GNOME 2.22
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| GNOME 2.22 | |
|---|---|
| Name | GNOME 2.22 |
| Developer | GNOME Project |
| Released | 2008-09-10 |
| Latest release | 2.22 |
| Repository | GNOME Git |
| Programming language | C, C++ |
| Operating system | Unix-like |
| License | GPL, LGPL |
GNOME 2.22 was a major release of the GNOME Project desktop environment, introduced in September 2008. It formed part of the GNOME 2 series that followed earlier milestones such as GNOME 2.20 and preceded the transition to GNOME 3. The release brought refinements to the GTK+ toolkit, improved integration with distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and openSUSE, and continued collaboration with projects including X.Org, PulseAudio, and Evolution.
Overview
GNOME 2.22 emphasized stability and incremental feature enhancements across system components maintained by the GNOME Foundation. Development involved contributors from organizations such as Red Hat, Novell, Canonical, Intel, and independent volunteers coordinated through the GNOME Release Team. The release cycle and community governance linked to events like GUADEC and coordination with the Freedesktop.org initiative influenced design decisions and roadmap priorities.
New Features and Improvements
Key improvements included updates to the GTK+ 2.x series and optimizations that affected applications such as Nautilus, Epiphany, and the GNOME Terminal. Accessibility work referenced specifications from the GNOME Accessibility Project and integrated with technologies supported by the AT-SPI protocol and the Orca screen reader. Multimedia handling saw tighter integration with GStreamer and the PulseAudio sound server, while calendaring and mail workflows advanced in Evolution syncing with standards like iCalendar.
User Interface and Applications
The visual and usability refinements touched panels, menus, and control center modules, informed by design patterns discussed at GUADEC and in collaboration with designers from Trolltech-adjacent communities and contributors associated with Canonical. Core applications improved task flows in Nautilus file management, added features to Evince document viewing, enhanced Gedit text editing, and polished Brasero disc burning. Internationalization efforts engaged translators coordinated through the GNOME Translation Project and tied into localization work involving communities such as Mozilla and OpenOffice.org.
Technical Changes and Platform Support
Platform work included compatibility and packaging efforts for distributions like Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise, Ubuntu, and community spins such as Fedora and Debian. Integration with display systems referenced the X.Org Server and toolkits like GTK+ while also tracking developments in Wayland research. Build and continuous integration processes relied on infrastructure projects and version control systems including Git, with collaboration among maintainers in organizations such as CollabNet and hosting on services like GNOME Git repositories. Security and sandboxing discussions intersected with contributors from OpenSSH and cryptography libraries like GnuPG.
Release and Development
The release process followed the GNOME six-month cadence coordinated by the GNOME Release Team and discussed at conferences such as GUADEC and FOSDEM. Contributors ranged from paid engineers at firms like Red Hat and Novell to independent developers and students participating via programs like Google Summer of Code. Development was tracked on bug trackers and collaborative platforms used by entities like Bugzilla, with international coordination facilitated by mailing lists and IRC channels anchored in networks such as Libera Chat.
Reception and Legacy
Reception from distributions, reviewers, and desktop users noted the maturity of the GNOME 2 series and incremental polish in usability, with coverage in community outlets that included LWN.net, Linux Journal, and OSNews. The release influenced downstream projects and desktop environments that emerged later, and its design and technical choices informed the conversation leading up to the GNOME 3 redesign. Long-term legacy connected contributors and organizations, including Red Hat, Canonical, Novell, Sun Microsystems, and numerous volunteer communities, which carried lessons from this era into subsequent open source desktop innovations.