Gimp.

[Girltron]

Uh. I'm not sure I know what that was all about. Thus far I haven't complained about any programs not doing what they're designed to do. Only with my implementation/knowledge of them. Far as I can see, that's a normal part of learning a new software. Easier to ask here than to pull my hair out till I figure it out on my own.

Also-I read part of that first post before it disappeared, somehow-I've never used Wilbur, so I don't know where that came from.

The topic of this thread is to do with getting GIMP to run optimally. That's what I'm asking about. I'm really not interested in whether anybody thinks it's worth my learning. I wanna use GIMP. There's no harm in adding to my knowledge base. Furthermore I can't afford to upgrade Photoshop. Can somebody discuss this issue with me instead of arguing the relative merits of GIMP/PS?

[Girltron]

Thanks, torstan, this is what I'm looking for. See, I'm running 1G RAM and I'm not working NEARLY as large as A4, AND I've only got one layer going at the moment. There has got to be a setting I need to fix. Or maybe I need to look at the installation of the program, but it's not set up weird at all, and it's on the faster of the two hard drives...

[Gamerprinter]

Again, sorry, Wilbur is an open source source software similar to Fractal Terrains and something else developed by Waldronate, whose on these boards. Perhaps another tool to try out.

I hope you figure out GIMP, and it works out for you. There are many pedigree GIMP users here. It is Open Source software, and compared to the paid-for ones its pretty good, but can be buggy at times. Truth tell, I've had problems with PS crashing on my system from time to time, so I don't know if there is any app that is problem free on every person's systems (PCs).

We recently had a monthly challenge to create a map for use as a wide format print, and many of the GIMP users felt that trying to create their style of map at anything above 100 ppi at anything like 24 x 36 was impossible with their limitations of RAM, graphics card and whatever. Which I found shocking, in that all my maps are created with the intention of large format, and my software does not limit me so. I don't use a super-beefed up PC, mine is pretty standard and mapping things work fairly fast.

GIMP has its place, but I don't think its the ideal software for everyone. I hope someone can help you out.

GP

PS: I deleted my first post, since it wasn't helpful

[Gandwarf]

Just to be sure, did you download The Gimp or Gimpshop? The latter is sort of a Photoshop skin for the Gimp. I tried that version and it crashed a lot and was really slow. Using just the Gimp now and having no problems.

[Girltron]

Oh, yeah, it's GIMP. I did a couple of things just now; disabling a few programs that run in the background, and reducing the resolution of my image which I did NOT want to do, but it definitely cut down on the waiting times.

[torstan]

Hmm, okay it really shouldn't be running slow from what you say. Sounds like your system is roughly the same as mine. If you only have Gimp open can you get it to work reasonably well?