need advise and recommendations for good quality photoshop software

Hi
I am putting in this forum for a friend who is really good at taking digital pictures and he has many pictures on his computer. He is trying to figure out what a good photoshop software would be? He has consulted with a local computer business and they suggested the free download at Gimp2 @ myopensource.org, while researching into this he discovered everyfreegift.com who advertised the adobe photoshop as being free, which this all sounded to good to be true. He had priced this software at $700.
Is there someone out there who can recommend or suggest what would be a good, adequate way of taking care of his photos? I did just didn't know how to help him and I knew I had always got such good info from you guys!! He doen't mind paying for software (reasonable) but would love it if he could get good stuff free!!
Thanks to anyone who can help!!
MB

 

Microsoft digital image standered is good, I'm not sure its free but its came with my microsoft office cd, check on the microsoft site and see if you can download it.. I have photoshop and its great, your freind should find way to get cheap, but dont mean dirt cheap cuz thats stealing. You could download the trail version of adobe photoshop.