Google has released a highly-requested Gmail feature for Linux users: video and voice chat.

Ubuntu and other Debian-based Linux distributions are supported, with RPM support coming soon. To try it out, download the required plugin at gmail.com/videochat.

The release may be good news, but it leaves a sour taste for many Linux users, since it took Google nearly two years to release this feature for Linux. Yes, it`s nice to finally have the feature, but it won`t change the oft-heard notion that Linux is just an afterthought to Google.

BDST: 1555 HRS, 20 August 2010