Dave's Favorites: Replace Paint With Paint.Net

Every version of Microsoft Windows, all the way back to Windows 3.1, has included a little program called Paint. It was originally intended as a bitmap drawing program. You get a brush, some colors, a text tool, and that's about it.

We have somewhat more sophisticated graphics needs these days, but Windows still includes the same old Paint program--and I know that many folks try to edit photos with it. Maybe it's time to replace Paint with something new. That's exactly what some students at Washington State University have done (with some help from Microsoft).

Paint.Net originated as a senior design project in spring 2004. It's currently in an "alpha" state, but it's stunning nonetheless. The program supports multiple layers with transparency; a slew of drawing, painting, and selection tools; a clone brush; and special effects like motion blur, red-eye removal, and oil painting. Unlike Paint, it even lets you specify the compression/quality level when saving a JPEG. One of the coolest features is that windows--like the layers palette, toolbar, and color wheel--turn transparent when you're not using them, so you can see through them to the picture canvas underneath.

When you install Paint.Net, it can replace Paint or live in harmony alongside it. Paint.Net is free, and, according to the Web site, is actively being improved all the time. I've used the program and found it to be stable and reliable, and only about 10,000 times better than Paint. You should definitely try it out.