I'm back to the beginner stage in graphic design. What's the best beginner friendly program out there (preferably free!)? I used to use Photoshop (older v7 version).

Free your best program is going to be gimp. I have a thread posted in either the graphics board or the help board detailing adobe's free release of Photoshop cs2, as well, but I haven't tried it. If you've used 7, any of the CS series aren't terribly different. I jumped from 7 to CS3 back in the day.

I've also been playing with a new program called Fire Alpaca. It's a great drawing and painting program but a little (lot) lacking for photo editing if you're used to Photoshop.

Link Tree

I did tge adobe download like chao mentioned and it works great.

Photoshop Elements isn't free, but it's cheap and good. You can try a free trial of it too to see if you like it :).

Free is preferable but if I have to spend money that's ok. I'm gunna buy a tablet as well. Any recommendations? 

I prefer gimp 2.6, 2.8 is a total step backwards in my opinion. plus gimp is free. I think you can just about do everything that you could in ps

Tablet wise, if you're low on cash, try monoprice tablets. Look'em up. I've heard they're comparable to wacom for a fraction of the price.

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The Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch tablet  is a very easy tablet to work with and it comes with Photoshop Elements or some sort of graphics program.  I loved my tablet and I still use the same Photoshop Elements it came with.  Check out the prices!

What Amberellie said!

I used to have a bamboo tab. I'm not sure where it went...Probably packed in boxes lol. I'm going to order one Thursday. And order Adobe CS6.

I have both gimp & photoshop CS6, although i do prefer CS6 lol & the tablet i have is a wacom tablet which is easy to use & i love it (: i think i bought it at best buy? not 100% sure where i got it lol but check them out online or in any electronic store (although they are cheaper in stores) from what i saw

If you're a beginner, it'd probably best to avoid gimp. Gimp is notoriously difficult to work with when compared against other, similar programs. 

I'm not sure if this is illegal, but if you search "Photoshop CS6 Portable," it's 100% free.

I would go adobe. An older version will be cheaper, and they're the best around. My Monoprice tablet works with my old elements 4 and my windows 7 is okay with it. You can also contact Aphrodite she has info on how to get free cs6, i think it might be similar to requiems suggestion.