Free software luminaries, open source developers gather to advance the next generation of the multi-platform desktop environment.

BOSTON, Mass. February 18, 2003 The fourth annual GNOME User and Developer European Conference (GUADEC), will bring developers, GNOME Foundation leaders and individual, business and government GNOME users to Dublin, Ireland June 16-18, 2003. The conference is a unique forum for highlighting the capabilities and direction of GNOME, the user environment for desktops, networked servers and portable Internet devices. GUADEC will also feature meaningful discussions of the future direction of GNOME development. GUADEC 2003 will feature a comprehensive set of tutorials that will benefit IT leaders, developers and deployers of GNOME.

GUADEC has quadrupled in attendance over the past three years, drawing GNOME developers, industry, government and education IT leaders and GNOME enthusiasts from every corner of the world, said Timothy Ney, GNOME Foundation executive director. GUADEC is a unique event that brings the people who are creating GNOME together to discuss and demonstrate their work and to build roadmaps for future development. Pair these developers with IT leaders from every sector and you get the electric environment that is GUADEC.

GUADEC is being held June 16-18, 2003 at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. The program will boast a stellar lineup of speakers, from GNOME leaders to IT industry movers and shakers. Additional information on GUADEC can be found at www.guadec.org.

GUADEC is an opportunity to bring developers, who have worked with one another virtually for months and/or years, together in one place. Miguel de Icaza, president of the GNOME Foundation and CTO and co-founder, Ximian, Inc. said. It gives us a chance to meet with the very people who are deploying GNOME. GUADEC gives us a chance to discuss the future of GNOME and set the overall strategy and direction of GNOME for the next year.

About GNOME

GNOME is a free software project that provides a complete, easy to use desktop for a variety of operating systems, including GNU/Linux (more commonly known as Linux), BSD, Solaris , Operating Environment, HP-UX, Unix, BSD and Apples Darwin. The GNOME desktop is used by millions of people around the world. More than 700 computer developers, including over 100 full-time, paid developers, contribute their time and effort to the project.

About GUADEC

The GNOME User and Developer Europe Conference (GUADEC) is an annual gathering of GNOME developers, enthusiasts and individual, business, education and government users worldwide. It provides a forum for members of the GNOME project to showcase their work and to discuss the future of GNOME development. Housed in a different European country each year, GUADEC is a catalyst for the future development and direction of GNOME.

About the GNOME Foundation

Comprised of hundreds of volunteer developers and industry-leading companies, the GNOME Foundation is an organization committed to supporting the advancement of GNOME. The Foundation provides organizational, financial and legal support to the GNOME project and helps determine its vision and roadmap. GNOME is an entirely free user environment for desktops, networked servers and portable Internet devices. The modern architecture and design of GNOME includes a technically advanced application development platform and a powerful end-user desktop environment. Major leading software industry and computer manufacturers support the GNOME development effort, which is led by a worldwide community of volunteers. More information on GNOME is available at www.gnome.org.