I have used this wonderful bit of software for three years now, and I will be the first to stand in line to throw my roses and add my undying adulation to the powers that saw fit to give birth to Adobe in 1982. The beauty of the results, the sheer joy and satisfaction that comes from the thrill of creating is well worth any blood, sweat and tears that may have happened along the way. And if not, then what software could possibly do justice to your artistic whims and fancies as this one can.
Price is perhaps the biggest factor.
The fact is that most of us who are toying at home with web design, scanning and sharing family photos or designing art work for our small business may not need the full power of Photoshop, and simply cannot justify the high cost to acquire it. Adobe has also spawned some software along this price line but judging from your reviews, the functions seem rather restrictive. We care about performance. We care about price. Now herald the trumpets and roll out that red carpet.