PS CS3 here too. It's the Produciton Premium student package so it wasn't that pricy.

I used PS Elements 2.0 before this one and it worked alright. Maybe you should try getting the Elements version too if you're not willing to spend on the full version? I think it's about a hundred dollars or so. Not sure about the prices today though.

i use elements 4.0, there is'nt even a pen tool

PaintShopPro7 (I know, some of you weren't even born when it came out, but I find it quite 'user-friendly' , even if it sucks at stuff like effects and 'cheating' ) Great program for advanced c+p and drawing/brushing stuff...

I used to own paint shop pro as well and I switched to Adobe; I have both CS3 and 4 Extended (CS4 on the Adobe CS4 Master Collection) but use cs3 due to reformatting.

CS4 and CS4 Portable if im out and about

Cs4 Extended

adobe 7.0 baby
still using it i have had cs for a while but i'm on a lop top now , hooked to a 19" screen and speed wise adobe 7.0 is just awsome
almost everything you need is in / on it
the only things i dont have are more extended degrain stuff and some sort of colortool i found very handy on cs versions

but its more the enough for me

so keepi'n it oldskool ... in comparison to most here i'm oldskool myselfs so thats a good combination
(thats why it says oldtimer at my usernme)

CS4 Extended on my main computer and CS3 (Master Collection) on the school laptop