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Future of GIMP: official words from developers!

By at 2011-01-12 03:24:53 UTC, last updated over 13 years ago. CC BY-NC License

The GIMP dev team has made some clarification on the current state of GIMP 2.8 and also commented on the future of the GIMP project and its aims.

  • GIMP 2.8 is blocked by a missing specification on the last change in user interface and broken graphic tablets support in GTK+.
  • The developers want to ensure that everything is working out of the box, so they take the time to make a release that works great for everyone.
  • Future plans: After GIMP 2.8 the plan is to get more features and benefits out of the currently implemented GEGL which will then enables non-destructive image editing on a professional level.
  • A lot of work: There is much planned for the future, but GIMP really needs more developers to get all the things done. Join the mailing-list or the Official IRC channel.

The full announcement can be read on www.gimp.org .

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Laurel Goodrich
about 13 years ago

I wish the installation of the help file were a much more automatic process.

spartan2276 member for about 13 years spartan2276 9 comments
about 13 years ago

Hey great job on the new website design, but one thing why not make the site centered. Honestly it would have looked much better.

spartan2276 member for about 13 years spartan2276 9 comments rated this topic with 5/5
about 13 years ago

So does this mean that because of the GTK issue GIMP will not be released when they said it would. Well as long as when they do release it the Tablets work like they do now and it is stable like it is now. Oh please make sure the Ubuntu/Linux version is solid first, then take care of the Windows/Mac versions. Sorry Windows/Mac users but this is a *NIX app so we get priority.

ffan
over 13 years ago

please release GIMP2.8

David B.
over 13 years ago

Does anybody know how the various OS versions differ in release date? I have no idea how it works and I'm wonder if there is a delay for the Mac OS version of the GIMP releases. Thanks!

Bob K.
over 13 years ago

Oh well I tried.
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=155&t=950753
"There's not enough of a user base to necessitate it"

Bob K.
over 13 years ago

Brian,
This is Photokina.
http://www.photokina-cologne.com/thefair/supporting_programm.php
A heck of a lot larger and way more impressive Photographers event
than your LGM. Gimp needs to be there!. To get noticed, by the
professionals!.

Groyne
over 13 years ago

Why you guys dont make some kind of partner with blender fundation, they always get developers so easy, that could be awesome!! and they are looking forward to proffesional development to enter more closely in the industrys (as an open source and freeware software).

Andreas_P
over 13 years ago

Bob K:

GIMP Dev Team were (year by year) at LGM (LibreGraphicsMeeting Conference) is attending LGM2011 and ChaosCommunicationCamp.... They do their jobs, just have (some) patience.

Brian H
over 13 years ago

I'm pleased to see the Gimp continuing to develop. I'm a hack photographer who uses Puppy Linux & Windows XP, and gimp works for me. I will never but photoshop because it just isn't worth that much money for me.
Thanks for what has been developed thus far. I look forward to using what will come.

Bob K.
over 13 years ago

So tell me. How are we going to target graphics and photography app developers to start developing for Gimp. I'm talking about the type of top developers that work for companies, like Adobe, Apple, Corel, etc. How can we target them?. Does Gimp users promote the application at major Phootgraphy Events, like Photokina, etcc. Blender, Libre Office, Mozilla Foundation, all don't seem to have this problem. Should a "Gimp Foundation" be created that is sponsored by Canonical, Red Hat, etcc. Should Gimp and Digikam developers join forces in combining their technologies. Digikam does have > 8 bit support, but lacks, layers, masks, etc.. Ideas?!. This isn't trolling!!.

Bob K.
over 13 years ago

Bob Kovacs, how exactly is it the gimp devs fault that you can't have photoshop on the OS you chose to use.

It's "features" not photoshop. And the devs are those that create the software. This is not trolling, its stating my opinion. Is everything that is said negatively considered trolling?. So how can I volunteer. I'm not a developer, I have a limited income, and I work a full time job?. So I just give my opinions and ideas of how to make a program better. But that's nothing but trolling I guess.

nzdawghaus
over 13 years ago

@Bob Kovacs, how exactly is it the gimp devs fault that you can't have photoshop on the OS you chose to use. Wouldn't your time be better spent trolling Linux or Photoshop boards? Gimp is and has always been open-source. If you're so disapointed about this program not offering everything you want on your schedule, then get off the pot and volunteer to help. Or talk to others who might be able to help.

Bob Kovacs
over 13 years ago

It's a real shame that Gimp 2.8 won't be released when Ubuntu 11.04 comes out.

devvv, not really. It's just that Gimp has for quite a long time (several years now) been lacking many of the high end features that most professional photographers rely on. Like > 8 bit support, the main one. And yes the developers will constantly be hounded upon until they fully implement it. 100%!. Why do you all think there is a campaign right now to get Adobe to port the Creative Suite to Linux. Because Linux users we are just plain sick and tired of being last in the photo and video apps area, compared to Mac and Windows. If you can't get developers than close up shop and then maybe Canonical, Red Hat, etcc, will fit the bill to get the Adobe Creative Suite ported. Sorry for sounding so negative, but I feel that Gimp has finally run it's course, and the dreams of a good high end photo editor for Linux is now a mere pipe dream. A shame when you see all the great things now coming to Linux. Maybe it's true when they say that Gimp right now is what Photoshop or even Paint Shop Pro was like 10 years ago. And yes I am willing to pay for photography applications if I need to. I've been doing that for years, when using Windows XP.

devvv member for over 17 years devvv 1475 comments
over 13 years ago

Bob Kovacs: Your second link is generally an interesting read, however the people commenting it just don't have a clue about the project as it seems and they have a pretty tendency to flame the developers... pretty sad

TheJoe
over 13 years ago

The problem is always the same.. we do need more programmers.. three persons arn't enough to develop a complex program like gimp..

Bob Kovacs
over 13 years ago

http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2011011200133RVSW

http://troy-sobotka.blogspot.com/2011/01/why-gimp-is-inadequate.html

By this article from Linux Today, I'd say Gimp has even more issues.

Bob Kovacs
over 13 years ago

Any chance to get some help from the likes of Canonical, RedHat, etcc. Getting them to take an interest in providing developers for Gimp. Since Gimp is a core application for Linux as a whole. Since Adobe cannot make up their minds whether to port Photoshop to Linux, no matter how many pledges they get.

devvv member for over 17 years devvv 1475 comments
over 13 years ago

If there would be a bounty system I would really promote that on our site here. However I think it is hard for a new enthusiastic programmer to get in touch with the specifications of the gimp core and do things right. Some sort of "important guidelines for new developers" should be made.

Gimp User: The new export-feature is excellent, beleive me. The workflow is significantly faster now, just work with it one week, and you don't want the old system back. Also the wide majority – 2/3 – of users like it as can be seen on our poll (which is is already a year old and was started when the feature could be seen first).

http://www.gimpusers.com/polls/46/results

redforce member for over 17 years redforce 230 comments
over 13 years ago

There is much work to do and there are not only programming tasks. Architectural design, UI design, documentation writing, i18n, Web site maintenance, build management ... I think the developers are happy about every helping hand.

And, please keep the comments on topic.

OccasionalDev
over 13 years ago

@Gimp User - by "more developers" they mean programmers. Sounds like you push a few pixels around and think that makes you a dev, which it doesn't. Do you have the skills required to C/C++ develop software ?

Please speak respectfully to those who contribute their time for free to create this product.

Constructive critique of workflow is fine, but outright rudeness is unhelpful.

Maybe contact the comp sci / software engineering department of your local university to see if they might be able to allocate a student project to undertake some of this work.

hannes61 member for over 13 years hannes61 11 comments
over 13 years ago

I like the new save function.
Being able to save my work (xcf) and being able to
make a image of it. (jpg, tiff, ...)
This make it easier to use. IMO.
And i must not longer change the extension while saving.

Gimp User
over 13 years ago

Maybe you would get more willing developers to help if you had not alienated half the user base with breaking the save function just to promote XCF and completely pointlessly push everything to export. Then claiming you were improving work flow (instead of the truth, slowing everyone down for the few morons that did not realise that saving flat would lose data). Who would want to join a team that makes a good product LESS user friendly and LESS intuitive as time goes on, not to mention how arrogant your current devs have been in forums when discussing this major screw up. Oh well...

hannes61 member for over 13 years hannes61 11 comments
over 13 years ago

I will wait for this and the following version.
I know you do a very good job.