Adobe have apparently made Photoshop, along with several other Creative Suite 2 applications, free to download.
Details of why the company are offering the applications for free, or how long the gesture will last, are currently unknown.
But for now at least, Photoshop CS2 can be downloaded legally for zilch. And the best bit? Photoshop CS2 will even run on Ubuntu.
“Why Not The GIMP?”
Photoshop’s ‘Free Alternative’ has been The GIMP.
The GIMP is a remarkable piece of software. The fact that it is can match features from the heavily-funded Photoshop on a like-for-like basis is a testament to the power of open-source development and organisation.
But, like it or not, for new users there is an unenviable learning curve involved in using the app at proficient level. A curve that takes some time adjusting to if you were raised , trained or taught using Adobe’s “professional grade” photo manipulation app.
And let’s face it: we’re all lazy in one way or another.
So with Photoshop CS2 now free (even if for a limited time) we can indulge our creative sparks without the need to wobbly uncertainly around an unfamiliar interface.
Photoshop CS2 may be 7 years old but it’s still a capable tool.
Among the notable features introduced in CS2 were an improved Spot Healing Brush; new Vanishing Point and Image Warping tools; and better handling of RAW image files.
Other Creative Suite Apps
It’s worth my noting that Photoshop is not alone in being offered for free. Mac and Windows users will also find the following apps available for download:
- Photoshop CS2
- Illustrator CS2
- Premier Pro 2.0
- InDesign CS2
- Auditions 3.0
Of these only Photoshop CS2 is the only one to be given a Gold rating on the Wine Database, meaning it ‘…works flawlessly with some special configuration’.
Download Links
So we know what’s available for free, and why you might want to use it. But how do you get it? After logging in successfully, you’ll be presented with a long list of downloads in one column, with serial-numbers in the next.
Be sure to double-check you’re downloading the correct app – a Mac Installer for InDesign won’t be of any use on Linux! International readers should be aware that, at the time of writing, only english versions of CS2 applications are being offered.
[How To] Photoshop CS2 in Linux
First Step
Photoshop CS2 is one of the few versions of Photoshop that will work on Linux using the WINE compatibility layer – though getting it up and running isn’t quite as straightforward as opening the installer in WINE.
First things first: make sure you have WINE installed.
Installing WINE from the Ubuntu repositories will also install the ‘Winetricks’ script needed in the next part.
Open Winetricks (Open the Unity Dash > Search ‘winetricks’)
In the window that appears select ‘Select a wineprefix’:
Followed by ‘Install a Windows DLL or Component’:
In the next window scroll through and check (click the box next to) the following apps:
- gecko
- vcrun6
Next, click ‘Ok’. Several installer prompts will appear (possibly in German!) click through to install these.
When all those parts have completed installation open ‘winetricks’ again but choose the ‘Install a Font’ open after ‘Select a wineprefix‘.
In the font selection screen check and install ‘corefonts’. Press OK to continue.
You will need to agree/click through a few bits and bobs to install the package – but Photoshop won’t run without it.
Second Step
With all of the kerfuffle out of the way we can proceed to install Photoshop CS2 itself.
Right click on the photoshop download file you downloaded earlier and select ‘Open with > WINE Windows Program Loader’.
Follow the on-screen prompts as they appear, not forgetting to input your serial-number (present on the download screen) when asked.
When all has completed you can launch Photoshop CS2 via the Unity Dash.
Thanks to Paul Fawcett