I'd argue it's better to use actual alternatives. Half of the issue with free and open source software is that it's userbase is too small. If more people used it, it could actually improve in many ways.
Lets take gaming on Linux as an example. The userbase on steam is somewhere around 5%. So there is almost no incentive for developers to make games that run nativly on Linux. Its actually easier to run the games in a compatibility layer then to get a Linux port of a game. And although wine and proton work incredibly well, sometimes even running a game better than on windows; a Linux native version of every game would be ideal. Which will never happen with such a small userbase.
Next you have the terrible business practices of these companies. Even if you use the pirated versions. You are in their ecosystem and their community. You increase their profitability and their stock price simply by continuing the industry standard.
Pirated versions of software like this is excusable if you need it for work or sometihing. But imagine if instead of staying with the status quo, you use and help improve actual free and open source alternatives. Versons of software that don't steal your data or monetize how you use it by selling your input to others or stealing it for "AI" datasets.
Imagine using free and open source software that gives you feedom because your data stays on your devices, your creations belong to only yourself or who ypu choose to share it with, and you work with others to improve it; even if it's by just submitting bug reports. Imagine using something like that which you find so altruisticly beneficial that instead of pirating the software that has no respect for you, you donate money to the devs of free and open source software. Yes, I'm a pirate. But I do donate money to the right causes and something that protects my freedom is worth both my time and my money.
This is also data from an opt-in survey of only one kind of user. The real number of Linux users is probably somewhat higher due to the higher level of privacy conscientiousness in the community.
No, they are not free, they are gratis alternatives.
"Free software" is one term, and it's meaning was defined in 1986 by RMS. Non of these software existed that time.
The word "free" in our name does not refer to price; it refers to freedom. First, the freedom to copy a program and redistribute it to your neighbors, so that they can use it as well as you. Second,** the freedom to change a program, so that you can control it instead of it controlling you; for this, the source code must be made available to you.**
You're right, the first amendment wasn't about freedom of expression, it was about not having to pay for books.
Using the word free to describe something that doesn't restrict you has been a thing for centuries. "Free Software" has been the accepted term within the software world to denote freedom respecting, libre, and open source software since the 80's.
He speaks about free in "free software". not a general meaning.
But the meme says "free software" and implies that the real "free software" alternatives (linux, gimp, blender and friends) are shitty, and they are used only because of their price. These are not "free software" alternatives, but gratis software alternatives, or freeware alternatives. that is my problem.
What German word was used there? Are you suggesting gratis is German? Maybe it is, but it's also English. And we didn't even borrow it from German. It's Latin.
Good luck running a tiling WM like Hyprland with a wonderful Terminal emulator like Foot or Kitty, with a customisable file manager like Thunar or Krusader, with a terminal music player like CMUS.....
I can keep on going. But the TLDR is that it's MY setup not Microsoft's.
I wouldn't say that Linux & Gimp are objectively better, but they sure are better in the long run, since you plop "gimp" into a nix configuration and never have to deal with installation and cracking.
For most use cases of Photoshop, GIMP is not an alternative at all. For more basic use cases it is, but st that point you shouldn't be wasting efforts on Photoshop anyways, something like Paint.NET would be the recommended.
The closest we have for any Adobe alternatives are Affinity Photo for Photoshop, but that one is not free nor open source, but it's a lifetime pay once license. For some use cases of Photoshop and Illustrator you could use Krita, which is FOSS, and for Premiere there's DaVinci resolve, which has Linux builds and a free version.
For most use cases of Photoshop, GIMP is not an alternative at all.
Have you used GIMP seriously? And I don't mean installing it, getting confused because the menu layout is different to Photoshop and giving up in disgust after 10 mins.
I will readily admit that Photoshop is currently more capable and faster in some cases but to say GIMP is not an alternative is ridiculous.
Just to note here, resolve is also much better than premier, even the free version. Considering the Adobe pricing, buying studio for $300 is a better decision imo.
kdenlive is solid for the simple cut/fade type of work.
I'd also add something I've mentioned elsewhere for pictures - in case of raws, paint.net is ok, but imo darktable+krita is a much better experience.
Paint.net has to be the one piece of software I really miss from Windows, I still have Krita and Gimp but I used to use all 3 on Windows for different purposes
(Well that and VR, but ALVR recently updated to fix audio issues so that is at least coming along)
If you haven't used it in a while (1y+) don't even bother with the 2.10.xx -- I use Krita, GIMP, Inkscape -- did some image editing in GIMP yesterday and it went good.
Since the latter 2.99.xx releases my position & criticisms have changed. New UX, Non-destructive Layer Filters and the workflow has improved the software a lot. There is a ton of activity on their gitlab.
Its still not perfect but easily beats Photoshop Wine at all basic operations.
And since this post is about Photoshop. Don't pirate it. Be the change in the world you want to see. Let Adobe Rot in Pieces for decades of being anti Linux and anti FOSS despite popular demand and big Hollywood bucks.
Make them a relic of a long forgotten decade. The sooner we can move on the better.
If one of the steps was leaking the source code then you could say that. Though who knows maybe AI reverse engineering will get good enough that we'll soon be able to turn the assembly code back into C++ or C.
Then you can port the software to whatever you like.
With assembly you're very much limited to the hardware it targeted and without a huge amount of work the operating system that it targeted as well.