this post was submitted on 18 Sep 2023
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[–] AngryHumanoid@reddthat.com 101 points 2 years ago (6 children)

Screw you Microsoft, I switched to Paint.net forever ago and I'll be long dead in the cold, cold grave before I recognize Missourah, I mean switch back to Paint.

[–] Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world 43 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

https://getpaint.net/

Some other random company got the url "paint.net", so confusingly you need https://getpaint.net/ to download the product paint.net

For those unfamiliar, it's a free art program that's... idk 80% of what photoshop is? But you can install community-made plugins to add features (shoutout to Grim Color Reaper).

Also on their download page, you want this one:

~~If you do the microsoft link, you'll have to pay microsoft. For a free product. That microsoft doesn't own. Dafuq.~~

The paid version from the microsoft store helps to support the product; however I suspect the devs will get more bang-per-buck if you DL the free version and make a direct donation at https://getpaint.net/donate.html

[–] lemmy___user@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

You can also use winget to install it, if you're into package managers

winget install --id=dotPDNLLC.paintdotnet -e

That way you can still get semi-automatic updates

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[–] fne8w2ah@lemmy.world 89 points 2 years ago

Actually a truly useful update in a sea of bloatware crap.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 82 points 2 years ago (42 children)

Win11 exclusive? Welp, guess I'll never use it, then.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 20 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I've used Vista "exclusive" programs on XP back in those days so I'm kinda curious how exclusive it really is if I could get the installer/files for it.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 20 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Shouldn't be too hard, I expect it to be a single executable stored in C:\Windows\System32 , much like the current mspaint.exe. Copy it over, run, have fun

[–] EeeDawg101@lemm.ee 12 points 2 years ago

Wouldn’t surprise me if they lock it to the windows store. I hope I’m wrong!

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[–] squirrelwithnut@lemmy.world 72 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Those are great features and two of the biggest reasons I never bother with Paint. But locking them to Windows 11 and not putting them out on Windows 10 is some Grade A bullshit.

[–] ManosTheHandsOfFate@lemmy.world 30 points 2 years ago

It sure isn't enough to get me to bother installing 11.

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[–] Unicode13051@lemmyf.uk 64 points 2 years ago (9 children)

I'm a hobbyist digital artist and have had to do a handful of graphic design projects for my mundane, non-art-in-anyway job.

As our computers are locked down Windows PCs, I've had to manage with MSPaint. It's always taken me double the time as on any other program or app, and I have been wishing it had layers for years.

Since this update is Windows 11 only, I'll have to for my company to upgrade, so I can look forward to layers in maybe 5 years.

[–] aksdb@feddit.de 29 points 2 years ago

Take a look at PhotoPea then. Needs nothing more than a browser. Runs fine in Edge and can be installed as PWA. That should work fine even on a locked down machine.

[–] sonnenzeit@feddit.de 20 points 2 years ago

In case your browser isn't completely locked down: there's also image editors that run as web apps like photopea.

[–] MargotRobbie@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago (4 children)

I recommend Krita, it's free and open source, and very good at making digital art of any kind.

[–] schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 2 years ago (4 children)

The commenter you replied to literally wrote the computers are locked down, ie no way to install any new software.

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[–] tvbusy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Try Paint.net. Layers, transparency, filters and even plugins. It's free to download from their website. Install from Windows Store does have cost as a way to donate.

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[–] CherryRedDragon@lemmy.world 57 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Excellent! Now I can draw things on the wrong layer in yet another program

[–] etler@programming.dev 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Have you tried using descriptive layer names like layer 1, later 2, later 3?

[–] Why9@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago

Layer 1, Later 2, Lazer 3.

FTFY

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[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 43 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Great. Now my customers are going to send me even worse art.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 16 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

At least with layers support you can now extract the individual parts of the image.

What used to drive me nuts is when they send me over everything in one image and I couldn't separate the various components out.

[–] Voyajer@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Their clients will still manage to send them a 6MB bitmap somehow

[–] sysadmin420@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (3 children)

My clients send me fuggin docx files with screenshots pasted in it...

Screenshot.doc /me cries

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[–] ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 37 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

As someone who enjoys doodling in Paint, this is great

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[–] ares35@kbin.social 36 points 2 years ago (6 children)

meanwhile, wordpad.. probably used by more people over the age of seven than paint is, getting axed.

microsoft has office subs to sell, but they do not have a photoshop or gimp or even a paint.net alternative to sell.

[–] MrLuemasG@lemmy.world 33 points 2 years ago

I've literally never met anybody that used Wordpad, whereas I know a lot of tech normies that'll use MS Paint for quick memes and things

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[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 32 points 2 years ago (7 children)

Huh.... I thought they discontinued this program.

[–] dangblingus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Who told you that? MS Paint is basically a critical windows utility.

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[–] WhyIDie@kbin.social 25 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I really do like it for something that I want to just add quick/small edits to, or something that can be slapped together quickly. But I do hope this isn't the start of a trend to bloat mspaint and aim to compete against more robust image editors.

The pessimist in me fears they're going to, and start slapping on AI data harvesting measures that they're integrating into Windows, like for training their own AI art generators. But this addition, in a bubble, is a welcome change.

[–] WetBeardHairs@lemmy.ml 25 points 2 years ago
[–] TrismegistusMx@lemmy.world 22 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I make all my memes with Paint(.)NET

https://www.getpaint.net/

[–] Aielman15@lemmy.world 22 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Very cool.

I like Paint for its simplicity, and since I don't need all the extra bells and whistles most of the time, I've never bothered with learning how to use Photoshop or GIMP.

I've been using Paint.net for the last few years, but I'll try the new Paint features as well and compare them to see which one I find better.

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[–] Nepenthe@kbin.social 21 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (8 children)

But today Microsoft announced that it is finally adding two features that could make the app a bit more useful for power users: support for Photoshop-esque image layers and the ability to open and save transparent PNGs.

What kind of person is an MS Paint power user. I just use it to paste screenshots into if I'm not intending fine editing, otherwise it might as well not exist as a program.

The only person who seriously uses MS Paint for artwork is that one guy who recreated the Mona Lisa out of hundreds of pieces of variously burnt toast. Real, usable art tools would destroy the purpose and make that guy sad.

Really, if they kept this kind of momentum up for the next 20 years, it might put it on par with Fire Alpaca. It's an interesting move, they're just so incredibly late to the game that even other free programs are still leagues better than they are and no one will ever take them seriously again.

[–] Deceptichum@kbin.social 25 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

I use Paint almost daily.

Especially when I can’t be arsed opening Steam/Aseprite. Paint is a pixel art work horse.

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[–] ElectroVagrant@lemmy.world 21 points 2 years ago

What kind of person is an MS Paint power user.

Some older folks that aren't as tech savvy have made some impressive pieces with it if memory serves. There's also those that use it unironically for its constraints to produce pieces with a classic MS Paint style produced from those limitations. In a way this update kind of flies in the face of that a little, maybe, but eh.

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[–] randon31415@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Didn't they say they were retiring ms paint in 2017 for some other program no one had heard of?

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[–] asteriskeverything@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago (3 children)

So many artists started with paint. I am really glad it is adding some features that are significant improvements that will help today's young artists even more.

I'm talking about kids, like an age before you're likely to become aware of other free tools... Wait. Fuck, do kids even use windows computers anymore or is the closest a chromebook?

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[–] Anonymousllama@lemmy.world 16 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Sounds like a good little update, love seeing more default apps/programs getting new visual updates and helpful features

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[–] iforgotmyinstance@lemmy.world 15 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I use paint nearly every day to save something quickly. Glad to see it continue to be supported.

[–] quazar@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Does it still save in one of the most basic but still GIGANTIC file sizes?

[–] Tschuuuls@feddit.de 24 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Don't hate on Bitmap files.

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