I was reading a bit through the mailing list and it seemed that the GIMP development team had bit off a bit more than they could swallow at that time. This is what I've got from it:
* They rewrite the core of the software to allow a lot of new features.
* The developers could not agree on all critical details on how to proceed.
* Some developers got frustrated because things were not going their way or proceeding too slowly.
* The new model of how things work makes much of the old code obsolete.
* There are a lot of modules which need to be rewritten to use the new core.
* Before thinking about releasing the new GIMP >50% of the total work has to be done making transition hard.
* Due to its 'unique' interface a lot of people don't like the GIMP even if it would do everything they need.
* Designing and implementing a new interface is another pain point.
Considering that currently the GIMP is at a critical point in its development, a full-time developer could really be the pivotal element in making it succeed. I don't know much about this particular developer, though.
Comments
I was reading a bit through the mailing list and it seemed that the GIMP development team had bit off a bit more than they could swallow at that time. This is what I've got from it:
* They rewrite the core of the software to allow a lot of new features.
* The developers could not agree on all critical details on how to proceed.
* Some developers got frustrated because things were not going their way or proceeding too slowly.
* The new model of how things work makes much of the old code obsolete.
* There are a lot of modules which need to be rewritten to use the new core.
* Before thinking about releasing the new GIMP >50% of the total work has to be done making transition hard.
* Due to its 'unique' interface a lot of people don't like the GIMP even if it would do everything they need.
* Designing and implementing a new interface is another pain point.
Considering that currently the GIMP is at a critical point in its development, a full-time developer could really be the pivotal element in making it succeed. I don't know much about this particular developer, though.
Your summary is more or less correct :)