[SeeSac]

Downside is that the GIMP is still 8-bit, not 24 (32?) bit like Photo$hop, but I get excellent photos regardless. Also, the GIMP has the world's worst user interface. It's difficult to learn; I had to buy "Beginning GIMP" to learn how to do some operations.

24 bit is actually 8 bit x 3 colors. GIMP outputs 8(24) bit for normal processsing. It will also output 16 bit for photoshop.

[sionnsar]

You’re correct on the color — I was just using the convention in which I’d seen it written. I didn’t know about outputting 16-bit though.