I'm not sure I see the problem: 'Export', and 'Export as' works as 'Save' and 'Save as'. This i like 'Export to PDF' in a word processor. If you never save in GIMP, I suppose you don't use layers?
The problem is that for those of us that used it since the beginning (1997 in my case), it's a change which broke the workflow which worked for 15 years for zero benefit for any user, old or new. I still get it wrong every time a decade on. The keyboard shortcuts are awkward, and it's all around a bad choice for usability. It has no actual benefit. Its only purpose is for the developers to force you to use XCF in a not-very-subtle manner.
I do use layers sometimes. But all of my input and output images are PNG, TIFF or JPEG and I have no use for the intermediate state. XCF is a non-standard application-specific format which has no use other than with the GIMP. It has its place, but the assumption that it is the central part of the workflow of end users is simply incorrect. It wouldn't have caused so many complaints if it was the case.
rleigh|4 years ago
I do use layers sometimes. But all of my input and output images are PNG, TIFF or JPEG and I have no use for the intermediate state. XCF is a non-standard application-specific format which has no use other than with the GIMP. It has its place, but the assumption that it is the central part of the workflow of end users is simply incorrect. It wouldn't have caused so many complaints if it was the case.