The desing foundation… a crazy idea that I have been discussing for a long time.

GIMP, Inkscape and Blender are the three great references of free software design and are also the three favorite design tools in the world of GNU / Linux, each one of them is the one that seeks to stand up to its owner counterpart and all seek to compete face to face with their opponent.

GIMP is the competitorno clone, please, not a clone) de Photoshop; has brought out its most recent update and has managed to repair many of its shortcomings, promising not only a faster and smoother development cycle but also great improvements in the integration with the graphics processing hardware and color spectrum and has shown that in its version 2.8 came loaded and ready to be used more intensively; not to mention that it is a sample of what is coming for future versions.

Inkscape, the one who stands up to Adobe Illustrator, It has been in its 0.48.3.1 version for a while but the truth is that it is not bad at all and it has an enviable extensibility, although there is not much news about this software, its development continues, only in silence, but constant and they are already on track to its version 0.49, which comes just after the last release of its stable version, 0.48.4 (in current development along with 0.49)… According to their roadmaps, they have almost finished polishing the entire 0.48 version and have a good part of the advanced 0.49 version and the news can be seen here. One of the biggest advantages that Inkscape owns is that it handles a standard format of the W3C, the format SVG, so sharing works in that format is much easier, or at least that is what several designers who used in an office have told me Inkscape e Illustration, both using format SVG.

Blender, a recognized and very powerful 3D modeling and animation software. Direct competition from monsters like Autodesk Maya. Talking about it is too much, since its development is constant and very active, and it has a huge community of users, including its own foundation; The blender foundation… simply one of the jewels of free software along with LibreOffice, KDE, GnomeEtc. ...

Well, now going directly into the subject, I have been arguing for several days (in a civilized way) a strange idea that arises in the middle of a typical war between two designer friends of mine, one uses GIMP e Inkscape to make web templates and advertisements, etc ... while the other is dedicated to printed design and is the typical designer fan of Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), + Adobe (without desire to insult). The question arises around Blender, a midpoint where both accept that they prefer to use Blender for the abilities to learn much more thoroughly than with things like Maya (basic courses cost 5 thousand dollars according to them) and for the great admiration of the foundation Blender for getting involved in projects like Syntel, which demonstrate the power and capabilities of your software.

After talking for a while and listening to them discuss why this or that, things that I do not intend to reflect here, the strange idea of ​​«What if by chance GIMP, Inkscape y Blender, the three core developer teams and their respective communities, come together in a single foundation?»We were all thoughtful for a moment ... damn, a possibility like that had never crossed my mind, and from then on we started to guess as if we were the ones to decide if that really will happen ... well, the idea is not badly raised and I would love to raise it with you.

A design foundation with free software ... nothing crazy or that interferes with the development of any tool

It was the first thing we tried, that getting together would not have to alter the development of any tool; each one could make their own decisions and that the purpose of such a foundation would be to unite communities and get mutual support at a technical level between each project. Just something like helping out if necessary.

By existing all under a free ecosystem and by making a foundation, they could take the concepts of the Blender Foundation and self-finance

It's not unreasonable Blender it is self-financed directly with these types of activities; sell the DVD's of Syntel and other projects alongside that the graphics and tools kit (free) necessary to unravel everything that was done to achieve the short film, simply spectacular; so… Why not do the same but with all the tools? each community would have something to contribute to a particular project and in the end, all end up benefiting.

Likewise, all of them can calmly make their own productions or events, and sell that type of material, not to get rich but to teach and support themselves, it sounds fair that they earn money for their efforts and that they can also be financed beyond donations.

It's easier to get sponsorship

Under a simple premise we came to agree that these three together can convince many of being an option to take into account and for example, if GIMP was able to obtain sponsorship from AMDImagine that these three come together to work and create interesting projects to demonstrate what they have and can do… it is simply a very attractive possibility.

The strength is in the joining

And it is so, many say that the arrival of Adobe a Linux would be the only thing missing GNU / Linux to be perfect, much more after Valve make his arrival official at Linux... well no, I don't support Adobe en Linux, not because it is poor quality software but because we already have mature and competent candidates who just need a stronger push (less to Blender that has already achieved a lot by itself) ...

In the long run it is just an idea, an idea that I would love to discuss with more people who know the subject or not and to see their opinions; And why not? Also, if it all comes down to something more concrete, present it to the team members of each tool.

I will leave a topic in the forum to be able to discuss the topic much more fluently and, although I leave the comments open, I hope you take better the forum route, which is better for discussions that lend themselves to much longer and more complex answers ... make use of from him, please 😉

Discussion in the forum here.


19 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Speed ​​Cat said

    Voucher. But don't forget about Scribus. And already put, wouldn't a Synfig or something like that be good? Or do you not include them because you do not think they are up to par (in other words, with the same good vibes as your article)?
    The truth is that, perhaps, together (although not so close together) they already form something, they are already forming something.
    What scares me a little is precisely that with the union comes strength. The concentration of power does not reassure me (I suppose it is not necessary to give examples, right?)
    On the other hand, this dispersion, as with the different Linux distributions, is what is giving us so much freedom, although with the "secondary effect" of dispersing knowledge and talent. Sure if the different distributions came together they would have a lot more punch, but look how great we are without that. Exceeded a minimum, for me very low, I prefer freedom to great capacities.
    Hey, I won't finish this roll without congratulating you on your article, which I found a very interesting reflection and which opens a more interesting debate and to thank you for not wanting to "make blood" to users on either side at any time.

    1.    dwarf said

      I would like you to go through the forum topic because I forgot things like Mypaint and Scribus, that's why I created that topic, because I knew that I forgot details.

      Regarding preferring freedom over capabilities, well me too, but there are times, for example in professional life, when your productivity depends on those same capabilities of your tool because ... you drive a nail faster with a good hammer xD

  2.   Jose said

    Mypaint is awesome too. Nothing to envy Painter.

  3.   David said

    This is something that I've thought about as well and it would be great, plus it would be a huge boost for all these great design tools.

  4.   Marco said

    It would just… be cool 🙂

  5.   auroszx said

    Right, I imagine: "The design foundation presents: the Open Design Suite" in the Creative Suite style. And that it comes with the three products and accessories, or that each thing can also be downloaded separately, beautiful * - *

  6.   Hyuuga_Neji said

    Really when I found out about Adobe's plans for Linux I was really happy because I started dreaming of Photoshop in GNU environments but on one of those days when I got bored and opened Synaptic to review the descriptions of the applications that were there, I found The animation plugins and the amount of things that GIMP has (including the use of PS filters) I decided to learn a little about this and such is the case that I don't even look at the PS when at my father's house (I don't let him remove the Windows 7 that he has installed) my brother uses Photoshop to make "montages".

  7.   mcder3 said

    I like the idea 😛

    regards

  8.   dwarf said

    I continue to insist, any contribution or idea or if you want to fuel the discussion, we have the topic open in the design forum of desdelinux

  9.   rudolph alexander said

    Tremendous free tools exist and the others using the others and cracking the programs to run them, personally gimp for what little I have used it is enough and I have enough, my other topic in the future will be Blender, only see the videos that are capable to do with that program is incredible. For something where they can never get their hands on Linux is there.

  10.   jdrv81 said

    It seems like an excellent idea, but from another point of view. I think that the existence of a «The Design Foundation» should be based on the idea of ​​supporting the use of free, open formats that can be disseminated as the basis of Free Design, and hence supporting a series of design programs such as those mentioned previously. I say this from a project management perspective, since the name as such (The Design Foundation) is not suitable for a purpose that should not only involve a series of certain software packages, but allow different types of free software packages design has a place. Recalling the wise words of Richard Stallman about the obstacles to free software, he said that the "modus operandi" of proprietary software developers is to spread a format (obviously closed) and then dominate the market for software that uses that format, and This is a harsh and cruel reality. Microsoft Office is not the most used office software simply because of Microsoft's enormous power, but because of the strategy behind the spread of the format. Many people consider the old .doc format as a standard which is a terrible mistake that has prevented the ODF format (and therefore the OpenOffice - LibreOffice suite) from being adequately disseminated. Given this example I think it is not necessary to mention the example of flash and Adobe. Another worrying example is that of the Autodesk (Autocad) .dwg format that practically totally discourages the development of free CAD software. Although the GNU Foundation has taken action on the matter trying to develop a free format for CAD, the work has been very difficult since it does not find support from developers and users specialized in CAD. This is the most important part of the matter: developing "community." That should be one of the primary tasks that precedes the use of any Software package; without a community it is impossible to have a successful project of this type. Another of Stallman's wise words (and one of the most ignored words in the world of free software) is that documentation is VERY IMPORTANT for the dissemination of Free Software. I have noticed this especially with Latin American designers, who say that there are things that cannot be done in Gimp and in Photoshop. Most of the time they talk about things that are not documented but that can be done (either due to ignorance of the potential of Gimp) with the program directly or through extensions; It also happens that it is information documented in English (in this part if it is about disinterest on the part of Latin designers in learning English). An example is Krita. Krita's potential is still unknown; There are constantly new video tutorials on the great things to do with Krita, but none of those things are documented, most are skills gained through years of experience with the software, and many who have used Krita know that the official documentation is poor (not to say non-existent, besides being mainly in English). Another example is the recent interface change in version 2.8 of Gimp, which sought to satisfy the preferences of users coming from Photoshop, who do not know the reason why the Gimp tools were floating, reasons that have to do with user interaction with Software and the use of screen dimensions, usability reasons ignored in favor of looking for a free Photoshop clone. I think I have read comments that went further, and even referred to creating a Linux design distribution, which reminds me of two things: "shoemaker to your shoes" and "we must not reinvent the wheel." It would be a huge waste of human and technical resources that could be used to achieve compelling objectives, such as creating an open and free web platform for advanced training in design with free tools, in learning the potential of free format specifications related to design. (SVG for example), in training in Blender, in training in assembling workstations for design with linux, things like that. As for financing, it is possible to follow the model of the most successful cases, such as the "Document Foundation", the "Linux Foundation" and the "GNU Foundation" for example.

    1.    dwarf said

      Without words, I put your comment on the forum topic

    2.    Joaquin said

      Very good comment. Emphasis must be placed on the development and use of free formats. This also improves compatibility.

  11.   cotton said

    What currently does exist is free graphic meeting. They do a conference every year where both developers and graphic artists attend (without going any further David Revoy or Ramón Miranda), I suppose they already knew him.

    I sincerely believe that the most advanced design in linux is blender. Gimp for me is lazy (that's my opinion and I'm not trying to belittle it) and krita seems quite superior to me (although the developers are somewhat determined to distance themselves from photographic retouching).

    Another aspect that is very healthy is RAW development. Today we have three very powerful free programs: photivo, darktable and rawtherapee. In addition to others that are not bad Ufraw and rawstudio.

    All the best

  12.   idjosemiguel said

    In terms of design, do not forget that there are distros that already pack many programs for design, such as ubuntu studio, fedora design suite, aperturelinux, artistx, for cad design is the CAELinux distro, take a look.

  13.   Tammuz said

    a great idea

  14.   oscar said

    It does not seem crazy to me, to create a "suite" of design. In principle I would bet on "merging" inkscape and gimp which is easier. A kind of "Gimpscape" with the best of each one.

    Inskcape is very good, I use it very frequently, it just needs to improve memory consumption and speed with scalable files that when they get very large (with many nodes) it becomes very slow. I have things done in Corel Draw 4 (from 1995) that in Inkscape is still impossible to do.

    Gimp is my pretty girl. I've been using Ps and Gimp since the 90's and they've grown with me. I could not imagine life without my Gimp, I use it daily for drawing, for everything ... The other (Ps) I have for work, Gimp still lacks when working with certain files and very large sizes. Although with time I am sure that it will be possible.

    a greeting forward with that project that is very interesting.

  15.   gustavo castro said

    I'm not a designer of any kind, but I have and do use (although, to be honest, for extremely simple tasks) Inkscape and GIMP.
    I like the idea of ​​a single community. Even, in my opinion, it would be good to DISTRIBUTE the three applications as a suite.

  16.   xbd know how to learn said

    Utopian thoughts my friend, hee, but ...
    What free software has taught me, that it is not impossible to achieve it 🙂