Scribus performs many of the same functions of QuarkXPress and/or Adobe InDesign.

The GIMP performs many of the same functions as Adobe Photoshop.

As a graphic designer I assume you want to mimick Dreamweaver's WYSIWYG functionality, in which case Nvu might be good for you. If you're more into the programming end of it, then you might like Eclipse.

Finally, for an Illustrator substitute, try Sodipodi.

Keep in mind, none of these truly replace the high-end Adobe/Quark apps, but they can provide some of the same functionality in Linux.

There was a program named Killustrator, wich is now Karbon14, part of the Koffice suite: http://www.koffice.org/
Microsoft offers expression for free, but for Win or Mac. http://www.microsoft.com/products/expression/

Google also Gimpshop; an extention that makes Gimp look like Photoshop. Might be easier to follow tutorials.
(the big advantage of commercial products)

Inkscape was also recommended in a graphic design magazine, as Scribus, Gimp, and I think ghost script for postscript support

For Macs, wait till the Intel based ones come out.

For software, use Bittorrent. :))))

I don't thnk the Gimp supports CMYK so that may be a problem if you plan on doing a lot of print.

If you can afford it, I would just get Freehand (not Illustrator) and Photoshop and skip the rest. Why Freehand? It can handle mulitple pages so it could be used as a replacement for Quark/InDesign - although things may not be as easy. Learning to code html by hand circumvents the need to use programs such as Dreamweaver with the added bonus that you can produce nice and lean code.

Mackie, I wish that there was a way for the other torrent users to steal all your creationss: if other's work should not be paid for, I guess that it is the same for yours?

My work gets pirated a lot, I don't mind. there's nothing much you can do against it, is there?

I think the person starting the thread wants to avoid pirating software and still be in business with free alternatives.

We all have our stands on piracy and I don't think we can convince each other to change our minds.

I don't mind you guys voicing your opinions, but I have to state that creativebits.org site doesn't support piracy in any form.

i've been keeping an eye out for a replacement for dreamweaver, with an idea to move over to linux at some point, but also for windows use. i was playing around with nvu, which is pretty good but the thing that i like the most about dreamweaver which i havent seen replicated in other editors is the caching ability. ie. dreamweaver creates a cache of the website and when you alter the name of a file, or move it to another folder it automatically updates any links etc to that file across the whole site. which is invaluable when managing a large site. am i missing something in nvu or is there another option?

I believe in no piracy. In a country where the economy and the bussines of advertising and design is both limited (last year i worked at one of the major newspapers in Quito, and they still use Quarkxpress 3.1!!!!) and competitive, I've to find a way to be in bussiness without stealing software or doing something ilegal. Linux is the only answer I can think off, maybe if things go well, I can upgrade to macs!!!, it would be my goal. But for the time LINUX is the way.

I think that if you're on a limited budget, you can get by using some older stuff (it's still better than what Linux has). For instance, you can eBay yourself legal copies of photoshop 7 and InDesign 2, they still work fine, and run them on a slew of Power Mac G3's. They made excellent DTP system six years ago, and they still do. Sure, they're not the latest and greatest, but you could prolly get a dozen for under $1500.

Thank you, for all your comments and help. Is going to be easier for me to take a wise chocie for the system I'am going to use.

On ebay, some scums sell pirated software that they copy in bulk onto CD or DVD and then stamp it. Piracy is not right, but it has to exist...I can understand people copying software for themselves, but there is not excuse for selling it. If it happens to you, tell eBay and they'll do seomthgina bout it.

There's a version of Gimp that's been modified so that it's shortcuts are the same as in Photoshop. The GimpShop. (That's if you're used to using Photoshop). The're windows, mac and Linux installers.

I'll second everyone that recommended Inkscape. There's also windows and linux installers.

If you're going to be doing webdesign stuff. GFTP is a good ftp client. I'd recomend you learn to use VIM for all your text editing (no matter what plattform you're going to use.)

If you're going to use a linux distribution, I'd recommed UBUNTU linux. But only if you have a cable connection to the internet, because it depends a lot on apt-get for installing software.

Now, if you need proof that you can be an awsome graphic designer using Free Software, here's Jimmac's website http://jimmac.musichall.cz/weblog.php. This guy rocks!