Paint Shop Pro is the industry champ when it comes to supporting unusual formats. In a pop-up window, you scroll through a list of 58 types of graphics files, selecting and deselecting at will.

You can also choose whether to associate the program with specific file types. You can leave out the Jasc Animation Shop (39MB) and the Virtual Painter filters (6.9MB)-a handy option if you own, say, a notebook with limited drive space. But if your pursuits are more casual, go with Jasc and save hundreds of dollars. If you're a graphics professional, stick with Adobe.

Paint Shop Pro scores extra points for being easier to use, while Photoshop earns kudos for its high-quality underlying algorithms-and for looking better on a resume. While you can argue about which program has the broader selection of features, it's hard to deny that Jasc has continued to close the gap. What happens when an upstart challenges an industry giant by offering comparable features for a fraction of the price? Take the case of Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8.0 vs.

Jasc paintshop pro