Thou shall use proper Google Techniques:
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22the+gimp%22&sou...LazySeanxX&start=0
Like has been said, Photoshop is more professional (plus you can find more documentation for it), but t comes with a high price. Paintshop Pro isn't a bad alternative to it. It all really depends on your needs and what you feel happy using it yourself i guess.