Choices and Compromises and New Formulas

Well, our new laptop arrived and I've been busy trying to set up everything the way we want it.  All the technical stuff is done but I'm totally undecided about an image/graphics editor.

I've been a very loyal user of Paint Shop Pro since its version 7 but the reviews for the current version are abysmal and I'm looking for a new software.  It would have to do all that PSP does but without the glitches, bugs and bloat!  lol

I've been researching PS Elements but its current version is not winning accolades either so what does that leave?

Serif's software, PhotoPlus, is getting great reviews but the company gets a D minus for its strong-arm sales tactics.  I've downloaded "free" & "trial" software from them and the nag screens are so cumbersome you can't even properly evaluate the software.  I'm told that in order to register any purchased software, you have to call and be subjected to an interminable sales pitch for add-ons before you get your registration unlock key to even use the software.  No thanks on that - that's a compromise as far as I'm concerned.

I know there's a lot of free software out there also & I keep downloading various ones but they just don't quite fill the bill.  I'm not against purchasing software - I just want what I want, especially if I'm going to pay for it (& I don't want to pay to listen to a sales pitch!)

Any suggestions?

On the topic of compromise and making choices, I just emailed to see if I could receive some samples of Derwents new pastel pencils.  You all probably know that I'm not a fan of the old formula pencils but I'm almost frantically hoping the new formula will suit me as the Derwent brand is available in places relatively close to me.  While I hate driving in congested city traffic, I don't mind mail order for my art supplies.  But, that requires planing ahead - something I'm not always so good about doing!  Right now, I need some new pastel replacement pencils to work on a couple of commissions and I'll have to mail order them.  It would be wonderful to be able to go somewhere local to get them.  (Well, you know nothing is really local but even 30 miles wouldn't be a burden to drive.)

Anyway, if I receive the samples of the new formula Derwent pencils, I'll be sure to review them here.  If any of my readers in the UK or elsewhere have already used them, please let us know what YOU think about them!