After a couple of years of quiescency, GD is back.
First of all, in the next few hours the pre1 version will be put back working with latest compilers (gcc 3.2/3.3) and with multithreading hacks based on older linuxthreads behaviors teared out. A new notice will signal the end of fixup and so the end of development on GD.
Then, it will come the time for GD2. After years of preparation, core libraries useable for GD2 are now ready: CABAL, WEFTS and MXMLPLUS (projects you may find here in SF) are ready to support the new GD in its task: a fully XML based system.
The GD core system will be completely redesigned in its functional design; the philosophy will be kept unhaltered (and also some good piece of code, where found, will be teared out from the old code and put in the new one).
The new GD2 is being designed based on a pseudo-code virtual machine, and a greatly simplified design for plugins and subclasses. The new paradigms of C++ will be completely exploited, and the power of virtual machines will be put at disposal of the GD system. The "interface" will be completely redesigned also.