The GNOME Foundation announced the release of version 2.22 this week, an update that offers, among other things, enhanced multimedia support, new file system, and enhanced e-mail, internationalization and accessibility features.

Those familiar with computer repair know GNOME is frequently and successfully used in many popular Linux distributions such as:

-- Ubuntu
-- Novell
-- Red Hat
-- Mandriva
-- Debian

According to industry experts, version 2.22 will be incorporated into the soon-to-be-released Ubuntu Linux V. 8.04, code named “Hardy Heron,” Mandriva’s 2008.1 and in other forthcoming distributions such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 as well as Novell’s SUSE Linux Enterprise Destop 11.

In the short term going forward, the GNOME update will soon be in Fedora 9, Debian and in OpenSUSE 11 due in early summer from Novell.

It's also incorportated in an update of Foresight Linux.

Of course, certain distributors may also opt to use the GNOME 2.24 update, which is projected to be due in six months.

GNOME 2.24 is planning features that include a new version of its Ekiga VoIP client with a redesigned user interface and SIP presence support.

SIP is described as Empathy IM client that uses the Telepathy framework and a column and list view in the file manager.

According to a recent survey from desktoplinux.com in 2007, GNOME has 45 percent of desktop share, ahead of rival KDE with 35 percent.

GNOME 2.22 offers a variety of features to enhance its use in multimedia applications. One is a new feature known as Cheese that allows users to take photos and make videos using a computer’s webcam.

Additionally, according to reports, the MoviePlayer offers enhance support for DVD playback and new support for digital TV (DVB).

GNOME also emphasized version 2.2's accessibility improvements, such as enhanced screen-reading and magnification, and better mouse accessibility.

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