
Whereas right-clicking usually brings up a context menu offering a handful of options, within GIMP, it's the principal way of accessing the program's functions. Now you need to be aware of a second unusual aspect of the program: its reliance on right-clicking. You'll be greeted by what appears to be a complex assortment of program windows. It's favored by a handful of programs that run under Linux and seems to be especially popular among programs that let you create things.īecause of the way that GIMP runs, before you start up the program, it's a wise idea to switch to a different virtual desktop (virtual desktops are discussed in Chapter 7), which you can then dedicate entirely to GIMP.Ĭlick Applications > Graphics > GNU Image Manipulation Program to run GIMP. ■Note GIMP's way of working is referred to as a Single Document Interface, or SDI. In other words, the GIMP's icon bar, image window, settings window, and so on have their own buttons on the Ubuntu desktop panel alongside your other programs, as if they were separate programs. The first of these is that each of the windows within the program, such as floating dialog boxes or palettes, gets its own panel entry.

The program relies on a few unusual concepts within its interface, which can catch many people off guard.


Although GIMP is not aimed at beginners, those new to image editing can get a lot from it, provided they put in a little work. GIMP is an extremely powerful image editor that offers the kind of functions usually associated with top-end software like Adobe Photoshop.
