The Portable Freeware Collection Forums

PhotoLine is a full-featured 16-bit Photoshop alternative/replacement which supports nearly all PS plug-ins. It is a shareware product (59-Euro) that still works after the 30-day trial period.

PhotoLine website:
http://pl32.com/

A partial list of its Image Processing features:
http://pl32.com/pages/imaging.php

English Manual:
http://www.pl32.com/plbin/manual.zip

Direct-download:
ftp://pl32.net/1/133339_93333/pl.zip

Requirements:
Windows XP/Vista/7/8, 512 MB Ram, 50 MB harddisk space, 1024x600 screen resolution
The package has English, German, French, Italian and Chinese Language included.
32- and 64-Bit version in package

Unpack the EXE file from the ZIP file, then extract the EXE file. Create a folder called "UserSettings" in the main app directory before first run.

Registry residual:
HKCU\Software\Computerinsel
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\.PLD
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\PhotoLine.Document

I can't figure out what limitations come up after 30 days so at least for the moment I'm going to move this over to the payware forum. The website is unclear beyond they are not "heavy," whatever that means.

Official forum's running-from-USB thread:
http://www.pl32.com/forum3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=828

There is a 'counter' that shows the number of days since the program was first launched. After 30-days, it just keeps counting. I saw no limitations or changes occur after that period. I subsequently registered the program since it is an unbelievable bargain and I wanted to support the authors. At 59-Euros, compared to PS it's essentially free. I do wish their programming skills extended to their website design, though .. it's probably the one reason the program isn't better known.

I went looking for reviews and all I could find was this 2008 review:

"Free 30 day trial with nothing major disabled (just 10s wait after launching)", which puts this in the nagware category.

Still, after not quite being able to move smoothly with some basic edit operations on either Paint.NET or GIMP, I might give it a shot.

Great first post, TTwrs.

Always nice to know of other Photoshop alternatives out there. Supports PSD and various Photoshop-esque things like layers, etc. Need to play around with it more, but I'm liking what I'm seeing so far.

I know most of us understand this, but I still need to say it: it's illegal to use this program for more than 30 days without buying a license, no matter if the functionality remains the same, unrestricted.

You may try PhotoLine for 30 days without heavy restrictions. PhotoLine is shareware. If you like the program and you want to use it legally for more than 30 days you must purchase a registration number.
You can use this registration number to get a full version of PhotoLine. You don't need to download PhotoLine again.

http://www.pl32.com/pages/down.php

P.S. and at 59 Euros it's not "practically free" at all, no matter what you compare it to! But it's a great thing that you've bought a license to support the developers! A rare sight these days...