GIMP 2.8 RC1 (Release Candidate) gives you a taste of the new features that are being offered in GIMP, which includes -
- Single window mode,
- Multi-column dock windows,
- More screen space for dialogs,
- Clear demarcation between Save and Export functions,
- Layer groups,
- On canvas text editing,
- Improved brushes,
- Tablet support, and
- A huge amount of minor improvements.
GIMP 2.8 when finally released will pack powerful features and lots of improvements from its predecessor (GIMP 2.6).
You can download GIMP 2.8 RC1 from the GIMP download page. Also read the full release notes.