Is the old version of photoshop (CS2) worthy of learning on?

René Schuster wrote:

no, in Photoshop CS2 this PS Elements is not included, so you will have to download and install it separately.

Easier for a beginner, hmm, not sure, I think the basic steps are more or less about the same in CS2 as well as Elements; PSE is just not as powerful as CS2. But I can't imagine you will miss anything important in PSE, at least as long as you call yourself a beginner.

But I never did anything with Elements. I had the old PS7 installed here and downloaded this CS2 now, but I must say I do most of my editing in an older version of Photo Impact (XL or 10, I think), looks easier to me, about the same results with less clicks. Adobe's Photoshop is probably the standard and what most professionals use, but for the little what I want to do I actually don't really need it. It is just that some filters don't work in my PhotoImpact but in PS, also some auto-functions give slightly better results in PS, but for me that's about it. No matter if PhotoImpact or Photoshop, I guess all I use is maybe 20% of what these programs can do.

If it is only about the very basics, like rotate (to correct a tilted horizon), resize the image, crop, doing basic adjustments like color, sharpening, red-eye-removal, etc, even a good image viewer like the free FastStone Image viewer will be enough. But if you really want to get deeper into editing, it might make sense to concentrate on a real editing program. But I could imagine in the beginning all programs will look a bit tricky and confusing; the trial-and-error way wiithout a good book or manual is not the way to go.

René