try out the Gimp and Inkscape!

in the last few days, i've had to use some open source software for some work, and i must say i quite like the results i've been getting. for example, someone came to me to remove tha background for a picture he needed for his project. i had a copy of the Gimp for Windows on hand, so i installed it with the help (if you're using the latest Windows version, installing help is a bit of a pain), and got the job done in a few minutes. i also gave it to him on a flash disk after teaching him how to get it done, and he came back the next day saying his supervisor was happy with him. i've also used Inkscape for a number of small jobs and quite like it. i've had some issues with Type 1 fonts (i don't think the Windows version works with Type 1 fonts), but it's a great program all in all, and has a nice feture set for such a small program. i heartily recommend both programs.