The bug has been opened on https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gimp/+bug/115791

"Binary package hint: gimp

Ubuntu 7.04
Gimp 2.2.13

When zooming in and out, gimp doesn't pan the image to the actual position under the cursor. It always centers the image and forces you to scroll around very much, which is especially annoying if you work at the pixel-level (i.e. very close zoom) of a larger image.

Pan-to-Cursor-Zoom (as already implemented by Inkscape and F-Spot) in general is much more comfortable than "manual" scrolling/panning. E.g. if you want to go from a closeup of one part of an image to a closeup of a part that is very far away from the first one -- at higher zoom levels nearly every other part of the image is "far away" -- you currently have to do the following:

a) carefully (i.e. slowly) scroll tho the position using the scroll bars:
move, grab bar handle,carefully move, release, move, grab other handle,carefully move, release, maybe repeat all these steps.

b) scroll using the mousewheel:
carefully scroll up/down, hold a modifier key + carefully scroll up/down, maybe repeat

"b" is much faster/easier but still has the problem, that fast scrolling results in an image that is flashing far too fast over your screen (because of the high zoom level). In both cases it is very likely, that you'll scroll too far, i.e. you'l need higher precision and more concentration to scroll the image to the right position.

It would be much better if the zoom would pan the image in a way that the current pixel the cursor points at will stay under the cursor when zooming. The the previous scenario can than be easily completed by:

1. simply zoom out (no precision required)
2. move pointer to new center of interest
3. zoom in (low precision required)

As i said: this kind of zoom is already implemented by Inkscape and F-Spot, where it works very well.
..."