Eckhard M. Jäger wrote:

Dear Gimp Developers,

the opensource mag T3N asked me about writing an outlook about GIMP in 2009 and what users
can expect this year.

Hi

I here talk a little about what we would like to get into 2.8: http://jcornuz.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/an-exclusive-interview-with-martin-nordholts/

But to be honest I think it is best if this magazine does not write about what GIMP will get in 2009 simply because there is no way to make guarantees. If they write about it they should emphasize that everything is preliminary and not a promise, and that probably won't make the article as exciting as they want.

Note that the magazine is free to do what they like though, I just wanted to give my thoughts on it.

BR, Martin

Martin Nordholts gmail.com> writes:

Eckhard M. Jäger wrote:

Dear Gimp Developers,

the opensource mag T3N asked me about writing an outlook about GIMP in 2009 and what users
can expect this year.

But to be honest I think it is best if this magazine does not write about what GIMP will get in 2009 simply because there is no way to make guarantees. If they write about it they should emphasize that everything is preliminary and not a promise, and that probably won't make the article as exciting as they want.

Note that the magazine is free to do what they like though, I just wanted to give my thoughts on it.

Forgive me for the presumption but may I suggest something? instead of lowering expectations in advance, perhaps you could do something else: use the publicity as an opportunity for attracting new developers. If you do provide some vision and a roadmap for the steps ahead, and tell the magazine about the edffort to switch to GEGL (which should bring all sorts of goodies to GIMP) perhaps the people reading the magazine (I assume the readership is skewed towards programmers, this being a magazine about open source) will be inspired to join the GIMP team and help.

Hello Michael:

Would you be willing to write an article titled:

"GIMP's Wish List for 2009"

or something like it?

You may get more feedback from the developers if you drop "road map" from the formulation, because unfortunately a "road map" sounds like some sort of informal contract, with "failure to deliver" the likely outcome.

"GIMP's New Year Resolutions" would already be better than "Road Map," because everybody understands about keeping such...

(I already imagine the headline when GIMP moves to GEGL: "The GIMP Starts Smoking.")

-----

May the New Year bring many good features.

Nicolas Robidoux Universite Laurentienne

Apologies to all:

I meant:

Dear Eckhard...

in my last email.

Nicolas Robidoux

Michael Grosberg wrote:

Martin Nordholts gmail.com> writes

But to be honest I think it is best if this magazine does not write about what GIMP will get in 2009 simply because there is no way to make guarantees. If they write about it they should emphasize that everything is preliminary and not a promise, and that probably won't make the article as exciting as they want.

Note that the magazine is free to do what they like though, I just wanted to give my thoughts on it.

Forgive me for the presumption but may I suggest something? instead of lowering expectations in advance, perhaps you could do something else: use the publicity as an opportunity for attracting new developers.

You have a point. With this in mind I adjust my reply to:

I here talk a little about what we would like to get into 2.8 and 2.10: http://jcornuz.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/an-exclusive-interview-with-martin-nordholts/

There is no official roadmap but that more or less summarizes what has been said in recent discussions between developers.

- Martin

Nicolas Robidoux wrote:

(I already imagine the headline when GIMP moves to GEGL: "The GIMP Starts Smoking.")

That is one possible headline although it should say "GIMP" and not "The GIMP".