This week’s app is a proper computer application – not some cell phone rubbish. It is legitimately very practical.

One of the more famous applications in this age of doctored photos and computer media is Adobe Photoshop, which, given, is a pretty great program. The largest problem with Photoshop is that it costs hundreds of dollars to purchase, and additionally it isn’t open source or the most adaptable. The solution is this: the GNU Image Manipulation Project, or the GIMP.

The GIMP is not only a good free Photoshop alternative, but is actually preferable in many cases to the real thing. The GIMP has a simpler, more intuitive user interface, especially after a couple hundred photos’ worth of use. Filters (almost exclusively free) are abundant and creative, particularly the amazing G’MIC, and with a couple addons there’s no reason at all to miss your presumably illegally acquired copy of Photoshop. Many filters allow for more creative editing of settings, and finally the hardware requirements are much lower than Photoshop’s.

Download the GIMP here, and download the G’MIC plugin here.