Appendix - GIMP 2.6 for Photographers: Image Editing with Open Source Software - page 351

• A new Tab Style for the dock windows will be implemented. The title
bar of the windows within the docks will be removed. Instead, they are
showing only the window´s icon in the tab. This tab is now used as a
handle for dragging the window. If there is enough space, a describing
text can be shown aside the icon. The settings therefore are to be found
in the docks settings: Tab Style > Icon & Text or Automatic .

It will be possible to add most of the tools of the Colors menu to the
Toolbox. The settings therefore are to be found in Edit > Preferences > Toolbox .
• You will be able to apply the Text tool directly on an image without using
an editor. The Hinting and Force auto-hinter check boxes as well as the Text
along Path and Path from Text buttons were not usable in the developer
version. Inexplicably, version 2.7.0 crashed regularly under Windows Vista
and 7 when the tool was applied.
• The print function should be improved. An option to print crop marks is
provided in the available developer version (choose Edit > Print , and on
the Page setup tab in the Print window, select Draw Crop Marks ).
• The Save menu item will only save images in XCF format. For saving in
other file formats, there will be an Export menu item. This helps to get rid
of the warning messages when saving in other file formats.

The following changes and additions are being discussed, but it's hard to
tell yet if they will be implemented in GIMP 2.8:
• The implementation of a file browser with thumbnail preview images is
in discussion.
• A special function called Save for the Web with a preview function will
make it easier to save images for the Web.
• We may be able to combine Layers into groups.
• Layer settings for nondestructive image editing could ofer the option to
lay tonality corrections as a mask over a layer so that this transformation
can be corrected and taken back again.

The main work that is being done on GIMP 2.8 consists of integrating
the GEGL graphical library. Not until this is accomplished will it be possible
to tackle functions with a greater color depth than 24 bits, as is essential for
editing images in CMYK color mode or RAW photos with 48-bit color depth.
These will be available in future GIMP versions.
Sources : Interview with Martin Nordholts, a GIMP developer, at
http://jcornuz.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/an-exclusive-interview-with-
martin-nordholts/.
The Gimp Developer Archives, at https://lists.xcf.berkeley.edu/lists/gimp-
developer/.

• N OTE
As soon as I get my hands on a final
release of GIMP 2.8, I will document
all new features and functions in a
PDF which you will find at http://
www.rockynook.com/GIMPupdate