Lots of people use gimp, but what you start using is what you get used to.From What ive heard most ppl use gimp
Fireworks?i use a mixture really mostly fireworks and photoshop for my banners and i have paint aswell but hardly use it
Fireworks?
I use
Photoshop-Banners, Signatures, Avatars
Paint-Sprites
Userbar Generator-Userbars
yes macromedia fireworks its simple and easy to use thats how i made the banner i have in my signature at the moment