I don't think that GIMP should be the same, but it does have issues with usability. And when you search "how to do X in gimp", you'll probably find a 10 steps guide, while in PS that'd be a couple of clicks. There's no DDS plugin that supports all compression methods at all. There are so many things that won't go away no matter how many seconds or minutes or years you'll put into learning GIMP.
I don't know, forums were much smaller back in the day. You could find a good community, because it was possible to organize one. But I don't think that's possible at today's scale.
I'm sure the qualy was rigged to make sure that we have the reason to watch the race tomorrow (to find out how Ferrari will let Leclerc down this year).
I don't think that people are trying to find an eternal solution. Nothing lasts forever. When Discord turns to shit, something else will take its place. There is no need to worry about that when it offers too many advantages today.
Don't you have to host Mumble somewhere? With Discord anyone can create a server and invite friends for free with no technical knowledge required. That's a huge plus. I also remember RadCall was a thing for a while, at least where I am from.
I wouldn't say that Horizon aims to be super realistic. I mean, it's not far away, especially if we compare it to Elden Ring. But in Horizon colors are saturated, the game looks too beautiful and vibrant to be realistic in my books. I would say Hogwarts Legacy is a better example of a too realistic game: colors are bleak, objects and textures are much closer to what we can find in real life, it does look generic as you say (at least IMO).
It gets good reviews because it's fun to play. The game is good at its core: you have to scan machines, aim at weak spots, move a lot in the battle to avoid damage, choose right weapons, or you can override a machine and enjoy the show, there are so many options and challenges. Besides, let's not underestimate the value of good graphics. They make the world nicer, more enjoyable, make you want to come back and play again. I understand that this game is not for everyone though.
No, I'm not sincere with a person who completely ignored my point that Windows-alike DE doesn't make Linux a viable alternative due to lack of software and hardware support. Stop lecturing people when nobody asked for a lecture.
I don't think that GIMP should be the same, but it does have issues with usability. And when you search "how to do X in gimp", you'll probably find a 10 steps guide, while in PS that'd be a couple of clicks. There's no DDS plugin that supports all compression methods at all. There are so many things that won't go away no matter how many seconds or minutes or years you'll put into learning GIMP.