BleepingComputer.com: what's your opinion on the Gimp?

I'm looking for something like photoshop for the Mac, running OSX Tiger. Free or cheap.

My Google searches show the Gimp as a free open source alternative. I've learned that I must install something called X11 from my Mac CD to run Gimp.
I've Googled info on X11, and much to my chagrin, confess that I don't understand most of it.

So my question is. Once I install X11 from my CD, will it change anything?
Will I find that programs like iTunes, Toast, Audacity, Blender, etc. don't work any more?
Has anyone here installed X11 on their Mac? Do I just to compile it myself, or just install it and let it run?

What's your opinion on the Gimp? Is it stable? Is it as good as Photoshop, in your opinion?

Any help is appreciated. Your opinions are important to me.

Hi 12x48y,

I understand your concerns, I was very worried about installing X11, but I have been using Gimp on mac for a couple of years now and it works great. X11 really changes nothing in relationship to other apps. It basically starts up when the Gimp starts and then you can quit it once you are done running Gimp.

Also to ease your mind a bit it X11 is available under the additional installs on your OSX install discs. So mac makes it available.

And gimp is a good program for those of us who don't know any better. It has layers and will allow you to work with and create graphics in quick order. And I guess it is robust enough for users with some skillz but I cannot speak to that...

Hope that helps.

-MG

Thank you Musicgeek, I'll grab my OS X install disc and get to it.