The GIMP project, while powerful, personifies all of the worst parts of OSS culture.
A needlessly polarizing/antagonizing name that they've refused to change? Check.
A user interface that no one but the developers could love or understand? Check.
A focus on knobs for users to tweak and being far behind the rest of the industry in basic usability improvements such as "auto levels" that have been table stakes for many years? Check.
Deflection of any criticism by saying "there's a plugin for that", when the plugin is probably locked in a filing cabinet in a basement closet with a sign saying "Beware of the Leopard" and another saying "only supported up to <6 versions ago>"? Check and check.
A needlessly polarizing/antagonizing name that they've refused to change? Check.
A user interface that no one but the developers could love or understand? Check.
A focus on knobs for users to tweak and being far behind the rest of the industry in basic usability improvements such as "auto levels" that have been table stakes for many years? Check.
Deflection of any criticism by saying "there's a plugin for that", when the plugin is probably locked in a filing cabinet in a basement closet with a sign saying "Beware of the Leopard" and another saying "only supported up to <6 versions ago>"? Check and check.