[Gimp-user] Processing RAW pics?

[Dutchbert <forums gimpusers com>]

Hi All, best wishes for 2015. I have recently installed GIMP 2.8 because it is
advertised as the free alternative to PS and Lightroom. Installation worked like
a charm and I was happily opening a test directory I had set up with some old
pics to play around with. Disappointment struck, the application did not
recognise any file in the directory.
I shoot RAW and you can probably guess where this heading. Is there no way I can
use GIMP for processing RAW files? If yes, I'd be delighted to know how. If not,
how do I work around this problem?

-- 
Dutchbert (via www.gimpusers.com/forums)