I hope all these major open source projects reach their potential. Blender is already basically there, and I'm expecting the rest to catch up eventually. Even GIMP -- it really just needs some TLC and actual funding and it could easily start on the notoriety/attention path Godot's been on for a few years now.
GIMP seems actively hostile to giving people what they want: a Photoshop clone. Even projects which would revamp the interface to be more Photoshop like were given the cold shoulder.
At this point I have fully switched to Krita. I am not a real artist and am only ever making little doodles for my apps, but the developers seem more in tune with what users need.
There have been a lot of forks. Cinepaint, Gimpshop and Glimpse (RIP) come to mind.
Unfortunately the reality is if people can barely pay attention and contribute to Gimp, what chance do any forks have?
Gimp moves slowly but they do listen to their users. Lack of funding is more responsible for any complaints people have with Gimp, not some assumed "anti-Photoshop" idealism.
Blender
OpenToonz
GIMP
I hope all these major open source projects reach their potential. Blender is already basically there, and I'm expecting the rest to catch up eventually. Even GIMP -- it really just needs some TLC and actual funding and it could easily start on the notoriety/attention path Godot's been on for a few years now.