I use a few '£79' programmes and do real profesh work. I do have the more 'industry standard' programs now but hardly use them, and I think that the software war partly creates some of the problems. Designers make such a fuss about having to use Illustrator et al for it to even be possible to be a designer.
Budget allowing, anyone whose anyone can buy Illustrator and co, buying into the idea that because so, they can and must be a designer. Too much emphasis is put on certain bits of kits (I see designers daily who act like the software makes their work, when in fact, its' the other way, or should be anyway), and not actual design ability. Maybe if more attention was focused on ability and final result, rather then the process/software used, people will stop thinking they are designers because they happen to own a copy of Photoshop.
I've seen some of the best bits of work done in Inkscape/GIMP and other cheaper software, and even I was suspicious at first, but it made me realise that software, regardless of what brand is just the tool.
Budget allowing, anyone whose anyone can buy Illustrator and co, buying into the idea that because so, they can and must be a designer. Too much emphasis is put on certain bits of kits (I see designers daily who act like the software makes their work, when in fact, its' the other way, or should be anyway), and not actual design ability. Maybe if more attention was focused on ability and final result, rather then the process/software used, people will stop thinking they are designers because they happen to own a copy of Photoshop.
I've seen some of the best bits of work done in Inkscape/GIMP and other cheaper software, and even I was suspicious at first, but it made me realise that software, regardless of what brand is just the tool.