GNOME News Archives

Following a meeting last week between Jesse Barnes, Chris Wilson, and Kristian Høgsberg with developers working on the Clutter tool-kit and GNOME's Mutter window manager, there is a new GLX extension that has been proposed as a result. Jesse Barnes has announced their work on the GLX_INTEL_swap_event extension, which helps GLX integrate better with glib style event loops.

Last week we were the first to report that it looked like GNOME 3.0 would not come until September 2010 after developers wanted a delay compared to their original March 2010 plans. As of last night it's now official that GNOME 3.0 will not be out until September of next year.

Yesterday we reported that the release of GNOME 3.0 could end up being delayed to the end of September after the Zeitgeist and GNOME Shell developers shared these key pieces of the GNOME 3.x desktop would likely not be ready in a stable state for the planned 3.0 release in March. Today more developers responsible for different parts of GNOME have voiced their views and the status of their code. The consensus appears to be that a GNOME 3.0 release in September would lead to a better, more polished release for this first major overhaul of the GNOME desktop in years.

Back in July of 2008 we learned of GNOME 3.0 as plans were laid out during the GUADEC '08 conference to make the GNOME 2.30 release their "3.0" version. A art and user-interface followed months later and then this April the GNOME 3.0 road-map was laid out that put this release, which will overhaul the GNOME desktop in comparison to the usual incremental releases, to come in March of 2010. The March target is just six months after the release of GNOME 2.28 and consistent with their bi-monthly release cycle they have been following for years. However, it looks like GNOME 3.0 may not hit in H1'2010 but rather September of next year.

The much anticipated GNOME 3.0 release is coming in March, but the first development release (v2.29.1) for GNOME 3.0 (a.k.a. 2.30) is now available this week. For months now we have seen early development snapshots of the new Zeitgeist, GNOME Shell, and Mutter modules, but now that GNOME 2.28 was released, all of these free software developers have turned their attention towards the major 3.0 release.

AbiWord, the open-source word processor that is part of GNOME Office, has reached version 2.8 this morning. While AbiWord may not be as popular as OpenOffice.org, AbiWord 2.8 does bring an impressive set of changes with some notable new features in particular.

The Clutter Toolkit, which is used by free software projects like Moblin and GNOME 3.0's Mutter for providing a very rich user-interface while eliminating the complexities of programming directly in OpenGL, reached version 1.0 back in July. While Clutter 1.0 has worked out well, work towards Clutter 1.2 has been underway and this morning the first post-1.0 development snapshot, Clutter 1.1.2, has been released.

A month after the release of GNOME 2.28.0, the first point release is now available that brings a mixture of bug-fixes, translation updates, and documentation updates. The release announcement for GNOME 2.28.1 that contains links for the changes in GNOME 2.28.1 can be found on the gnome-announce-list.

With GNOME 2.28 having been released last month, all efforts are focusing on GNOME 3.0, which is the first major overhaul of this Linux desktop environment in years. Two of the key components to the GNOME 3.0 desktop are Mutter, the new window/compositing manager, and GNOME Shell, the shell for how a user interacts with the desktop. There have been early preview releases for both Mutter and GNOME Shell, but out this afternoon are 2.28.0 releases for both of these software packages.

Lucas Rocha, on the behalf of all GNOME developers worldwide, has just announced the release of GNOME 2.28.0. GNOME 2.28 is the last release prior to GNOME 3.0 that is due out next March, with some of the improvements in this version being a GNOME Bluetooth module, the Empathy instant messaging client has picked up more features, the Epiphany web-browser has finally switched to the WebKit rendering engine over Gecko as the default choice, improved audio settings support, and much more.

The hard code freeze for GNOME 2.28.0 is coming up soon with the final release of this feature-update to GNOME coming out at the end of this month, but available now is the GNOME 2.28 release candidate. GNOME's Vincent Untz writes, "having

GNOME 2.28 will be released next month, but after that, the core focus among these free software desktop developers will turn to working on GNOME 3.0. Many GNOME developers have already been devoting some work towards GNOME 3.0, particularly in the areas of Mutter, Zeitgeist, and GNOME Shell, considering all of the work that's ahead. Just a week ago there was a new development release of GNOME Shell, but now another development release is out, along with one for Mutter.

GNOME 3.0 will not be rolling out until the first half of 2010, but work is already underway on this major GNOME update that is the first to bring some radical changes in a long time. One of the major components of GNOME 3.0 is the GNOME Shell. The GNOME Shell will begin handling some of the responsibilities that previously was done by the window manager and GNOME Panel in GNOME 2.xx while offering a modern graphics experience.

We are just a month out from the release of GNOME 2.28, which is the last major update before GNOME 3.0's expected arrival in H1'2010. With development on GNOME 2.28 winding down, these desktop developers have announced the first beta release. GNOME 2.27.90 is this first 2.28 beta and it includes bug fixes and other work along with the usual variety of documentation and translation updates.

Vincent Untz has announced the release of GNOME 2.27.5. This unstable release of GNOME in the road to GNOME 2.28.0 also marks the entering of the feature freeze for this bi-annual update to GNOME. The packages found in GNOME 2.27.5 have a whole host of changes ranging from burst photography support in Cheese to translation updates and fixes throughout the desktop and platform.

One of the GNOME projects that's in development that should premiere around the time of GNOME 3.0 is Zeitgeist, which is the system for tracking user activity and events and then logging it, so that later on the user can use the Zeitgeist tool to browse or find events and files on the computer. This project is described by the Zeitgeist developers as, "You worked on a file, but you cannot remember where you saved it? You visited a web page about basketball three days ago, but you cannot find the URL in your browser's history? No problem, this is where Zeitgeist enters the scene. It knows a lot about your activities and has a feature rich D-Bus API which allows GUI applications like gnome-zeitgeist, zeitgeistfs and others to present you your activities in a readable way." Anyhow, the first release of the Zeitgeist engine is now out in the wild.

The second to the last planned maintenance update in the GNOME 2.26 series has been released. GNOME 2.26.2 just brings the usual assortment of bug fixes and translation updates, while all major work on this free software desktop environment is now focused on GNOME 2.28.

The first development release of GNOME 2.28 was supposed to be out at the end of April per its release schedule, but it's now slowly coming together. There are many bug-fixes and translation updates in the packages checked in so far for this first GNOME 2.28 development release (a.k.a. GNOME 2.27.1), but there are a few items worth pointing out.

If you build your own GNOME packages from source or use GARNOME to help in the process, get ready as GNOME 2.26.1 has just been released. GNOME 2.26.1 incorporates bug fixes, translation updates, and documentation changes since the release of GNOME 2.26 just one month ago.

With GNOME 2.26 having been released a few weeks back, the GNOME development community is slowly beginning to ramp up work on the next release, which will be known as GNOME 2.28. The release schedule for GNOME 2.28 is out, along with a tentative schedule for GNOME 3.0! GNOME 3.0 will take off where GNOME 2.30 would have been, and will come with some significant improvements to compete in the age of KDE 4.

After being in development for about six months, GNOME 2.26 has been released. New in GNOME 2.26.0 is the integration of the Brasero disc burning utility, volume control integration with PulseAudio, improved display management support (powered by RandR), and many other desktop enhancements.

Vincent Untz on the behalf of all GNOME developers has announced the release of the GNOME 2.26.0 release candidate. This release candidate serves as the last test release prior to the emergence of GNOME 2.26, which is happening in just ten days. Fixed since the GNOME 2.26 beta is just a collection of bug-fixes and other stabilization work.

GNOME 2.25.90 has been released, which is the sixth development release leading up to GNOME 2.26 and is the first beta. The release of GNOME 2.26.0 will come in March, but until then will still be a few more development releases although the API/ABI freezes are in effect. For more information and to look at the extensive change list, read the GNOME mailing list.

Emmanuele Bassi of Intel's Open-Source Technology Center has just announced a new development release of the Clutter Toolkit that will lead up to the Clutter 1.0 stable release. For those unfamiliar with Clutter, it is an open-source toolkit designed to develop user interfaces using an OpenGL / OpenGL ES back-end, but without the complexities of programing in OpenGL. Clutter also provides a Pango font renderer and some other interesting features.

Multi-Pointer X support won't be enabled by default in the forthcoming release of X Server 1.6 even though it landed in the mainline code-base last year. This technology to allow for multiple input devices to be used on Linux simultaneously will not be enabled by default until X Input 2.0 arrives with X Server 1.7 later this year. However, that isn't stopping GNOME developers from already working on GTK+ support for X Input 2.0 and Multi-Pointer X.

GNOME 2.26 will be released in March, but to fix some outstanding bugs and to update translations, the GNOME community has issued the GNOME 2.24.3 release.

It's arriving a week late, but GNOME 2.25.3 is now available. GNOME 2.25.3 is the third development release in the series leading up to the release of GNOME 2.26 in March. There's quite a few desktop and platform changes within GNOME 2.25.3 from new features to interface changes to translation updates.

Matthias Clasen has announced the availability of the second unstable GNOME 2.25 release, which will ultimately go on to form GNOME 2.26. Since the release of GNOME 2.25.1 in early November, there's been many new features added, bugs fixed, and updated translations. The GNOME 2.25.2 release announcement along with download source links for the packages and complete change-log can be found on the GNOME mailing list.

The first development release in the GNOME 2.25 series that will go on to form GNOME 2.26 early next year is expected to be released today. There's still two months before any freezes go into effect for GNOME 2.26, but a few changes worth mentioning can be found in the handful of packages checked in for today's GNOME 2.25.1 release.

With GNOME 2.24 having been released this week, attention will soon turn to developing the 2.26 series followed by GNOME 2.28. Following that, at some point in early 2010 we should see the release of GNOME 3.0 (what otherwise would have been known as GNOME 2.30). While information surrounding GNOME 3.0 is very much tentative and there are two intermediate releases to work on beforehand, the first artwork / user-interface road-map has been published.

As expected, GNOME 2.24 has been released this afternoon. The GNOME 2.24.0 desktop environment incorporates the Empathy Instant Messenger application, the Ekiga 3.0 VoIP client, improved file browsing in Nautilus, Deskbar enhancements, RandR 1.2 control support, and numerous other improvements. The complete run-down of changes for GNOME 2.24 can be read in the 2.24 release notes. Additionally, we previously covered some of the interesting improvements in GNOME 2.24.

As luck would have it, not only was KDE 4.1.1 released yesterday but also getting released to the wild was the GNOME 2.24.0 Beta 2. This release contains additional bug fixes and other minor work while stabilizing the GNOME 2.24 code-base. The release announcement can be read on the GNOME mailing list. For what this new desktop environment has to offer, we previously shared some of the interesting GNOME 2.24 features.

The GNOME community has today released GNOME 2.23.6, which is their latest development build in the GNOME 2.24 series and marks the feature freeze for this next desktop environment release. The release announcement can be read on the GNOME mailing list. We'll have more on what's in store for GNOME 2.24 in the near future when we present our feature preview. Until then, fire up GARNOME if you're interested in trying out this release yourself.

As the first development release since GUADEC 2008 (GNOME's developer conference) where they had announced GNOME 2.30 will be GNOME 3.0, we have a new development release back in the GNOME 2.23/2.24 series. GNOME 2.23.5 was pushed out this afternoon by Vincent Untz.

The K Desktop Environment community came out earlier this year with their brand new KDE 4.0 release that marked significant advancements to this open-source desktop environment compared to its KDE 3.5.x code-base. Meanwhile, the GNOME community has been living in a 2.0 cycle for quite some time with no signs of a major overhaul, but their six-month release cycles just continue to deliver new refinements and minor improvements. The plans for GNOME 3.0 just put this release out when there is significant API/ABI breakage to GNOME 2.0 / GTK+ or a major rewrite. Well, in addition to announcing Stormy Peters joining GNOME, at GUADEC 2008 they have just announced plans for GNOME 3.0!

For those not interested by today's KDE 4.0.5 release, perhaps you're interested in trying out the latest development version of GNOME. GNOME 2.23.3 has been released and what's special about this release is a great number of bug fixes. If your distribution doesn't have these bleeding-edge packages available, you can fire up GARNOME to obtain GNOME 2.23.3. For more on this new release, check out the release announcement.

While all major development efforts within the GNOME community are centered around the forthcoming GNOME 2.24, coming out today is another point release for GNOME 2.22. GNOME 2.22.2 contains bug fixes and translation updates since GNOME 2.22.0 and 2.22.1. Prior to the GNOME 2.24.0 release in September, the last point release (GNOME 2.22.3) is planned for the end of June. Download links and changes for today's release can be read on the GNOME mailing list.

GNOME 2.22.0 was only released last month, but being released tomorrow is the first development release in the path towards GNOME 2.24.0. This first development release will be dubbed GNOME 2.23.1, with GNOME 2.23 being the unstable branch. The tarballs for this first release were due last night, with new versions of gnome-applets, mousetweaks, gnome-control-center, cheese, and other packages already being checked-in. All of the checked-in packages can be found on the gnome-announce-list.

Following last month's release of GNOME 2.22.0, the first point release in the GNOME 2.22 series has been released. GNOME 2.22.1 contains a bit of bug fixing, new translations, and updated documentation. The second point release (GNOME 2.22.2) will be released on May 26, while all future development efforts are now focused on GNOME 2.24.

As planned, GNOME 2.22.0 has been released today. We've previously talked about the interesting changes that can be found in this six month update to GNOME, which includes a new VNC client, international clock applet, Totem Movie Player enhancements, window compositing, web camera software, and many other changes. The official GNOME 2.22 Release Notes can be read at GNOME.org.

If you don't have it marked down on your calendar, GNOME 2.22.0 is scheduled to be released this Wednesday, March 12. GNOME 2.22.0 is the first stable release in the GNOME 2.22 series that represents all of the work made in the GNOME 2.21 development series. Back in January we talked about the major improvements in GNOME 2.22. Among the additions to this desktop environment include Epiphany now supporting a WebKit back-end, Cheese photo/video web-cam viewer, integration of the Mousetweaks utility, Vinagre VNC client, and Totem movie player improvements. Today is the source package check-in deadline for GNOME 2.22.0, with the announcements being available on the gnome-announce-list.

Arriving in less than two weeks is the final release of GNOME 2.22.0. Coming out today, however, is GNOME 2.21.92, which is the GNOME 2.22.0 Release Candidate. The release announcement, notes, and source download links are available on the gnome-announce-list. For some of the interesting features that can be found in this forthcoming desktop environment update, be sure to check out our recent article listing the major improvements in GNOME 2.22. The final release of GNOME 2.22.0 is planned for March 12.

In time for Valentine's day, the GNOME developers are sharing their open-source love with the Linux community in the form of the GNOME 2.22 Beta 2 release. Among the packages checked in so far are new versions of Glib, Eye of GNOME, Cheese, Clutter, gnome-applets, and mousetweaks. It's to the point in the GNOME 2.22.0 development cycle where nearly all of the changes come down to bug-fixes and updated translations. The complete set of updated packages with their changes can be found on the gnome-announce-list. For some of the interesting improvements that can be found in GNOME 2.22.0, we had recently shared eight of the interesting improvements.

While the KDE 4.0 release event is kicking off today at the Googleplex, another GNOME test release is available in the road to GNOME 2.22. GNOME 2.21.5 is this latest development release. There are a load of changes and fixes in this release, so be sure to check out the GNOME release announcement.

We're just a little over three months out from the release of GNOME 2.22, but today marks the release of the GNOME 2.21.4 release. GNOME 2.21.4 is the fourth unstable/development release, but is significant in that we have now entered the string and UI change announcement periods for GNOME 2.22. Two of the interesting highlights with GNOME 2.21.4 include Metacity receiving the new compositor by Iain Holmes and swfdec now supporting Flash thumbnails while browsing files within Nautilus. The 2.21.4 release announcement can be read in full on the gnome-announce-list.

While development work on GNOME 2.22 is already in full swing, planned for release this Wednesday is the GNOME 2.20.2 stable release. Like GNOME 2.20.1, GNOME 2.20.2 will consist of updated stable packages (basically bug fixes and updated translations) while all of the exciting features and work is now focused on GNOME 2.22. Some of the GNOME 2.20.2 packages checked in already include GTK+ 2.12.2, Eye Of GNOME 2.20.3, Deskbar-Applet 2.20.2, Tomboy 0.8.2, and GLib 2.14.4. GNOME 2.20.0 was released in early September of this year while GNOME 2.20.2 is the second to the last bug-fix release in the 2.20.x branch.

If you prefer building code from source as opposed to getting the latest GNOME packages out of your distribution's development repository, you'll be pleased to know that GARNOME 2.21.2 is now available. GARNOME 2.21.2 has been codenamed "Dungeon Keeper 2" and includes all of the GNOME 2.21.2 packages plus a number of fixes. The GNOME 2.21 series is for those interested in testing the latest GNOME desktop and platform before the GNOME 2.22.0 release next March. Download links and more information is available in the GARNOME 2.21.2 announcement.

The first development release in the road towards GNOME 2.22.0 was released two weeks ago and already the second release is coming this Wednesday. GNOME 2.21.1 had contained a number of changes since GNOME 2.20, but with GNOME 2.21.2 the development towards GNOME 2.22 is really starting to heat up.

The GNOME team is out with the road-map for GNOME 2.22, 2.24, and future releases. There's quite a few changes planned, but a few in particular had caught our attention.

For those wishing to live on the cutting edge of GNOME innovations, the first development release in the road to GNOME 2.22.0 has been released. The GNOME 2.21.1 release represents a number of Pango changes, new Evolution improvements, many changes to the GNOME Control Center, and other work for this desktop environment. The GNOME 2.21.1 release announcement can be read on the gnome-announce-list. For easily building this latest development snapshot there is GARNOME, however, at the time of publishing GARNOME 2.21.1 has yet to be released. The next GNOME development release (GNOME 2.21.2) is planned for November 12.