Technique. Technique. Technique.
Something I am working on =P
Technique can make anything look great
Topic: What Platform(s) Do you use?
I personally use Gimp just because I do not have any money.
1. What platform(s) do you use?
2. Which are worth the money?
3. Which is your favorite
4. What is the amount you spent on your platforms?
Ex.
Gimp 00.00$
Photoshop XX.XX Dollars
Etc...
I was going to answer your questions earlier but just remembered now. So on to the questions:
1) Depending on what I am doing. I am in a graphic design program in college so I use the more popular Adobe softwares like, Photoshop, Illustrator, Fireworks (once in awhile), Dreamweaver, Flash, etc.
2) I got the Adobe Creative Suite CS5 Student Edition for only a couple hundred dollars on the Adobe site. And that was around Christmas. Now that CS6 has come out CS5 should be even cheaper now. But if you only want photoshop you could probably find it fairly cheap on the site.
3) My personal favorite is Photoshop but illustrator is becoming a close second. Especially when I'm tracing.
4) I can't remember the exact price I payed but it was between 200-500$ CAD (shipping and all) for the Creative Suite Student Edition. It is the exact same software but for a lot cheaper. All you need to do is scan a school ID and prove you are a student.
Hope that helps. If you have any other questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer them.