Ethical considerations often rely upon a foundation of simple principles.
By always adhering to principles and never making excuses to deviate from them, we can generate the best outcome at the cost of the least harm.
There are many things a person may take from you. Material things. Digital things. But there is one thing that a person can have, that no one can ever take from them. But they can choose... to give it up.
Honor.
Sadly, we live in a world in which many people are more than happy to trade their honor away in exchange for something that they can exploit. This will cover a broad variety of topics, MS, FB, AI, Google... the vast majority of the the topics we lament - all come down to this.
We can observe and we can take note of these patterns that repeat under different names, different labels, different platforms - all the same thing.
It is present in Gnu as much as it is in Microsoft.
To this end, those of us that make the choice to retain that which can not ever be taken by another choose to stand Resolute.
I do not doubt this. But a statement can be inaccurate, even when said with the best of intentions.
Let's examine:
I cannot see applying this comment to software that can fully manipulate raster images, trace fractals, stereoscopy and transforms. GIMP is fully versatile with transparencies and layering, including introducing gradients, light filtering and sources.
To say that such is "adequate for casual users who want to correct brightness and contrast in their holiday snaps, and selfies" clearly is a misleading description - even if it seems true to you, perhaps by not having tapped into its potential.
I can certainly see how having used Photoshop for a long period of time, GIMP would take a learning curve.
This is equally true of a Microsoft Windows User encountering the learning curve of GnuLinux, and then complaining about the Cartoony Mascot Penguin, saying that GnuLinux is fine for the casual user that just wants to browse the web and check emails.
When you justify its use and excuse the deviation from our principles, this is to advocate its use. Certainly, torrent downloads are not due only to those who would never have bought a product anyway.