('''PSP''') is a
Bitmap Graphics Editor and
Vector Graphics Editor for computers running the
Microsoft Windows Operating System that was originally published by
Minneapolis -based
Jasc Software . In
October 2004 ,
Corel Corporation bought out Jasc Software, and with it, the distribution rights to Paint Shop Pro.
The first version, 1.0, was released in early
1992 . PSP was originally distributed as
Shareware , but is now sold for
US$ 100 or, after rebate, US$50—which is considerably lower than the price of its main competition,
Adobe Photoshop .
Its functionality is easy to learn and its user base is large due to the fact that many mid-range
Scanners come with PSP as their acquisition tool and image editor and many
OEM s, including
Dell , have been or are bundling it with their systems.
Much of PSP's popularity can be attributed to the fact that it is much cheaper in price than most professional image editors, like
Adobe Photoshop . Instead it competes in the same price class as
Adobe Photoshop Elements . It also uses the same plugin architecture as Photoshop, allowing for a high degree of expandability.
Although Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop are functionally similar for the majority of casual users, the pricier Photoshop offers features important to some professionals that are unavailable in Paint Shop Pro. For example, Photoshop provides
CMYK color management (not introduced until PSP X) and is available in an
Apple Macintosh version, features which remain critical to the print publication industry. However, PSP supports both
Raster and
Vector Graphics , whereas Photoshop only supports raster graphics. (
Adobe markets
Adobe Illustrator for vector graphics.) This has made PSP a somewhat popular editor for vector graphics.
From version 5.01 through version 8, Jasc bundled Animation Shop, an animated graphics editor, with Paint Shop Pro. The program is now available separately for
US$ 40.
With version 8.0 of PSP Jasc made some major changes to PSP. The most obvious change was the new look of the program through the use of all new
GUI elements. Version 8.0 also introduced the ability to control most elements of PSP via
Scripts or
Macros . Some changes, however, were not welcomed by all users. Some users complained that the time to start version 8.0 was tens of seconds, whereas the previous version started up in a few seconds. Some users also complained that the changes made to the brush and other tools rendered them much less precise than in the previous version. This has caused some users to stick with version 7.0 of the program.
The latest version, Paint Shop Pro X, was released in
September 2005 and now bears the name "Corel Paint Shop Pro". Major changes include a revamped Learning Center that helps new users get started, Makeover Tools (Blemish Remover, Toothbrush/whitener, and Suntan Brush), IR film simulator, and a Black and White film converter that includes color filter effects.
