Back with Mint

[Rampant Panda]

Hi all,
I used Linux, some OpenSUSE but mostly Ubuntu, as my go-to operating system between 2008-2014, but as I started to dabble more and more into photography, I gravitated towards the unfathomable corporate abyss that is Adobe/Microsoft. I really didn't know what I was doing editing RAW images, and Lightroom made it so easy that it made the linux alternatives seem clunky and unusable.
Now, Adobe has this new, improved system where they basically hold your photos hostage and require a monthly ransom to let you handle them in Lightroom. That felt a bit uncomfortable at first, but I got used to it after a while. I'd probably still be paying them if my trusty old corporate-surplus laptop hadn't started stuttering when running LR. I was watching youtube reviews for new, sexy photoediting laptops and was almost ready to dig deep and pay something north of 1000€ for a new machine, when I started wondering if there might be another option for me. I installed Elementary OS and gave darktable a spin.
Now, it's no lightroom. It doesn't gently hold your hand and guide you from one step to the next. But it can do anything Lightroom does and faster.
A quick distro-hopping round (Elementary, OpenSUSE, Kubuntu) left me with Mint MATE that is just awesome: slick, pretty and customizable. I can do whatever I want with my photos, nobody wants me to upgrade my account, and my photos are actual files in actual folders, not hidden away in some disgusting library.

I'm pretty happy with this.

[WharfRat]

Hello Rampant Panda

Welcome to Linux Mint and the Linux Mint forum

[carum carvi]

Great story Rampant Panda,

I will tell it to my photoshop minded friends when they are considering moving to LinuxMint. Welcome to the forum!

[phd21]

Hi "Rampant Panda",

Welcome to the wonderful world of Linux Mint and its excellent forum!

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

Darktable - An Adobe Lightroom Alternative for Linux
https://www.fossmint.com/darktable-adob ... for-linux/

3 open source alternatives to Adobe Lightroom | Opensource.com
https://opensource.com/alternatives/adobe-lightroom

7 Apps That Prove You Don't Need Adobe Creative Suite on Linux
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-apps-pr ... ite-linux/

Hope this helps ...

[lsemmens]

Welcome Rampant Panda. The more I read posts like yours, the more I hope that SAS is going to die a long, slow, and painful death,

[JerryF]

Welcome!

Unfortunately, that is the future of software. More will be going the cloud route.

[BG405]

my photos are actual files in actual folders, not hidden away in some disgusting library

                                              ...
I hadn't realized they were doing that, but am not surprised. Another good reason not to use proprietary software, at least exclusively, for storing & managing personal stuff like this which is by nature irreplaceable.

Welcome to the Forum!

[Rampant Panda]

my photos are actual files in actual folders, not hidden away in some disgusting library

                                              ...
I hadn't realized they were doing that, but am not surprised. Another good reason not to use proprietary software, at least exclusively, for storing & managing personal stuff like this which is by nature irreplaceable.

Welcome to the Forum!

Thanks!

Sorry, I was a bit unclear there. The library thing was actually a reference to Apple, I think Lightroom isn't quite that bad.
I once tried to download a bunch of pictures and videos from icloud to local backup, to free up some cloud storage space, and the experience was less than optimal. It's almost like they made it hard so you wouldn't want to do it...

I'm actually quite happy with my four-year visit to Proprietary Lands. Previously I didn't fully appreciate how awful it is. Now I just can't shut up about how people shouldn't consent to handing over the control of their digital stuff to corporations, but somehow I seem to lose the attention of the audience after a couple of minutes

[BG405]

You're welcome!

I'm actually quite happy with my four-year visit to Proprietary Lands. Previously I didn't fully appreciate how awful it is.

That's definitely a plus. It's very similar to the one reason I'm pleased i didn't ditch MS earlier; wouldn't have had hands-on experience with MS OSes up to Win10 & seen all the stuff they are doing to their users.

As for spreading the word, I think public demonstration is as good a way as any; at the local pubs & bars people now not only see me using a netbook, they also see my mate (who is relatively new to computers in general & still quite green) getting on quite well with one as well .. also running Linux, of course.

[kc1di]

Hello Rampant Panda,
And welcome back to Linux and especially MInt. Glad you found your way back
enjoy!