To photoshop something is a word in the English language.  Is there a greater accomplishment for computer software?

The inception of Photoshop can be credited to Thomas Knoll, a doctoral candidate at the University of Michigan. In 1987, Knoll began developing a graphics application initially dubbed “Display,” as a means of exploring the capabilities of his Apple Macintosh Plus computer and its monochrome bitmap display. Working alongside his brother, John Knoll, who was employed as a visual effects specialist at Industrial Light & Magic, Thomas expanded the scope of Display to include image processing features, such as gamma correction and color balance adjustments.

As the capabilities of Display grew, John Knoll recognized the commercial potential of the software and suggested that the brothers develop it into a full-fledged image editing application. With this objective in mind, Thomas and John Knoll set about refining and expanding the feature set of Display, incorporating support for color images, additional image processing algorithms, and a more sophisticated user interface.

In 1988, the Knoll brothers renamed their software “ImagePro” and began seeking a partner to help bring the application to market. Their search led them to Adobe Systems, a company founded by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982, which had gained prominence for its PostScript page description language and its commitment to advancing the field of digital graphics. Recognizing the potential of ImagePro to revolutionize the digital imaging landscape, Adobe licensed the software from the Knoll brothers in September 1988 and embarked on a collaborative effort to prepare the application for commercial release.

Over the course of the next year and a half, Adobe and the Knoll brothers worked diligently to refine and optimize ImagePro, incorporating support for additional file formats, developing a more robust and extensible plug-in architecture, and streamlining the application’s user interface. In early 1990, the software underwent a final name change, emerging as Adobe Photoshop, a moniker that would come to define an entire genre of digital imaging.

Adobe Photoshop 1.0 was officially released on February 19, 1990, initially as a Macintosh-exclusive application.

The software provided users with the capabilities of image editing and manipulation, including selections, layers, painting and drawing tools, color and tonal adjustments, and a host of filters and effects.

Adobe Photoshop 2.0 was released in June 1991. This new iteration aimed to build upon the foundation established by its predecessor while incorporating additional features, enhancements, and performance improvements

A significant advancement introduced in Photoshop 2.0 was the addition of support for layers. Layers allowed users to organize, manipulate, and composite individual elements of an image separately, providing greater flexibility and control over the editing process. This non-destructive workflow enabled users to experiment with different adjustments, effects, and compositions without permanently altering the original image data.

Another key enhancement in Photoshop 2.0 was the introduction of the Pen tool, which facilitated the creation of precise vector-based paths and selections. This tool enabled users to create complex shapes and masks with a level of accuracy and control that was not possible with the rudimentary selection tools available in the previous version. The Pen tool was especially valuable for tasks such as image retouching, masking, and the creation of text and graphics, allowing users to achieve professional-quality results with greater efficiency.

Released in September, 1994, Photoshop 3.0 offered layers with layer management functionality. While Photoshop 2.0 had incorporated rudimentary support for layers, it was in version 3.0 that this feature was fully realized, complete with a dedicated Layers panel.

Photoshop 3.0 introduced tabbed palettes, allowing users to customize their workspace by grouping palettes together, docking them to the edge of the screen, or collapsing them to conserve space.

Photoshop 3.0 saw improvements for file format support and color management, with the addition of the Kodak Photo CD format and enhanced support for CMYK color profiles.

Adobe Photoshop 4.0, released in November 1996, introduced the Actions panel, which allowed users to record, save, and execute sequences of operations. Additionally, Photoshop 4.0 included the debut of Adjustment Layers, that allowed users to apply non-destructive adjustments to images, thereby preserving the integrity of the original pixel data.

In May 1998, Adobe unveiled Photoshop 5.0, which introduced the History panel and the History Brush tool. The History panel provided users with a visual record of their editing steps, enabling them to undo or redo changes, while the History Brush allowed users to paint back in time to restore previous states of an image selectively. Photoshop 5.0 featured improvements to the text tool, such as support for editable type layers and advanced typographical controls, as well as the inclusion of the Magnetic Pen tool, which improved the precision and efficiency of path creation.

The release of Adobe Photoshop 6.0 introduced Vector Shapes, which allowed users to create scalable, resolution-independent graphics within their compositions. This innovation bridged the gap between raster and vector editing, providing users with greater flexibility and control over their designs. Photoshop 6.0 also featured the debut of the Layer Styles dialog, which enabled users to apply and customize various effects, such as drop shadows, bevels, and glows, to layers non-destructively. Additionally, this version saw the inclusion of the Liquify filter, a powerful and flexible tool for image distortion and manipulation.

Adobe Photoshop 7.0, released in March 2002, introduced several new features aimed at improving productivity and enhancing the user experience. One of the most significant additions was the Healing Brush tool, which enabled users to effortlessly remove imperfections and blemishes from images by blending the surrounding pixels. This innovative tool greatly simplified the process of image retouching, allowing users to achieve professional-quality results with minimal effort. Photoshop 7.0 also featured the debut of the File Browser, a visual file management system that facilitated the organization, navigation, and previewing of image files within the application. Moreover, this version included improvements to the text engine, such as support for text on a path and advanced paragraph formatting controls.

Photoshop 8.0, released in October 2003 under the moniker Photoshop CS (Creative Suite), marked the beginning of Adobe’s transition to a new branding strategy and the integration of its creative applications within a unified suite. Among the key innovations introduced in this version was the Camera Raw plug-in, which provided users with the ability to process and edit raw image files from digital cameras directly within Photoshop. This feature allowed photographers to retain greater control over the image quality and tonal range during the editing process. Additionally, Photoshop CS included the debut of the Shadow/Highlight adjustment, a powerful tool for recovering detail in underexposed or overexposed areas of an image, as well as enhancements to the File Browser, such as support for batch processing and automated metadata management.

Adobe Photoshop 9.0, or Photoshop CS2, released in April 2005, introduced the Smart Objects feature, which allowed users to preserve the original resolution and editability of raster and vector images when they were transformed or scaled. Photoshop CS2 also featured the debut of the Vanishing Point filter, which facilitated the creation of accurate perspective-based clones and patterns, and the inclusion of the Image Warp tool, which allowed users to bend and reshape images along customizable grids.

Adobe Photoshop CS3, released in April 2007, featured a redesigned user interface. The introduction of self-adjusting panels, dockable palettes, and workspace presets allowed users to tailor their environment to suit their unique workflows. One of the most significant features introduced in CS3 was the Quick Selection tool, which greatly simplified the process of creating complex selections by automatically detecting and selecting similar pixels based on color and texture. Another notable addition was the inclusion of the Smart Filters feature, which enabled users to apply non-destructive filters to images that could be easily adjusted or removed at any time.

Photoshop CS4, released in October 2008, focused on improving the software’s performance and enhancing the user experience. This version introduced support for 64-bit architecture, which allowed Photoshop to access larger amounts of memory and deliver faster performance, especially when working with large or complex files. Among the key innovations in CS4 was the debut of the Adjustments panel, which provided users with a centralized location to access and apply non-destructive adjustment layers. Additionally, CS4 included the Content-Aware Scaling feature, which enabled users to intelligently resize images while preserving the visual integrity of important content areas.

Adobe Photoshop CS5, released in April 2010, introduced Content-Aware Fill, which allowed users to remove unwanted objects or elements from an image by automatically filling the area with surrounding pixels. This feature greatly simplified the process of image retouching and manipulation, enabling users to achieve results with minimal effort. CS5 also featured the debut of the Mixer Brush tool, which allowed users to blend colors and create painting effects, and the Puppet Warp tool, which facilitated the reshaping of objects and elements within an image while preserving their proportions.

Adobe Photoshop CS6, released in May 2012, marked the final iteration of the Creative Suite (CS) series before Adobe transitioned to the Creative Cloud (CC) subscription model.

Photoshop CS6 featured a revamped user interface, that adopted a darker color scheme to reduce visual distractions and allow users to focus more intently on their images. The interface also featured customizable background colors and support for high-resolution displays, providing users with greater control over their workspace.

Photoshop CS6 introduced the Content-Aware Move tool, that enabled users to move or extend objects within an image while automatically filling in the background with the appropriate texture and color. Another development was the introduction of the Blur Gallery, a collection of blur filters that allowed users to create a variety of depth-of-field effects and simulate camera lens blurs.

Photoshop CS6 included significant performance improvements. The software made better use of the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) for accelerated performance in various tasks, such as image rendering, cropping, and liquifying. Moreover, the introduction of the Adobe Mercury Graphics Engine facilitated real-time previews of various filters and effects, allowing users to see the impact of their adjustments without waiting for the image to update.

The transition from the Creative Suite to the Creative Cloud occurred in June 2013, with the release of Adobe Photoshop CC. This shift represented a fundamental change in Adobe’s distribution and licensing model, moving from a perpetual license to a subscription-based service. The Creative Cloud model aimed to provide users with continuous access to the latest features and updates, ensuring that they always had the most recent tools and capabilities at their disposal.

The initial release of Photoshop CC introduced several new features and enhancements, such as the Camera Shake Reduction tool, which helped reduce the impact of camera shake in photographs, and the Intelligent Upsampling feature, which allowed users to increase the resolution of an image while preserving detail and sharpness. Additionally, Photoshop CC featured improved 3D tools.