Pumeco,

considering the workflow with Gimp that you described using, you really must not do much image editing or painting. All of those extra clicks just to summon a necessary tool to perform simple tasks would be crippling to anyone who seriously puts the app through it's paces.

I think perhaps you just fetishize Gimp for political reasons rather than work related ones.

I have used Gimp, Painter, and PS. I prefer photoshop. I'll leave it at that.